AC75
![]() Ineos Team UK AC75
+ | |
Development | |
---|---|
Year | 2017 – |
No. built | 8 launched |
Role | inshore racing |
Name | AC75 |
Crew | 11 + 1 optional guest |
Boat | |
Crew | 11 + 1 optional guest |
Displacement | 6,450 kg (14,220 lb) lightship 7,600 kg (16,800 lb) loaded |
Draft | 5.00 m (16 ft) |
Hull | |
Type | Foiling Monohull |
Construction | carbonfiber |
LOA | 22.86 m (75 ft) |
LOH | 20.70 m (68 ft) |
Beam | 5.00 m (16 ft) |
Hull appendages | |
General | topside-mounted ballasted canting T-wing foils |
Ballast | set in foils |
Rudder(s) | centerline T-wing rudder |
Rig | |
Rig type | bermuda sloop |
Mast length | 26.50 m (87 ft) |
Sails | |
General | two semi-battened mainsail skins, one headsail skin |
Mainsail area | 145 m2 (1,560 sq ft) |
Jib/genoa area | 90 m2 (970 sq ft) |
Spinnaker area | 200 m2 (2,200 sq ft) |
The AC75 (America's Cup 75) is a racing yacht used in the 2021 America's Cup match and planned to be used for the 37th America's Cup and 38th America's Cup matches. The 23 m (75 ft) monohulls feature wing-like sailing hydrofoils mounted under the hull, a soft wingsail,[1] and no keel.[2]
The rule
Following the 2017 America's Cup, winners Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron accepted a notice of challenge from Circolo della Vela Sicilia stipulating a monohull would be used in 2021. Conceptual graphics of a monohull with soft sails and topside canting hydrofoils were released on 21 November 2017, and the first draft of the class rule was published by the defender and the challenger of record on 29 March 2018.[3] The return to monohulls with soft sails after three America's Cups on multihulls with wingsails is reminiscent of earlier America's Cup classes and seaworthy traditions, but the rule included hydrofoils to attract high performance crews and large TV audiences.[4]
Under the protocol, each competing club could build two yachts, but two-boat testing was excluded except during the PRADA Christmas Cup on 17–20 December 2020, and for the defenders during the PRADA Cup 15 January – 22 February 2021. To reduce design and testing costs of the class unique class features, the rule specified foil controlling systems all manufactured by defender team and foil arms all manufactured by the Challenger of Record's builder Persico Marine.
List of AC75 yachts
Syndicate | Name | Shipyard | Launched | Competitive history | Notes |
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Te Aihe | ETNZ | 6 September 2019 | Trial boat (never raced) | [5] |
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Defiant | American Magic | 14 September 2019 | Trial boat (never raced) | [6] |
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Luna Rossa | Persico Marine | 2 October 2019 | Trial boat (never raced) | [7] |
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Britannia | Carrington Boats | 4 October 2019 | Trial boat (never raced) | [8] |
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Patriot | American Magic | 16 October 2020 | Raced in the 2021 Prada Cup | [9][10] |
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Britannia | Carrington Boats | 17 October 2020 | Raced in the 2021 Prada Cup | [11] |
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Luna Rossa | Persico Marine | 20 October 2020 | Winner of the 2021 Prada Cup Lost the 2021 America's Cup to Emirates Team New Zealand (7-3) |
[12] |
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Te Rehutai | ETNZ | 18 November 2020 | Winner of the 2021 America's Cup | [13] |
The visible differences between designs have been commented by most of the yachtbuilding community and the specialized press as each of the boats were launched.[14]
Speeds
Potential speed of 50 kn (93 km/h; 58 mph) was claimed based on computer simulations.[15]
Notable high speeds actually recorded in racing were:
- 49.1 kn (90.9 km/h; 56.5 mph) by Te Rehutai (in 15 and 19 kn (28 and 35 km/h; 17 and 22 mph)) on 17 December 2020.[16]
- 50.25 kn (93.06 km/h; 57.83 mph) by Britannia during day 4 of the Prada Cup 23 January 2021.
- 53.31 kn (98.73 km/h; 61.35 mph) by Patriot (American Magic) during day 1 of the Prada Cup Semifinals (in breeze gusting up to 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph)) on 29 January 2021.[17]
Patent claim
In October 2020 patent infringement was claimed in New Zealand regarding the canting foil system used in the boats that have been produced. Team New Zealand said it had already rejected the claim because its system did not infringe any patent.[18][19]
See also
References
- ^ "The Sails of the America's Cup". Sailing World.
- ^ Hillary Noble (5 April 2018), America's Cup designer spotlight, North Sails
- ^ AC75 class rule version 1.1, americascup.com, 29 June 2018
- ^ Bernie Wilson (21 November 2017), Team New Zealand unveils radical foiling monohull, Associated Press
- ^ Team New Zealand launch their first AC75
- ^ A first flight and a name
- ^ 'Luna Rossa', the new flying monohull
- ^ Ineos Team UK name their first AC75 'Britannia'
- ^ Patriot christened and launched
- ^ Chase boats alongside also providing flotation, by tying themselves up to attachment points on Patriot.
- ^ INEOS TEAM UK christen 'Britannia'
- ^ Luna Rossa launches its second AC75
- ^ Emirates Team New Zealand launch Te Rehutai
- ^ Matthew Sheahan (23 October 2020), Challenger Revelations, planetsail.org
- ^ "American Magic shines as racing begins". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. 17 December 2020. Archived from the original on 27 December 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "How fast can Team New Zealand's AC75 go? Grant Dalton explains the new boat's design". TVNZ. 5 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Prada Cup Semi-Final Day 1". America′s Cup. 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ Todd Niall (27 October 2020), Brazilian designer claims patent for AC75 canting foils, Stuff Ltd
- ^ NZ 740860