’s Cup Taking the sport to a broader audience is at the heart of the new plans. Minimising delays to racing What will an AC72 look like? or soft sails: the AC72 forms one of the cornerstones of The next generation of America’s Cup boats will be designed to a tight class rule allows for wingsail Wind the new-style Cup. According to box rule and weighing just one third the weight of their monohull predecessors, and soft sail options to promote Cup heads in radical Coutts, to achieve this, boats would yet flying considerably more sail area with top speeds above 30 knots. racing through a broad range of need to be sailed at more reliable conditions venues over a wider wind range, LOA 22.00m 72ft from three to 33 knots and courses Beam 14.00m 46ft n The n needed to be easier to set up and Displacement 5,700kg 12,500lb Ease of assembly: the AC72 can O new direction change to suit the weather. All-up weight 7,000kg 15,500lb be assembled in two days and Wingmasted cats and a World Series? It’s the most ambitious shake-up yet in the Wingsail area 260m2 2,800ft2 disassembled in one to two days world’s oldest international sporting trophy, but at what price? Matthew Sheahan Inspiring to young sailors Wingsail height 40m 130ft to accommodate the shipping The boats themselves need to be Wingsail chord 8.5m 28ft schedule for the America’s Cup reports on the major changes for the next America’s Cup exciting to watch, demanding to Crew 11 World Series events sail and inspirational for younger Sail trimming No mechanically powered systems he 34th America’s Cup will be More varied legs, including generations of sailors. A promise of Sail area reduction Removable top sections/leech elements Power source: engines are held in 2013 using 72ft reaches, shorter first beats, wider top speeds in excess of 30 knots by Appendages Maximum of 2 rudders, 2 daggerboards banned, but electrically driven wingmasted catamarans, the wind ranges and even marks that Pete Melvin, designer of the new valves to control the wingsail Tfirst of which will be launched in double as spectator platforms are classes and expert multihull sailor, might be permitted January 2012. Under plans outlined among the ideas on the table for helped to drive home the message in the new Protocol, boats will race the next America’s Cup cycle. that the new Cup fleet will be very AC45 – the little sister in an America’s Cup World Series of different from the monohull with attitude seven international regattas during Fairest Cup ever? leadmines of the past. This strict one-design will be 2012 and three in 2013 before the It is being presented as the most The issue of campaign costs was raced by Challengers during Cup Match itself. The specific profound change in the history of , CEO also at the top of the list of major 2011. Designed as a stepping venues, including that of the the event and the fairest Protocol of the considerations. In an attempt to stone towards the AC72 and Match, have yet to be announced. ever. BMW Oracle CEO Russell BMW Oracle, wants make the event more affordable for fitted with a solid wingsail, During the 2011 season, the Coutts explains that the process of to make the Cup teams, crew numbers would be this boat is currently being World Series will be contested by transforming the Cup is about “fit for the future” reduced from 17 to 11 (on the AC72), tooled in . challenging teams in one-design making it “fit for the future”. the number of weather and support The first boat is due for 45ft cats, also with wingmasts, in “We could have just pressed the boats would be limited and there launch and trials in a series of three international reset button,” he says. “But when we would be blackout periods for December. The fleet is regattas. These boats will sat down and went through the testing. Coutts’s team claim that expected to be ready subsequently be used for a Youth numbers following the 32nd budgets for a multihull option for June 2011. America’s Cup. Tooling for the AC45 America’s Cup, the commercial and would be “20 per cent less than for a is currently under construction in media returns fell short. For many similar-sized monohull”. New Zealand with the first boat due years, the cost of competing in the Still, at a quoted €45-100 million for launch and testing by America’s Cup has been way out of the cost of competing in the 34th Challengers in December. The balance with the return.” America’s Cup could prove to be 8 season’s fleet will be ready for the World Series in June 2011, which is expected to start in Europe. What do insiders think? – Emirates Grand-prix shake-up “Oracle have made the decision and we have to live by it. The radical plans for the next We might not agree with it, but we want to be part of America’s Cup so it’s America’s Cup, which were unveiled a new challenge for everyone” at BMW Oracle’s base in in September, not only mark the biggest change for the world’s Bruno Trouble – Founder of Who’s behind the rule? oldest international sporting “ “I feel very positive. Russell is a magician and there is not much to criticise. trophy, but could also play a major The AC72 Class Rule was drafted by a The whole package is very clever and may survive the next America’s Cup group of consultants, chaired by Pete part in reshaping the future of grand-prix . cycle, which is essential for the community. Melvin, on behalf of US