The “revolutionary” AC40 foiling yacht designed by Emirates Team New Zealand is now available for private owners to compete in a new AC40 Grand Prix Circuit.

Conceived as a strict one-design 40-foot version of the AC75 yachts that competed in the 36th America’s Cup, the AC40 went into production in early 2022 is set for even significant exposure this year as it’s raced in preliminary regattas in Vilanova and Jeddah.

What’s more, next year’s Youth and Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona will also be raced in AC40s, with 12 international teams committed to both events.

With nine AC40s already launched and three more currently in production, exclusive builder McConaghy Boats has a strong mandate from private owners and syndicates to create a new grand prix circuit for the AC40 class.

The class is administered by the AC40 Management Group — comprising Emirates Team New Zealand, McConaghy Boats and Ancasta International Boat Sales — which is now focused on establishing a class of privately owned AC40s to do just that, adding to the existing yachts built for the America’s Cup.

This fleet of privately owned and skippered AC40s will participate in both circuits and championship racing, promising “an extraordinary experience for the lucky few who have the means and ambition to participate in the most exciting form of sailing around”

Logistics were a key factor in the overall design of the AC40. The entire yacht, including hull, mast and appendages, packs down onto a supplied 40-foot flat rack for ease of transport on container ships or trucks.

The yacht can be unpacked and afloat in 48 hours, requiring a minimal support team. With only four crew and a slim sail wardrobe, operating costs are surprisingly low.

A centralised technical support service is also available through the class subscription, which will also provide access to a collective inventory of spares.

And there is a commitment to record and share performance data between teams, which is seen as a key element in ensuring long-term competitiveness within the class, and will be offered to all new teams to the circuit. No crew will therefore have a knowledge advantage over another — true one-design racing.

Meanwhile, a Mediterranean training base will be established as a base for the AC40 fleet, where training sessions will be provided throughout the pre-season including boat handling, performance training, safety skills and practice in an AC40 simulator to obtain an AC40 Class Licence.

The class is organising video conferences to discuss its plans, from events to shared services, on 31 August and 5 September. To join the calls, and for all enquiries, contact [email protected].

America’s Cup defender Emirates Team New Zealand began its two-boat testing programme on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour last Thursday (2 February) in ideal 12-15 knots northeasterly winds.

It was the first opportunity the team has had to sail in the past week in the wake of the unprecedented weather event in the city over the Auckland Anniversary weekend.

Onboard the AC40’s for the three-and-a-half-hour session was the now familiar crew of Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge helming with Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney trimming on AC40.1.

Liv MacKay swapped port-side driving duties with Leonard Takahashi while Josh Junior was on the starboard helm on the second AC40 with Sam Meech and Marcus Hansen in the trimming seats.

The benefits of the two boats squaring off were quick to appear for coach Ray Davies: “The boats were engaging so well from the outset and as a result you could definitely see some instant gains in communication between the guys and girls onboard, obviously keeping check on the other boat’s performance and moves which is really important as far as match racing goes.”

Thursday’s session, which included a number of match race scenarios and line-ups, created an instant increase in intensity for the on-water programme for not only the sailors but the entire on-water operations, the team says.

In campaigns long past, the sight of two boats testing was a common occurrence, especially in the days of the IACC class used between 1992-2007. But not since 2012 has Emirates Team New Zealand had two boats together when a couple of SL33s were used to verify the significance of foiling versus non-foiling in the America’s Cup.

The construction of the America's Cup chase boat was started in August 2021 at the team’s North Shore build facility, the appendage construction is in its final stages and the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powertrain installation is underway at the team’s base in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour.

The ETNZ Hydrogen project powered by Toyota has been an important one for Emirates Team New Zealand who, as Defender of the America’s Cup, have committed to driving hydrogen innovation in the marine industry through working with clean technologies.

“The Hydrogen project has been a completely new challenge across the board for Emirates Team New Zealand designers, builders and engineers,” said Head of Design Dan Bernasconi. “These types of projects are extremely beneficial to keep the guys pushing the boundaries, continually learning and approaching problems with different perspectives, which all help to keep raising the bar in our design approach to the 37th America’s Cup which is also progressing in parallel.”

