AC75
{{Short description|Racing yacht used in the 2021 America's Cup}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox sailboat specifications
|image = Ineos Team UK AC75.png
|caption = Ineos Team UK AC75
|appendages = topside-mounted ballasted canting T-wing foils
|ballast = set in foils
|beam = {{convert|5.00|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|construction = carbonfiber
|crew = 11 + 1 optional guest
|displacement = {{convert|6450|kg|lb|abbr=on}} lightship
{{convert|7600|kg|lb|abbr=on}} loaded
|draft = {{convert|5.00|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|jib = {{convert|90|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}
|loa = {{convert|22.86|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|loh = {{convert|20.70|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|mainsail = {{convert|145|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}
|mastheight = {{convert|26.50|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|name = AC75
|no built = 8 launched
|rig = bermuda sloop
|role = inshore racing
|rudder type = centerline T-wing rudder
|sails = two semi-battened mainsail skins, one headsail skin
|spinnaker = N/A
|year = 2017 –
}}
The AC75 (America's Cup 75) is a racing yacht used in the 2021 America's Cup and 37th America's Cup matches and planned to be used for the 38th America's Cup match. The {{cvt|75|ft|0|disp=flip}} monohulls feature wing-like sailing hydrofoils mounted under the hull, a soft wingsail,{{Cite web|url=https://www.sailingworld.com/story/racing/sails-of-the-americas-cup/|title=The Sails of the America's Cup|website=Sailing World}} and no keel.{{citation|title=America's Cup designer spotlight|url=https://www.northsails.com/sailing/en/2018/04/designer-spotlight-americas-cup-special-edition-developing-softwing-technology-for-2021-ac|publisher=North Sails|date=5 April 2018|author=Hillary Noble}}
The rule
Following the 2017 America's Cup, winners Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron accepted a notice of challenge from Circolo della Vela Sicilia stipulating a monohull would be used in 2021. Conceptual graphics of a monohull with soft sails and topside canting hydrofoils were released on 21 November 2017, and the first draft of the class rule was published by the defender and the challenger of record on 29 March 2018.{{citation|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZRwGU-q4zGlD1jfStdY2kpzVB9PM96w/view|publisher=americascup.com|date=29 June 2018|title=AC75 class rule version 1.1}} The return to monohulls with soft sails after three America's Cups on multihulls with wingsails is reminiscent of earlier America's Cup classes and seaworthy traditions, but the rule included hydrofoils to attract high performance crews and large TV audiences.{{citation|title=Team New Zealand unveils radical foiling monohull
|url=http://apnews.com/d25c754fd1164f9fab996aeb48c2a669|publisher=Associated Press|author=Bernie Wilson|date=21 November 2017}}
Under the protocol, each competing club could build two yachts, but two-boat testing was excluded except during the PRADA Christmas Cup on 17–20 December 2020, and for the defenders during the PRADA Cup 15 January – 22 February 2021. To reduce design and testing costs of the class unique class features, the rule specified foil controlling systems all manufactured by defender team and foil arms all manufactured by the Challenger of Record's builder Persico Marine.
List of AC75 yachts
The visible differences between designs have been commented by most of the yachtbuilding community and the specialized press as each of the boats were launched.{{citation|url=http://americascup.com/en/news/767_CHALLENGER-REVELATIONS|title=Challenger Revelations|author=Matthew Sheahan|date=23 October 2020|publisher=planetsail.org}}{{citation|url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/273928/Americas-Cup-Revealing-Reveals-the-new-AC75s|title=With four AC75 hulls now revealed, different solutions have been found for similar design questions|date=24 April 2024|publisher=Sail World}}
Speeds
Potential speed of {{cvt|50|kn|km/h mph}} was claimed based on computer simulations.{{cite web
|url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/other/fast-can-team-new-zealands-ac75-go-grant-dalton-explains-boats-design
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115132701/https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/other/fast-can-team-new-zealands-ac75-go-grant-dalton-explains-boats-design
|date=17 December 2020
|publisher=Scuttlebutt Sailing News
|title=American Magic shines as racing begins
|archive-date=15 January 2020
|access-date=27 December 2020
|url-status=live
}}
Notable high speeds actually recorded in racing were:
- {{cvt|49.1|kn|km/h mph}} by Te Rehutai (in {{cvt|15|and|19|kn|km/h mph}}) on 17 December 2020.{{cite web
|url=https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/12/17/american-magic-shines-as-racing-begins/
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227155207/https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/12/17/american-magic-shines-as-racing-begins/
|date=5 September 2019
|publisher=TVNZ
|title=How fast can Team New Zealand's AC75 go? Grant Dalton explains the new boat's design
|archive-date=27 December 2020
|access-date=3 November 2020
|url-status=live
}}
- {{cvt|50.25|kn|km/h mph}} by Britannia during day 4 of the Prada Cup 23 January 2021.
- {{cvt|53.31|kn|km/h mph}} by Patriot (American Magic) during day 1 of the Prada Cup Semifinals (in breeze gusting up to {{cvt|22|kn|km/h mph}}) on 29 January 2021.{{cite web
|url=https://www.americascup.com/en/news/1019_PRADA-CUP-SEMI-FINAL-DAY-1
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129041528/https://www.americascup.com/en/news/1019_PRADA-CUP-SEMI-FINAL-DAY-1
|date=29 January 2021
|publisher=America′s Cup
|title=Prada Cup Semi-Final Day 1
|archive-date=29 January 2021
|access-date=29 January 2021
|url-status=live
}}
- {{cvt|55.2|kn|km/h mph}} by Luna Rossa (Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli) during day 3 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final on 29 September 2024.
- {{cvt|55.5|kn|km/h mph}} by Britannia (INEOS Britannia) during day 5 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final on 1 October 2024.
Controversy
Following the release of the canting hydrofoil design in 2017, Brazilian shipwright Manoel Chaves contacted ETNZ to inform them that he held a patent{{patent|NZ|740860}} for the proposed design.{{citation|url=https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/123217485/americas-cup-brazilian-designer-claims-patent-for-ac75-canting-foils|author=Todd Niall|date=27 October 2020|title=Brazilian designer claims patent for AC75 canting foils|publisher=Stuff Ltd}} Team New Zealand apparently ignored correspondence from Chaves' patent attorneys for over two years before simply dismissing the allegations.{{citation|url=https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/10/27/americas-cup-patent-problem-with-ac75/|author=Scuttlebutt|date=27 October 2020|title=America's Cup: Patent problem with AC75}} ETNZ defended themselves with the statement "every good idea has 1000 fathers".{{citation|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/americas-cup-2021-team-new-zealand-refute-claims-they-copied-leading-designer-in-construction-of-ac75s-hydrofoils/L2AJ3KMQYSY4WRMSJF3GSK6ESE/|author=The New Zealand Herald |title=America's Cup 2021: Team New Zealand refute claims they copied leading designer in construction of AC75's hydrofoils}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.americascup.com/en/ac75 3D model of the AC75]
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{{America'sCup}}