Test platform for AC62 design ideas
(Oops – make that “ACC”)
The AC62 rule was replaced by 49 foot “America’s Cup Class” in April 2015
The Artemis Racing AC45 “Turbo” has flared hulls to make room for cockpits, wheel steering and a grinding pedestal. The crossbeams are longer than on a standard AC45, giving a length to beam ratio useful for testing AC62 design concepts. The main crossbeam and the daggerboards are further forward. Like an AC62 there is a “pod” or “longeron” under the wing. Raising and lowering the daggerboards and rake and cant are controlled by hydraulic systems. Like on their AC72 and unlike the standard AC45, the jib is self-tacking.
One design AC45 for America’s Cup World Series racing
Remember that this boat will not race in the America’s Cup World Series – it is purely a development boat for testing design ideas for the AC62 catamaran that will race in the America’s Cup in 2017. I explain the rules for one design “racing” AC45’s and “development” AC45’s here and here.
Artemis has another AC45 from the previous campaign, which has also been modified as a test boat, but not (yet) as extensively as the “Turbo.” They will acquire a third, new AC45 for racing in the America’s Cup World Series as a one design foiler.
Six teams at four different places in the AC62 design cycle.
Oops – Luna Rossa withdrew their challenger the AC62 was dropped for the ACC.
Artemis and Oracle are both currently ahead of Luna Rossa and Ben Ainslie Racing, who have so far only shown test AC45’s that use the standard hulls and beams. Emirates Team New Zealand and Team France are just beginning to convert standard AC45’s to the one design foiling version in order to begin racing in the America’s Cup World Series in June. ETNZ will then build a test boat using the AC45 they have acquired from Team Australia. Team France has only this month (February 2015) acquired a standard AC45 which they will modify to the one design standard for racing. They have no plans at the moment to build a development boat.