The prototype foiling boat is 10 metres in length, and approximately 5200kg displacement, the cruising speed will be 30-35 knots with a top speed of around 50 knots and will carry 6 crew members with a range of between 150-180km generating approximately 440kW peak power via a 400V DC system powered by the Hydrogen Fuel Cell.

“A project like this is not a straightforward one, and we have had to pull together a wide range of suppliers and components for this prototype boat, parts of which look like something out of Back to the Future,” explains Project Manager Geoff Senior.
“Toyota New Zealand and the Toyota Motor Corporation Japan have been a significant part of the project in supplying the 2 x 80kW pre-production Toyota Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Global Bus Ventures have supplied the Hydrogen Powertrain system design and integration and Gurit have been a valuable partner with the composite materials and engineering.”

The four hydrogen storage tanks onboard from Hexagon Purus will store 33kgs of hydrogen gas at 350bar while the propulsion is via a Mercury bottom end propellor which is embedded within the foils. The design of the foil wings by the Emirates Team New Zealand design team was largely based on AC75 technology and the Autopilot which will be used to control the ride height is ETNZ proprietary technology that will be implemented in the new AC40 boats in production.

Michael Rasmussen ETNZ Mechatronics Engineer said, “It is a learning curve for everyone involved, but it always is when we are driving technology into new territory. But with that comes really focused engagement from everyone involved to produce something we hope will reach the objectives we set out to achieve in driving a clean change in the global marine industry from down here in New Zealand.

Emirates Team New Zealand Hydrogen Foiling America's Cup Chase Boat

It will be an exciting yet stressful time once we are ready to get it out onto the water and put it to the test, which seems to be the way with every boat Emirates Team New Zealand creates.”

The prototype boat is expected to launch early next month and will be put through a thorough sea trial to work through all the complex systems involved to get the boat up and flying.

An integral supporter to The ETNZ Hydrogen project powered by Toyota is Emirates Team New Zealand Sustainability Ambassador and former Chair of Directors, Sir Stephen Tindall, who along with helping to fund the project also believes that strategically clean hydrogen will be a very important part of New Zealand’s green sustainability in future.

“Green hydrogen comes from renewable energy like wind, solar and hydro and once the hydrogen is used in the boat, the only by-product is water,” said Tindall.

“I believe our ambitious move into hydrogen boats by Emirates Team New Zealand will set the scene for motor-driven craft as we did in starting the marine foiling revolution. I am looking forward to seeing millions of hydrogen driven vehicles and boats over the next 20 years.”

Stuff is reporting that New Zealand business magnate Mark Dunphy has served legal letters on America’s Cup holders Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) and its boss Grant Dalton.

Dunphy emerged in September with an offer to raise the necessary funds to keep the next America’s Cup in New Zealand — months after the Auld Mug’s holders rejected the NZ government’s €58m offer to host their defence in Auckland.

Prospective bids from around the world have since been entertained, among them Abu Dhabi and Cork Harbour.

The team reportedly ruled out further dealings with Dunphy — who heads the Kiwi Home Defence campaign — after accusing him of “underhanded and deceitful attempts to undermine” the team and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the Auckland yacht club that hosted the 36th America’s Cup earlier this year.

Now lawyers for the chief executive of Greymouth Petroleum have sent legal letters to the ETNZ and Dalton “requesting certain inaccurate statements be corrected and that apologies be given”.

In response, ETNZ has described the letters as “an attempted act of intimidation”. Stuff has much more on the story HERE.

America’s Cup defender Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) has terminated its agreement with an unnamed contractor after it emerged that secrets may have been leaked from its Auckland base.

ETNZ released a statement in which it said the team, along with race organisers America’s Cup Events (ACE), “became suspicious that we had informants” within ACE.

It added these suspicions “were confirmed when we had confidential and sensitive information coming back to us from Europe very recently”.

