The idea is to make the channel as thin as possible, allowing the electric field generated by the gate to penetrate the entire thing, thus improving the control that the gate is able to exert.

ECONOMIST: Transistors

During that October practice run, the Oracle team's upturned boat ended up drifting from the San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge and four miles into the open Pacific Ocean before the team could get it under control.

WSJ: Before America's Cup Capsize, Concerns About Safety