New America's Cup boat made in NZ

New America's Cup boat made in NZ
19 Jan 2011
New Zealand boat builders are the toast of the international sailing community with the successful launch of the new AC45 catamaran - a scaled-down version of the boats to race in the next America’s Cup.

Dubbed the "little sister with attitude", the AC45 is a high-tech, wing-sailed catamaran built by the same New Zealand company responsible for the legendary design that won the 2010 America’s Cup.

Core Builders of Warkworth, north of Auckland, launched the AC45 in Auckland Harbour this week and got an immediate thumbs up from Oracle skipper James Spithill who helmed the boat on its maiden voyage around the Hauraki Gulf.

Positive performance
A number of internationally-renowned sailing aficionados were on the dock to witness the shakedown and websites have been buzzing with positive comment on the boat’s performance.

The new boat is a smaller version of the AC72 and Core Builders is charged with producing 10 of the yachts before June. The company has employed 50 people to work on the order and says the second boat is already nearing completion.

The AC45 yachts will be sailed in a series of Cup pre-regattas, which has been rebranded the America's Cup World Series, with the first expected to be staged in June or early July this year.

Mark Turner of Core Builders said it was a remarkable achievement for the New Zealand boat building industry to undertake such a mammoth project.

Team NZ base
The hulls and the beams of the first AC45 prototype were transported from Warkworth and assembled at the former Team New Zealand base in Auckland.

The sleek new catamaran was briefly dunked in the water with a shore crew of around 20 men manoeuvring the 20m wing sail into the platform.

After a brief trial sail on Auckland Harbour, test skipper James Spithill reported that the boat was powerful but easy to move.

"The wing’s big and the boat powers up quickly and is easy to sail and manoeuvrability is not a problem. Straight off the bat we were talking about going racing and how good it is going to be. We’ll have no problem having close racing. We were doing 20 knots at times."

Element of risk
Spithill said the boats were "pushing the boundaries" and there would be a bit of risk but that was what was needed in the America’s Cup.

"From a boat off a piece of paper to its first sail, it’s the most impressive I’ve ever seen. Within minutes we were flying a hull and fully loaded. We have the latest technology here with the wing and that’s what the America’s Cup is all about. It’s fantastic ... everyone at the dock is smiling. It’s an awesome tool and it’ll be a lot of fun," he said.

America’s Cup principal race officer Harold Bennett said the new AC45 looked "pretty impressive" when he saw it sailing and flying a hull almost immediately.

"It’s an awesome looking boat. It will be great to see more of them trialling together soon; I reckon the future of the America’s Cup is looking good."

Commentator impressed
Americas’ Cup veteran and sailing TV commentator Peter Lester said it was great to see the first boat and would be even better when there were several sailing out on Auckland Harbour.

"What also really impresses me is the way the team behind it have really thought about the detailing - and getting it in and out of water efficiently."

Andy Hindley, of America's Cup Race Management, said it was an unbelievable first sail in the AC45.

"We were in 8 - 10 knots of breeze and we were sailing at more than double that speed - up to about 20 knots at one point. With a bit more breeze we could be going 28 - 30knots. It’s a great start. There’s a bit of work to do onshore now, but then we will get it back onto the water and sail it as often as we can," said Hindley.

Official launch
America’s Cup officials and top international yachting representatives will remain in Auckland over the next few weeks and an official launch of the AC45 will be held on 8 February.

The 34th America’s Cup will be staged in San Francisco in October 2013. Team New Zealand is trying to raise sufficient finance and sponsorship to mount a campaign for the 2013 Match.

Velux 5 Oceans
Meanwhile in Wellington, international sailors competing in the Velux 5 Oceans yacht race have begun arriving after the second leg of their gruelling, solo round-the-world race.

American sailor Brad Van Liew was first in after battling 15m waves in the Southern Ocean, followed by experienced Polish yachtsman Zbigniew Gutkowski and Canada’s top ocean racer, Derek Hatfield who arrived in Wellington on Tuesday (18.1.11). The final competitor Chris Stanmore-Major from England, is still battling the Tasman Sea.

The yachts will moor at Wellington’s Queens Wharf for repairs and maintenance until the race re-starts on 6 February or Waitangi Day, New Zealand’s national anniversary.

The Velux 5 Oceans Race started in France in October 2010, and is made up of five legs, sailed over nine months.

ENDS

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