“The motives of the informants who had access to the Emirates Team New Zealand base can only be guessed at, at this stage,” the statement continued.

“In addition, these people have made highly defamatory and inaccurate allegations regarding financial and structural matters against ACE, ETNZ, and its personnel.”

ETNZ managing director Grant Dalton told NZ news site Stuff that the team is “flabbergasted” at the situation, which he said he and colleagues had suspected for the last six months. Stuff has much more on the story HERE.

As reported earlier today on Afloat.ie, the AC75 Defiant, built for the America’s Cup challenger New York Yacht Club American Magic, has arrived in Auckland a month after departing from the team’s Florida base.

New footage from Emirates Team NZ (see below) shows just how fast its AC75 foiling yacht can glide over the water.

The team is continuing training ahead of the first leg in the America’s Cup World Series which begins this April in Cagliari, Italy.

That’s also amid an ongoing dispute with the challenger of record over wind limits for the 36th edition in Auckland, scheduled for March next year.

The New Zealand Herald has more on the story HERE.

#AmericasCup - The protocol of the 36th America’s Cup was released yesterday (Thursday 28 September) at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron after “focused and friendly” negotiations between the defending cupholders and the Challenger of Record, Circolo della Vela Sicilia.

With the return to monohulls confirmed earlier this month, it was announced that the AC75 Class will be a 75ft-high performance monohull governed by the AC75 Class Rule which will be published by 31 March 2018, with initial concepts of the class being released to key stakeholders by the end of November this year.

Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton also confirmed that PRADA has secured the exclusive naming and event sponsor rights for the 36th America’s Cup — including the Challenger Selection Series, which will officially be named The PRADA Cup.

The dates and venue of both the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup will be announced by 31 August 2018. The intended venue is Auckland, New Zealand, with the Match to be raced in March 2021, preceded by The Prada Cup in January and February 2021.

A series of preliminary regattas will be raced internationally in 2019 and 2020 in the AC75 Class boats, culminating with a Christmas regatta in December 2020 for all competitors.

Each competitor is permitted to build two boats, the hulls of which must be laminated in the country of the competitor. The first boat is not permitted to be launched prior to 31 March 2019; the second can be launched after 1 February 2020.

The rules stipulate that no two-boat testing will be allowed, except by the defender and only during the period of racing in The PRADA Cup, as they will play no part in this stage of the competition.

Race management will be entirely independent of the event organisation, led by the regatta director. The umpires and jury that will manage all on the water rules and disputes for all events.

An independent measurement committee will manage the measurement process in accordance with the forthcoming AC75 Class Rule. An arbitration panel will oversee and deal with all protocol disputes with published decisions to maintain the integrity of the event.

The challenger of record will organise the PRADA Cup and the defender will organise the America’s Cup Match while co-operating with regards to commercial issues such as sponsorship and broadcast rights for the 36th America’s Cup as a whole.

An increased emphasis has also been placed in the rules around the nationality of the sailing crews when racing, following proposals first made in December 2013.

Twenty per cent, or three crew, whichever is higher, must be ‘true nationals’ (ie citizens) of the competing yacht club. The remainder of the crew can be made up of residents of the challenging yacht club’s country defined by being physically present in that country for a minimum of 380 days over a two-year period between September 2018 and 31 August 2020.

Key dates for 35th America’s Cup

• 30 November 2017: AC75 Class concepts released to key stakeholders
• 1 January 2018: Entries for challengers open
• 31 March 2018: AC75 Class Rule published
• 30 June 2018: Entries for challengers close
• 31 August 2018: Location of the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed; specific race course area confirmed
• 31 December 2018: Late entries deadline
• 31 March 2019: Boat 1 can be launched
• 1 June-31 December 2019: Two America’s Cup World Series preliminary events will take place within the second half of 2019; three more will follow in 2020
• 1 February 2020: Boat 2 can be launched
• 10-20 December 2020: America’s Cup Christmas Race
• January-February 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
• March 2021: The America’s Cup Match

Download the Protocol, Deed of Gift and key points.

