Late last year, President Barack Obama signed into law the America’s Cup Act of 2011, legislation that waives portions of the Jones Act and the Passenger Vessel Services Act, laws that dictate what kinds of boats can transfer people and goods along American shores. In past competitions, the America’s Cup was held miles from land in international waters. The 34th America’s Cup, to be held on San Francisco Bay in 2013, will be less than a mile offshore, as will some preliminaries this coming summer in Newport, Rhode Island, and San Francisco.