Posted by The Protocol of the 37th America’s Cup revealed that teams would compete again in the AC75 that was used for the 2021 event, but that a new AC40 one-design class would be used for testing and training as well as the preliminary regattas.
The intent is for there to up to three Preliminary Regattas, with the first two raced in AC40s and the last one at the Match venue in AC75s. The AC40s would also be used for the Youth America’s Cup as there was in Bermuda in 2017, along with the first Women’s America’s Cup.
The New Zealand defender has taken on the development and production of the AC40 and offer this update from their Auckland base on January 26, 2022:
Just over 11 months since Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC75 ‘Te Rehutai’ crossed the finish line to claim the 36th America’s Cup, its younger sister class – the AC40 – is already in production.
While much of the world was having a well-earned break during the transition from 2021 into 2022 the 7 axis CNC machine at McConaghy Boats production facility was working 24/7 carving out the tooling for the hull of the new class.
The AC40 hull shape is based on that of Te Rehutai- but is already a generational step forward incorporating a number of developments learned after the completion of AC36 last year.
In usual America’s Cup fashion, the AC40 design and production timeline has been highly condensed yet achievable due to a global collaboration led by Emirates Team New Zealand design team with Dan Bernasconi and Richard Meacham central to the management of the production process with Mark Evans Group Managing Director of McConaghy Boats.
“While the genesis of the AC40 project comes from the familiar design and innovation of the people within the Emirates Team New Zealand design department we have really had to push the limits by utilizing a combination of the best of the New Zealand Marine industry as well as key offshore partnerships,” said Meacham.
“Specialized elements like the rigs are being built by Southern Spars and the boat building talent we have at the ETNZ build facility are producing the foil arms. We also have a great partnership utilizing the production power of an organization like McConaghy Boats in China for the hulls, decks and fit out as well as North Sails Marine group with the aero package.”
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