The AC72 (America's Cup 72 class) is a class of wingsail catamarans built to a box rule, which governs the construction and operation of yachts competing in the 2013 Louis Vuitton and the America's Cup races. The class was subsequently replaced by the smaller AC50 class.
 Team New Zealand AC72, San Francisco Bay | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Design | Box rule[1] |
| Boat | |
| Crew | 11 |
| Draft | 4.4 m (14 ft) |
| Hull | |
| Type | Catamaran |
| Hull weight | 5,900 kg (13,000 lb) |
| LOA | 26.2 m (86 ft) |
| LWL | 22.0 m (72.2 ft) |
| Beam | 14.0 m (45.9 ft) |
| Rig | |
| Mast length | 40.0 m (131.2 ft) |
| Sails | |
| Mainsail area | 260 m2 (2,800 sq ft) (wing estimate) |
| Upwind sail area | 580 m2 (6,200 sq ft) (wing and gennaker estimate) |
Background
Following the 2010 America's Cup, where the Golden Gate Yacht Club's USA 17 trimaran defeated the catamaran Alinghi 5, it was decided by the winners that the next America's Cup competition would be sailed in catamarans in the hope of making the sport more attractive to television audiences.[2] At the same time a smaller sister class, the AC45, was developed to allow teams to practice and adjust to the new formula as well as create a greater exposure of sailing to the general public with the America's Cup World Series.
Specifications
The AC72 has the following maximum specifications:[3]
- Overall length: 26.2 metres (86 ft)
- Waterline length: 22.0 metres (72.2 ft)
- Beam: 14.0 metres (45.9 ft)
- Weight: 5,900 kilograms (13,000 lb)
- Maximum draught: 4.4 metres (14 ft)
- Crew: 11
Maximum speed
Using foils for the first time in the America's Cup the AC72 was expected to sail faster than the wind: upwind at 1.2 times the speed of the true wind, and downwind at 1.6 times the speed of the true wind.[4][5] But in fact it proved faster, averaging about 1.8 times the speed of the wind with peaks slightly over 2.3.[6] A multiple of 2.79 times wind speed was achieved by Emirates Team New Zealand in practice, which sailed at 44.15 knots (81 km/h, 50 mph) in 15.8 knots of wind on July 18, 2013.[7]
Typical racing speeds are over 30 knots (55 km/h, 34 mph) with the boats capable of sailing well over 40 knots (74 km/h, 46 mph) in the right conditions. The fastest race speed recorded was on Emirates Team New Zealand which was 47.57 knots (88 km/h, 55 mph) in 21.8 knots of wind (2.2 times the wind speed) on September 24, 2013.[8]
Features [9]
- Pedestals
- Multi speed winches
- Backstays
- Crossbeams
- Wing Pod
- Digital Performance Indicators
- Soft Sails
- Wing-controlled cables
- Three separate cockpits
- Buttons on wheels
In competition
The boats have been used in the 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup and the 2013 America's Cup. By mid-June 2013, all boats had "lined up" and conducted trials against each other on the planned race track in San Francisco Bay, notably Oracle Team USA vs. Artemis Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Luna Rossa Challenge. [10][11]
List of AC72 catamarans
| Syndicate | Name | Shipyard | Launched | Competitive history | Subsequent history |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Emirates Team New Zealand | New Zealand | Cookson Boats | 21 July 2012 | Trial boat | Decommissioned |
 Oracle Team USA | 17 | Oracle Racing | 30 August 2012 | Trial boat. Extensively damaged in a 16 October 2012 capsize. Relaunched 4 February 2013. | |
 Luna Rossa | Luna Rossa | Persico Marine | 26 October 2012 | Raced in the 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup | On exhibit at the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci |
 Artemis Racing | Big Red | King Marine | 3 November 2012 | Trial boat | Deemed a "complete loss" after capsize on 9 May 2013 |
| Emirates Team New Zealand | New Zealand Aotearoa | Cookson Boats | 3 February 2013 | Winner of the 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup Lost the 2013 America's Cup to Oracle Team USA (9-8) | |
| Oracle Team USA | Oracle Team USA 17 | Oracle Racing | 23 April 2013 | Winner of the 2013 America's Cup | On exhibit at the Mariners' Museum in Virginia. |
| Artemis Racing | Big Blue | King Marine | 22 July 2013 | Raced in the 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup |
Incidents
On 17 October 2012, Oracle Racing's AC72 pitchpoled (somersaulted) and capsized, causing severe damage to the yacht. The wingsail was completely destroyed while being swept under the Golden Gate Bridge by a strong ebb tide.[12]
On 9 May 2013, Artemis Racing's AC72 pitchpoled and broke apart, resulting in the death of crew member Andrew Simpson.[2]
The other two teams, Luna Rossa Challenge, and Team New Zealand, both suffered minor setbacks, including hitting seals[13] and damaging their wing sails, resulting in loss of sailing time.[14]
See also
References
External links
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