Le Barche Più Veloci al Mondo

AC72 Principal Dimension

Hull Length 22 m (72.2 ft)
Maximum Beam 14 m (45.9 ft)
Mast Height 40 m (131.2 ft)
Maximum Draft 4.40 m (14.4 ft)
Displacement 5900 kg (13007.2 pd)
Wing Area 260 sq m (2798.6 sq ft)
Jib Area 80 sq m (861.1 sq ft)
Gennaker Area 320 sq m (3444.5 sq ft)
Crew 11 people

AC45 – Scheda tecnica

Hull Length 13.45 m (44 ft)
Maximum Beam 6.90 m (22.6 ft)
Mast Height 21.50 m (70.5 ft)
Maximum Draft 2.70 m (8.8 ft)
Displacement 1400 kg (3,086 pd)
Wing Area 85 sq m (914 sq ft)
Jib Area 48 sq m (516 sq ft)
Gennaker Area 125 sq m (1,345 sq ft)
Crew 5 people @ 85 kg/person (187 pd/person)
AC 45 Boat AC 45 Boat

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 TEAM USA 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 TEAM USA 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 TEAM USA 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.”

ETNZ AC72

Equipaggiato con una gigantesca ala rigida, il catamarano AC72 è stato progettato per catturare l’immaginario delle nuove generazioni di velisti.

Capace di raggiungere picchi di velocità doppia rispetto a quella del vento, l’AC72 affascinerà il pubblico e metterà alla prova i migliori velisti al mondo, spingendoli al limite e oltre.

L’AC72 chiederà agli equipaggi uno sforzo fisico mai profuso in precedenza: l’aspetto atletico sarà quindi prioritario per ognuno dei componenti i team. Inoltre, il numero ridotto di velisti impegnati a bordo – undici – renderà il lavoro di ognuno di essi di fondamentale importanza per il raggiugimento del successo.

Ogni team progetterà e costruirà il propio AC72 per prendere parte alla Louis Vuitton Cup, evento he selezionerà lo sfidante ufficiale all’America’s Cup.

I team potranno varare i primi AC72 a partire dal primo luglio 2012 ma, fino a fine anno, avranno a disposizione solo ternta giorni per testarli e allenarsi a bordo di essi. I team che hanno in programma di costruire una seconda barca, potranno vararla a partire dal primo febbraio 2013.

Per rendere l’esperienza televisiva ancor più coinvolgente, gli AC72 saranno equipaggiati con telecamere in alta risoluzione e microfoni in grado di catturare l’audio di bordo.