Sailing. Melvin, BMW Oracle Racing and the “We will see a lot of newcomers the way we did when we changed from the 12-metre formerly a designer of aircraft for the to the IACC boats in 1991. This always happens when a new class is launched” McDonnell Douglas Corp, is a champion Construction materials and methods: have come limits on high-modulus carbon fibre for up with plans that go way beyond multihull sailor, having twice won the A “ Class World Championship. Rudders and daggerboards: the rule hull construction. The class rule outlines a simple new propulsion unit for a Tom Whidden – North Sails The catamaran will be able to fly a hull limits these to a maximum of four a minimum outside skin weight of multihull, which in itself would “I applaud what they’ve done;, as far as moving the game on and increasing 2 underwater appendages, two rudders 600g/m , similar to other racing boats have been a big step for the Cup. the appeal of sailing, I think it’s a good idea. The new format will mean we in five to six knots true. Target boatspeeds and two daggerboards. To reduce costs, of that size. Core materials may either This radical shake-up of courses make fewer soft sails, that’s for sure, but there will be soft sails to build. in winds under ten knots were set at 1.2 times the true windspeed upwind and standardised, one-design daggerboards be foam or honeycomb. High-modulus and the way racing will be Will wing technology find its way into other areas of racing? I used to say no, but 1.6 times true windspeed downwind. are being considered carbon will be allowed in the wingsail conducted has left teams with an now I think the trickle-down is inevitable given the attention the Cup will generate” exciting, but daunting challenge. “ GBR Team Langdon/Skandia R Cameron/ETNZ; C Photos:

18 YACHTING WORLD NOVEMBER 2010 YACHTING WORLD NOVEMBER 2010 19 Coutts on the new Cup BMW Oracle’s CEO Russell Coutts explains the thinking behind the plans Wind What was your starting point? What about the AC45? “I was asked what wins the America’s Cup. “This is the Cup boat’s little sister with Without even thinking, I said a fast boat. attitude! It is a launch pad class and will This was the first indication to me that help to fast-track sailors into the sport.” n The n there wasn’t a lot of sport involved in the O Cup and that the game had been played How many Challenging teams at the design and technology end of the do you expect? scale for a long time. Our aim was to bring “At least six teams are expected already the balance back a bit and make Cup and I’m pretty confident we’ll get eight racing more of a sporting challenge.” Challengers, which could mean 16 AC45s next year if each team has two boats.” Why multihulls? “Fixing the beam, length and weight Are you expecting to have of the boat means you can control the a Defender series? righting moment and hence the power “There is a real possibility of a Defender output of the boat. It is easier to keep the series and some serious interest in the performance of boats designed under a US. There is at least one person who box rule closer when they are catamarans. has indicated and has the means to “It is also important to make sure the underwrite it.” boats are demanding to sail, exciting to watch and inspire tomorrow’s young Multiple sailors. There are too many 40-50 year venues for the olds in America’s Cup racing – it’s like America’s Cup? watching a senior tour. Crews will need to “I’d say it was be fitter, faster and leaner.” unlikely. We did start thinking Why a wingmast? about this as there “If you believe that the America’s Cup could be some should represent the leading edge of advantages, but design and technology, then a wingmast I think it would is extreme and yet easy to control within be less likely a tight box rule.” now.” G Martin Raget Martin G

out of reach for some teams. Even going to see some new teams that some of the bigger players were left we don’t yet know about.” wondering where that kind of But not everyone is happy with money was going to come from. the new vision. The use of Coutts claims that the costs are multihulls in match racing has “similar or slightly less” than for raised concern as to whether these the 32nd America’s Cup, which will boats are really suited to the one on be news to and +39 one racing that is at the heart of the among others, who are understood America’s Cup. Coutts himself to have spent considerably less. admits to having been sceptical. An AC72 is estimated to cost around €7-8 million and serious R Gladwell/Sail-World.com R Surprise decision teams would need two. An AC45 The decision to go with multihulls will cost €500,000 and teams could mean 16 AC45s next year if The plug for the AC45 took most of the potential would most likely need a pair of each team had two boats.” is already well under Challengers by surprise. They are these too, which could see the total Tom Whidden of North Sails way in New Zealand particularly concerned that BMW bill in hardware alone reaching €17 expects there will be significant and the first boats Oracle’s head start in this area will million. Compared with buying a interest: “So far, from the enquiries are expected to make it impossible for them to second-hand IACC boat and we’ve had, I’d say that there were launch in December catch up and compete on an even rebranding it, just getting into the definitely some teams that walked basis. ’s principal Sir 34th Cup will be expensive. away once the multihulls was Keith Mills believes the Americans Coutts is unmoved. “We’re announced. But I also believe that could be a year ahead. His CEO expecting at least six teams and the move to multihulls means that Grant Simmer, a man with plenty of I’m pretty confident we’ll get eight there will be others who are keen recent Cup experience, having Challengers,” he tells me. “This to get involved and that we’re also come straight from , agrees: 8