#AmericasCup - It only took one more race for Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand to seal the deal and clinch the Auld Mug in the 35th America’s Cup match in Bermuda yesterday (Monday 26 June).

Race nine, the first of two scheduled for yesterday afternoon, saw another dominant performance to match the two comfortable wins join Sunday that put the Kiwi team at match point, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Both teams enjoyed clean starts off the line when racing resumed in the Great Sound of Bermuda, with Oracle Team USA — who defeated their Kiwi rivals in a surprise turnaround for the 34th America’s Cup in 2013 — edging ahead before losing ground on the run to the second mark.

By the third, the New Zealand yacht, with Burling at the helm, had already extended its lead to 26 seconds, and with a further six seconds of buffer added at the fourth, it was all she wrote.

Burling and crew, who went in as underdogs, now bring the America’s Cup back to New Zealand for the first time since 2000.

“I’ve grown up watching this competition as a fan and to be a Kiwi and taking this cup home is a dream come true,” said the young helmsman after the race.

“To be able to win this event at such a young age is an unreal feeling. However, I’m just a tiny part of a massive team and it is incredible to be able to reward the hard work of those hundreds of people who have supported us, not only here but back home in New Zealand as well.”

Team chief executive Grant Dalton credited their push for better design since 2013 as one of their keys to victory.

“One of the things to come out of San Francisco is that we were out-designed and we knew this time round that we had to push that area,” he said.

“This time round we had no restrictions on design. We just wanted to see what we could come up with and we have achieved some truly amazing things that have been revolutionary in this sport.”

Dalton added: “After San Francisco we had a pretty tough debrief and came up with 20 points that we had to change. One of those was that we had to invest in technology and the people that provide it.

“We also had to get our arms around the next generation of yachtsmen that were coming through and Peter [Burling] was one of those.”

The title is a major get at this early stage for 26-year-old Burling, who won the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup trophy at the last match in San Francisco.

What’s next for the new America’s Cup champions? A new challenge from an old foe in Luna Rossa Challenge, representing Circolo della Vela Sicilia in northern Sicily, the Challenger of Record for the 36th America’s Cup.

Luna Rossa Challenge tussled with the Kiwis in the 30th America’s Cup match in 2000 and more recently in the 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup final, coming up short on both occasions, so the Italians will have much to prove come 2021.

#AmericasCup - Emirates Team New Zealand extended their lead over Oracle Team USA by six points to one after the fourth day of the 35th America’s Cup match in Bermuda yesterday (Sunday 25 June).

The Kiwis’ comfortable wins in the seventh and eight rounds put a halt on the American boat’s momentum after victory in Saturday’s last race, and put them at match point in the series — needing only one more win to bring the cup back to New Zealand.

However, that score will bring back memories of the last America’s Cup match in 2013 on San Francisco Bay, where Oracle were on the ropes but staged a spectacular turnaround to defend their title.

Today’s scheduled rounds, starting at 2pm local time (with live coverage from 5.30pm on BT Sport 1), will tell whether the US team has what it takes to repeat that incredible feat and keep its grip on the Auld Mug.

#AmericasCup - Emirates Team New Zealand suffered a high-speed pitch-pole just moments after the start of their America’s Cup play-off semi-final with Land Rover BAR on Tuesday (6 June), as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

But how did such a disastrous mistake happen? Land Rover BAR’s chief technology officer Andy Claughton shares his thoughts with Yachting World’s Elaine Bunting, suggesting a split-second error in assigning the NZ team’s daggerboard controls to the ‘cyclors’ that power its hydraulic systems, rather than the helmsman.

While that strategy has given the team an edge over their competitors in terms of fine control of ride height in lighter conditions, Claughton says the tradeoff was plain to see in their capsize in winds just below the 24 knots average limit.

Commenting more broadly on all sailors' performances in Bermuda over the week, Claughton also questions the “high-stakes dice rolling” format of concentrated short-course racing, which presents “a danger that you don’t give enough time for the cream to rise to the top.”

Hear more of Claughton’s comments HERE.