The Boats
The first of two new designs for the 34th America’s Cup, the AC45 catamaran made its debut in Auckland on January 17, hitting speeds in excess of 20 knots, right out of the box.
The boat is an essential element of the vision for the 34th America’s Cup, which will feature 72-foot catamarans raced on San Francisco Bay in the Finals in 2013.
But first, the AC45 will allow all teams to grow their experience on wingsailed multihulls. The 45 will be used throughout 2011 and 2012 in the America’s Cup World Series events before giving way to the AC72s for the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The AC45 was designed by the ORACLE Racing design and engineering team, which developed the catamaran on behalf of the America’s Cup community, which will use the boat for racing, testing and practise in 2011 and beyond.
A high-tech, grand prix race boat, the AC45 is powered by a wing that towers over 20 meters above the deck and has already demonstrated excellent performance in winds from 5 to 30 knots in early sea trials.
"The wing is big and the boat powers up quickly and is easy to sail and maneuverability is not a problem,” is the way ORACLE Racing skipper Jimmy Spithill, the test pilot, described the boat after just one sail.
While capable of closing speeds of over 30 knots, the AC45 was designed to remain nimble enough to handle the tight race courses planned by America’s Cup Race Management (ACRM).
The challenge was in designing a boat that would not only meet the racing and performance criteria, but could also fit inside a 40-foot container, which is the shipping method for the America’s Cup World Series.
“The boat was designed for all-around performance so it can be sailed in wide range of conditions, and that means the next America's Cup will see races start on time,” said Ian Burns, ORACLE Racing design coordinator. “Plus it’s a regatta boat, meant for lots of racing, so quick assembly and disassembly was a must to accommodate an active competition schedule.”
AC45 Principal Dimensions
Hull Length - 13.45 m (44 feet)
Maximum Beam - 6.90 m (22.6 feet)
Mast Height - 21.50 m (70.5 feet)
Maximum Draft - 2.70 m (8.8 feet)
Displacement - 1400 kgs (3,086 pounds)
Wing Area - 85 sqm (914 square feet)
Jib Area - 48 sqm (516 square feet)
Gennaker Area - 125 sqm (1,345 square feet)
Crew - 5 people @ 85 kgs/person (187 pounds)