The first test of the new Oracle AC45 on 20 February
At the end of February, Cup defender Oracle Team USA and challenger Artemis (Sweden) took to the water for the first time with their new AC-45 catamarans. These are completely new developments that are significantly stiffer and sleeker than the previous 45s and, above all, are able to cope with the demands of foiling.
Oracle Team USA already shows clear progress on 24 February
Although the two teams were already racing with flying AC 45s in 2013, these were modified standard AC 45s, as used in the AC World Series, the pre-series to the Cup. The British racing team Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) is also currently still training with such a boat.
The AC 45s now on display from Oracle and Artemis, on the other hand, are genuine further developments, miniatures of the later AC 62s used in the 35th Defence. The teams use them to test the best profiles for the swords and wings. This phase is particularly important this time, as the number of attachments to be tested on the AC 62 is limited and the challengers may only build one competition boat, the AC 62 (the defender Oracle may build two).
With the early start to the test phase, the teams want to secure a technological advantage. The other challengers are clearly still a long way from achieving this. The New Zealanders are struggling with personnel disputes, Franck Cammas is practising in the C-Cat on behalf of the French team and Luna Rossa, like BAR, is training on modified Standard 45s.
However, the latter are still active in the virtual field. The British racing team has hired Dr James Roche, who previously worked in applied technologies at McLaren and developed the skeleton sled of British Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold. Together with him, the team has developed a virtual sailing simulator based on Oculus Rift 3D glasses. The aim is to enable sailors to simulate foiling and at the same time virtually test new developments by the designers
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
