Work on AC45 catamarans moving ahead in New Zealand

[Source: America's Cup] Work on the AC45 catamarans, which the Cup teams will use to race in the 2011 America’s Cup World Series events, is continuing at pace in Warkworth, New Zealand.

Dubbed the ‘little sister with attitude’ in comparison to the enormous AC72 cats the teams will race in the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup, the first AC45 is scheduled to be launched in the new year, with others rolling off the assembly quickly thereafter. Entered competitors will have a chance to participate in sea trials following the initial launch.

After the 2011 season, the AC45s will be used in the Youth America’s Cup series, developing the next generation of Cup sailors.

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

Construction of the first AC45 catamaran. Warkworth, 17 December 2010. Photo copyright Ivor Wilkins / America's Cup

End of an era

While a new America's Cup class, AC72, will become reality in less than two years and her small sister, AC45, will be sailing in less than two months from now, the sun is setting over the ACC at the Dubai International Marine Club.

The last 4 yachts, from a class that started in 1992, to be taking part in official racing are getting ready in the Arab emirate for the upcoming Louis Vuitton Trophy. The event's photo editor, Carmen Hidalgo, just arrived at the venue and shot a few nice shots of the remaining "dinosaurs" a couple of days before they are launched for their last regatta.

One of the four ACC yachts to be used in races, getting ready for the Dubai Louis Vuitton Trophy. Dubai, 6 November 2010. Photo copyright Carmen Hidalgo

The sun sets over the ACC yachts. Dubai, 6 November 2010. Photo copyright Carmen Hidalgo

The sun sets over the ACC yachts. Dubai, 6 November 2010. Photo copyright Carmen Hidalgo

AC72 Class Rule finalized and published

Related PDF Documents

Download the AC72 Class Rule

[Source: BMW Oracle] From concept to completed Class Rule in less than four months, full details of the new high-performance wingsailed catamaran were published today.

The spectacular AC72 catamaran ensures that the 34th America’s Cup will feature the best sailors in the world on the fastest boats.

The AC72 Class Rule moves America’s Cup racing to catamarans with a speed potential of three times the wind speed, putting the venerable competition back at the forefront of technology.

The finalized class rule represents a tireless effort by Pete Melvin and his team at Morrelli & Melvin Design & Engineering Inc to create a new boat on behalf of the America’s Cup community.

On July 2, to ensure the rule was created independently, the defending Golden Gate Yacht Club and its sailing team BMW ORACLE Racing presented a two page concept paper to US SAILING and Morrelli & Melvin and asked them to turn it into a fully formed multihull design rule.

Throughout the AC72’s gestation, the fundamental requirements have remained unchanged:

• Ensure fast, exciting racing
• Challenge sailors and designers
• Capture fans’ imagination
• Be versatile across the wind range, to minimize race delays
• Be capable of competitive racing in light and strong winds
• Incorporate wide-ranging cost-reduction features

AC72 Key Features:

Hull Length	22.00 m (72 feet)
Lenght Overall	26.20 m (85 feet)
Beam	14.00 m (46 feet)
Weight (w/o crew)	5,900 kg (13,000 pounds)
Crew	11
Maximum Draft	4.40 m (14 feet)
Wingsail Height	40.00 m (131 feet)
Tall Wingsail Area	260.0 m2 (2,800 square feet)
Short Wingsail Area	230.0 m2 (2,475 square feet)
Projected Top Speed	32 knots
Onboard cameramen	2 maximum
Cameramen positions	3 (1 aft, 1 forward in each hull)
Remote TV cameras	7
High quality audio microphones	18 (including 11 crew)
Easy assembly/disassembly	Under 48 hours

“The AC72s will look amazing, will be very fast, and will take the America’s Cup into a new dimension,” said Melvin, himself a multihull champion.

“There will be nothing else like them, which perfectly matches the allure and appeal of the America’s Cup,” Melvin added. “We are grateful for the input of many, many designers, sailors and other experts.”

On September 16 a draft was circulated to potential teams and the sailing community at large. Since then over 500 comments were received and assimilated by Melvin’s team. Many have been incorporated into the final rule.

Teams may design and build a maximum of two AC72 catamarans. The AC72s will be raced from the 2012 season onwards in America’s Cup World Series events that will lead to the Selection Series and the America’s Cup Match in 2013.

In 2011, teams will compete in identical AC45’s, “the little sister with attitude.” This one-design catamaran will provide teams with state-of-the-art wingsail technology and fast-track their multihull racing skills.

AC72 sail area reduction concept

Related PDF Documents

- AC72 Sailplan


- AC72 Wing Grid

[Source: Pete Melvin, AC72 Class Rule Consultant] To: Prospective America’s Cup teams, contributors to the rule, and other interested parties

We now have a suitable proposal to incorporate into the AC72 Class Rule regarding a wing area reduction method. After performing additional research into the feasibility of the previous 4m removable tip concept, we concluded that this concept would not significantly improve the safety and controllability of an AC72 in higher winds, and therefore eliminated the removable tip in the latest draft (2.0) of the AC72 Class Rule released Oct 6.

