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New “America’s Cup Class” Catamarans Replace AC62 for 2017 America’s Cup

 

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OTUSA’S “TURBO” TEST BOAT FOR THE 2017 AMERICA’S CUP

The America’s Cup challengers voted 3-2 to change the Protocol and race in “America’s Cup Class” 48 foot catamarans instead of the AC62 class that had been announced 10 months earlier.

As is often the case, politics were part of the mix. Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand voted against the change. After the vote, Luna Rossa carried through on their threat to withdraw from the America’s Cup. They complained that it was too late in the cycle to change the class of boat used. ETNZ claimed that the decision was linked to the choice of venue for the America’s Cup Qualifiers, saying that ACEA offered to hold the AC Qualifiers in Bermuda rather than Auckland if the new class were to be accepted – european teams were reportedly strongly against holding the AC Qualifiers in Auckland.

Reasons given for making the change were cost savings and the surprisingly good performance and manoeuverability of the test boats that Artemis Racing and Oracle Team USA launched on San Francisco Bay. OTUSA reportedly has hit over 46 knots. Artemis has been seen foiling upwind and executing roll tacks, even attempting foil to foil tacks.

In depth look at the test boats –
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Cup Experience Club members can take a closer look at the AC45 “Turbo” boats. Five marked up photos and two videos show the details and the impressive performance that convinced ACEA to propose moving to the new, smaller America’s Cup Class. Bronze level member ship is FREE – all we need is your email address.

 

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Earlier articles about the AC45 “turbo” test boats:

 

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High stakes dealings at the America’s Cup

 

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Showdown

There will be a showdown at the Competitors’ Forum meeting on Tuesday 31 March 2015. Negotiations over changing the boats to be raced and the venue for the first phase of America’s Cup have reached a climactic moment. Luna Rossa has threatened to withdraw. Team New Zealand may lose a major funding source. The Protocol may be changed drastically – abandoning the split venues for challenger selection and scrapping the AC62 in favor a a new class of boat.

What caused the showdown? Where do things stand?

  • On Wednesday 25 March, Commercial Commissioner Harvey Schiller announced plans to abandon the AC62 in favor of a smaller boat.
  • On Thursday, Luna Rossa announced their opposition to the change, stating that they would withdraw if the change were made, and that they would cancel the first America’s Cup World Series event in Cagliari in June.
  • Also on Thursday, Emirates Team New Zealand announced their support for Luna Rossa‘s position.
  • Within hours, Schiller informed ETNZ that the America’s Cup Qualifiers (the round robin phase of the challenger selection) would not be awarded to Auckland. The New Zealand government reconfirmed that without the Auckland regatta, they would not renew as a sponsor of the team.
  • On Friday 27 March, ACEA CEO Russell Coutts confirmed that the current proposal is to abandon the split venue for challenger selection, and instead to hold all 2017 racing in Bermuda.
  • Coutts explained that America’s Cup World Series racing will be in foiling one design AC45’s, as previously announced.
  • Coutts also repeated that he expects to have one Asian challenger (widely rumored to be from Japan) and possibly another Asian challenger. Coutts made it clear that he only wants competitive teams and criticized China Team for being uncompetitive in the 2007 America’s Cup in Valencia, Spain.
  • The class rule for the new, smaller America’s Cup boat will be presented to the teams. It is likely to be a scaled down AC62, possibly an AC54, with a crew of six instead of the eight man crew on the AC62.
  • This would be a change to the Protocol, not a change to the AC62 Class Rule. The distinction is important, since only a majority of the five challengers is required to change the Protocol, while a change to the AC62 Class Rule would require unanimous approval.
  • Artemis Racing, Ben Ainslies Racing and Team France have all expressed their support for the change

What happens next?

A Competitors’ Forum meeting has been called for Tuesday 31 March to vote on the changes.

 

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Team France: Getting ready for ACWS

Between uncertainty about the AC Qualifier venue and Franck Cammas’s busy schedule, there has been little news from Team France. No sponsors have been named. No design team has been hired. Cammas’s Groupama Sailing Team has chartered an AC45 that formerly belonged to Oracle Team USA. They will modify it to the one design standard for racing in the America’s Cup World Series in 2015. Cammas has three other major sailing projects, including his Olympic campaign in the Nacra 17 with crew Sophie de Turckheim. Photos and more info here.

America's Cup Franck Cammas with AC45 in Lorient, France. Photo: Groupama Sailing Team
America’s Cup Franck Cammas with AC45 in Lorient, France. Photo: Groupama Sailing Team

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Luna Rossa: Two boat testing in foiling AC45’s

Luna Rossa is the only team to be sailing two AC45 test boats. The team’s base in Cagliari, Sardinia has been active, with two boat testing and ongoing modifications to their AC45 test boats. They have added wheel steering, but to date we have not seen flared hulls and cockpits or any modifications to the crossbeams on their AC45 test boats “Piranha” and “Swordfish.”  Read more here and here.

Luna Rossa has acquired Energy Team’s AC45 which will be modified add the one design foiling package for racing in the AC World Series. The ACWS kicks off in Cagliari in early June. Francesco Bruni will helm the Luna Rossa entry.

America's Cup Luna Rossa running two boat testing with foiling AC45's
America’s Cup Luna Rossa running two boat testing with foiling AC45’s

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Artemis Racing: staying on SF Bay, for now

Artemis Racing continues training on San Francisco Bay, sailing from their base in Alameda. This video has comments from the sailors and shows the cockpits and deck layout of what they call their “turbo” foiling AC45 test boat.