20 YACHTING WORLD NOVEMBER 2010 “While we think the Protocol is a fair one, the document still says very little, if anything, about the What does Bob Fisher think? America’s Cup Match itself. Until we Wind can establish what the rules are for Journalist, commentator and passionate lifetime this, we cannot say whether the playing field has really been levelled.” supporter of the Cup “There’s no doubt the next The next America’s Cup, in a scant three years’ time, America’s Cup will be a high- n The n technology race and the guys that promises the enormous excitement of close racing. The O sail the boats are going to have to be recent hiatus has allowed the organisers an opportunity to seriously brave,” said Emirates Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton. restructure the event totally, sweep away the coalesced evils of pre- “There’s some learning to do for sure. “conception and take the major step of producing a racing craft fit “I would like to hope we are in, but for the 21st Century. George Schuyler, who deeded the Cup in the 19th you can’t discount the fact that we might not be. Certainly we have to Century, would be proud of what has been achieved. put all the pieces of the jigsaw “At the core is the new Protocol – the basic rules for the organisation together before making a decision.” of racing – and it puts to shame the recent attempts to control the New pieces of the jigsaw event by the Defender. This one offers equal opportunities with the And that jigsaw will be a complicated Challengers afforded their chances to influence the running of the one in which entirely new pieces, depicting a picture that’s not on the 34th Cup. Gone are the clauses that would eliminate any of them at box, have been scattered on the the whim of the Defender and as a result the playing field has been boardroom tables of prospective rolled flat – with the heavy roller at that. teams. For all the exciting ideas and well-crafted plans, it could be that “Any thoughts that match racing might not be possible in the even some of the larger Challengers wingmasted 72ft catamarans that are the vessels of choice were decide to pull out. For my money, that would be a dispelled in February when attacked his rival at the crying shame. If you see the Cup as start of the first race of AC33 and imposed a penalty on Alinghi. a means of pushing the leading edge They evaporated further in August at the Little America’s Cup of design and technology, the America’s Cup has always been about [International C Class Championship] when the Australians, in the taking issues to the extreme. There is acknowledged slower boat, won races through superior match race no doubt that multihulls and wingmasts represent two of the tactics against the faster Canadian. most challenging technical areas in “With a ‘starter’ class of 45-footers, the AC45, catamaran racing will our sport. Despite their success and receive a boost worldwide of such magnitude that the members of popularity elsewhere, multihulls have been abandoned by the the ISAF Council who voted the Tornado out of the Olympics will be Olympics. The sport has as red-faced as they deserve to be. AC34 will boost the development experimented with solid sails and many have a hunch that this of two-hulled racing boats in a way that will echo that of the Sixties. technology could be the next step The Prout brothers, Rod Macalpine-Downie and Hobie Alter would forward, but it will take the budget wish they could be in on it. Watch for the trickle-down effect. and brains of the America’s Cup to move the game on. “ ‘Pretty special, very powerful and very demanding’, was how Whether multihulls are the best Russell Coutts described the new Cup class, which is exactly how it vehicles for match racing is yet to be should be. The challenge to the designers, constructors and sailors proven. But having spent many hours on the water following will be of the highest level – the demands of the America’s Cup Alinghi’s ‘conventional’ cat and have never been higher. After decades of crippling expense for Oracle’s super-slick wing, I believe could produce boats that microscopic gain, the wind of change has blown clarity of purpose behave very differently from those into the sport’s most charismatic and determining event.” with soft sails. The speed and ease with which Oracle’s tri could manoeuvre in wind speeds that MORE ONLINE would barely snuff a candle was To see animations of the new designs, download the new class rules or the Protocol, or to read breathtaking. The new plan takes us more about what lay behind the plans of Russell Coutts’s team for the next Cup or listen to our deep into unknown territory. That is podcast special, go to www.yachtingworld.com/performance-world a large part of the Cup’s appeal.

22 YACHTING WORLD NOVEMBER 2010