Attached are diagrams showing the wing measurement grid and conceptual sailplans for the standard and small wings. The small wing will effectively be very similar in profile of the standard wing but with the height reduced by approximately 10 meters. We believe this wing reduction method includes the following benefits over other choices:

1. A reduction of 10m in wing height will significantly improve the safety and controllability of an AC72 in higher wind speeds. The minimum hull-flying true wind speed is estimated to increase from approximately six knots (with the 40m wing and Code 0) to twelve knots with the 30m tall wing without headsail.
2. Competitors can utilize existing lower sections of the wing spar and simply add a new, smaller upper section of wing spar.
3. Competitors could convert a standard wing to the small wing while using as much of the standard wing parts as possible.
4. When a small wing is used, only one Gennaker is to be on board the yacht.

We recommend that the following also be implemented:

* Requirement for teams to have a small wing be delayed until late 2012 or early 2013. This may allow teams time to modify an existing standard wing.
* The Regatta Director to determine what wing is to be used by Competitors for a regatta or on days within a regatta.
* The Protocol be amended to allow for an extra two small wing mast sections be included within the wing spar limits and to allow the change from a full
wing spar to a small wing spar without that spar being counted as a new wing spar.

This does not limit teams to only two small wing spar sections but reflects the requirement to allow wing spar development over both wing configurations.

Please let us know your thoughts about this sail area reduction concept , and send your comments to me at the ACRM email address for class rules matters (classrule@americascup.com) by no later than next Monday, 11 Oct, 2010.

New draft of the AC72 Class Rule released

Related PDF Documents

- DRAFT Version 2.0 of the AC72 Class Rule

[Source: BMW Oracle] Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering, Inc. has released an updated draft of the AC72 Class Rule on behalf of the America's Cup defender, San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club, and the Challenger of Record, Italy's Club Nautico di Roma.

Since the first draft was released on 16 September, potential teams for the 34th America's Cup have been able to review and contribute to the rule that will govern the innovative and exciting new wing-sailed 72ft catamarans that will race for the next America's Cup.

This latest draft further limits the design and construction of the new yachts to minimize costs and to help assure close, challenging racing with excellent on-board TV coverage.

Teams and other interested parties now have another opportunity to give input before a final version is published 15 October 2010. Comments are due to before next Monday, 11 October 2010, by email toclassrule@americascup.com.

The independent development of the rule has been led by noted multihull designer and world champion sailor Pete Melvin and his Huntington Beach (California) firm Morrelli & Melvin on behalf of all America's Cup teams.

Publication of AC72 Class Rule delayed until October 15

[Source: BMW Oracle] Following a period of consultation with potential teams for the 34th America’s Cup, the release date of the AC72 Class Rule has been pushed back by two weeks to Oct. 15.

An initial draft was released to prospective teams on Sept. 16. Based on their considered input, a second draft will be issued on or before Oct. 6, allowing potential teams an additional comment period before its formal release.

“The Defender and Challenger of Record have agreed an amendment to the Protocol for the 34th America’s Cup to permit this short delay in publishing the AC72 Class Rule,” said Murray in a memo to prospective competitors for the 34th America’s Cup.

The AC72 is the new high-performance wingsail catamaran being developed for the 34th America’s Cup. The Rule is being drafted by Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering on behalf of US SAILING.

Draft of AC72 rule unveiled

Related PDF Documents

- Draft of AC72 Class Rule

[Source: BMW Oracle] The draft rule for the spectacular AC72 Class went public today.

Encapsulating the 34th America’s Cup – the best sailors in the world on the fastest boats – the AC72 will be a physically demanding boat capable of top speeds twice the windspeed.

The new AC72 class is the first-ever wingsail catamaran class for the America’s Cup and the fastest-ever class in the iconic 159-year-old competition. It replaces the ACC monohull class, which was created in 1988 and first raced in 1992 Cup.

The new boats will make their racing debut in the 2012 season for the America’s Cup World Series ahead of the 34th Match in 2013.

A catamaran was selected as one element to transform and enliven the America’s Cup for the future. A multihull is the ideal dynamic class, capable of being raced hard in winds from 5 to 30 knots to minimize racing delays due to winds too light or too strong.

AC72 design parameters:

- LOA 22.0 meters (72 feet)
- Beam 14.0 meters (46 feet)
- Displacement 5,700 kilograms (12,500 pounds)
- All-up weight 7,000 kilograms (15,500 pounds)
- Wingsail area 260 square meters (2,800 square feet)
- Wingsail height 40 meters (130 feet)
- Wingsail chord 8.5 meters (28 feet)
- Sail trimming Manual grinders
- Configuration Twin-hulled catamaran
- Crew 11
- Sail trimming No mechanically powered systems
- Sail area reduction Removable top sections/leech elements
- Appendages Maximum of 2 rudders, 2 daggerboards
- Construction Minimum 600 grams per square meter outer-skin;
- High-modulus carbon-fiber permitted in wingsail spar

The AC72 Class Rule was drafted by a distinguished group of consultants, chaired by Pete Melvin, on behalf of US SAILING.