INEOS Britannia has unveiled its new ‘LEQ12’ America’s Cup test boat, T6, while activity among all the teams has ramped up with two years to go until the 37th America’s CupINEOS Britannia has launched its first America\u2019s Cup test boat. Code-named T6, the test boat is known as an \u2018LEQ12\u2019 , a scaled down foiling monohull which may be used for testing design developments, in addition to the one-design AC40 which all Cup teams have to purchase.
\nT6 was built at Carrington Boats in Hythe, then transported to Brackley, UK, the home of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team\u00a0for its fit out \u2013 the biggest design and engineering project so far for the\u00a0partnership\u00a0with the motorsports team. It was launched at the team\u2019s new winter training base in Palma, Mallorca.
\nAs Challenger of Record, one of the British team\u2019s key inputs into the Protocol for AC37 was that teams retained the option of building their own scaled down development boats in addition to the AC40s. It was agreed that these America\u2019s Cup test boat (or towing platforms), must be between 6-12m in length (hence LEQ12, for \u2018less or equal to 12\u2019).
\nTeam skipper and CEO Ben Ainslie explained one of the key reasons why the team invested in an additional boat: \u201cWe came out of AC36 lacking confidence in our design tools. Ultimately, we made key design decisions in the last Cup using our design tools and our simulation, and they weren\u2019t accurate enough. This was borne out in the end result, across our hull, foil designs and performance.
\n\u201cT6 is a fantastic opportunity for us to be able to validate our design tools and have more confidence in them, as we go into designing the key components for the race boat for Barcelona.\u201d
\nThe new INEOS Britannia LEQ12 America\u2019s Cup test boat, T6, launched in Palma, Mallorca in October 2022
\nThe new boat is also a test-run for working with Mercedes-AMG before building their new AC75.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a big deal trying to bring two design groups together and define common working practices and everything else that goes into designing a successful America\u2019s Cup boat,\u201d Ainslie explained.
\n\u201cWe had the opportunity to do a dry run with T6 before we design and build the race boat for the Cup, and it was really important to us to take that opportunity. It\u2019s highlighted a number of areas where we\u2019ve been able to modify our approach and the overall structure of the team for the better.\u201d
\n\u201cLastly, while it\u2019s fantastic to see Emirates Team New Zealand put out the AC40 \u2013 and that boat will undoubtedly get a huge amount of use both as a testing platform and a racing platform \u2013 we wanted to control our own destiny.
\n\u201cWe wanted full control over our own testing platform and not be reliant on a third party to provide that platform, so we had control over our testing strategy.\u201d
\nT6 will start to be used for an extensive testing period aimed at validating the team\u2019s design tools and testing key components before the deadline to start the build of the team\u2019s AC75 race boat. Initially, that will involve more tow-testing than sailing.
\n\u201cWe have a long list of tow tests that we want to do to validate the information from our design tools,\u201d said Ainslie. \u201d The best way to do that is without the variability in the wind, we don\u2019t want unknown aerodynamic influence on what we are measuring.
\nBen Ainslie, team principal of INEOS Britannia, at the team\u2019s winter training base in Palma
\n\u201cAs we all know, the wind at different heights in the rig is very hard to measure accurately, and therefore hard to model accurately. So we want to take that uncertainty out of our initial testing program with T6, so we can be more accurate in the \u00a0performance data that we will collect, and in the validation of the design tools with that data.
\n\u201cThe validation of these tools is really key at this stage. We\u2019ve seen a big step in America\u2019s Cup simulation tools, they enable us to try so many more variations of design philosophy and options than ever before, which is fantastic. However, you have to have really strong confidence in those simulation tools, and trust that they\u2019re actually giving you accurate feedback. All of the teams know this and try and do the best job they can to create the most accurate tools, which will then help them design the fastest boat.\u201d
\nWhile T6 will send the winter at the team\u2019s new base in Palma de Mallorca \u2013 which is being headed up by Giles Scott \u2013 all the live test data and results will be streamed back to the design, engineering and performance teams at the team\u2019s UK headquarters in Brackley.
\nThe British boat will be battery powered and, when sailed, will have a crew of four.
\nLuna Rossa Prada Pirelli LEQ12
\nMeanwhile momentum is building among all the Challengers, with activity increasing among every team. The new official \u2018recon\u2019 programme means all the teams\u2019 launches and sailing days are observed and recorded.
\nLuna Rossa Prada Pirelli was first to launch an \u2018LEQ12\u2019 America\u2019s Cup test boat, splashing theirs a couple of days before INEOS in October. Despite its \u2018dazzle ship\u2019 livery, it bears closest resemblance to the ETNZ winning AC75 from last year.
\nLuna Rossa Prada Pirelli were first to launch an LEQ12 America\u2019s Cup test boat. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi\/Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
\nAmerican Magic relaunch Patriot
\nAs an alternative test boat strategy, the New York Yacht Club Challengers American Magic have ordered two AC40 one-designs.
\nThis could give the team an opportunity to not only speed trial, but potentially match race train with multiple helmsmen \u2013 both Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison are signed with the American team.
\nAmerican Magic has also relaunched Patriot, the AC75 which suffered a dramatic crash landing during the Prada Cup Round Robin last January, sailing on their home waters of Pensacola, Florida. A recent sponsorship deal announced with Sram, \u2018the world\u2019s most innovative bicycle component manufacturer\u2019, makes it clear cyclors will be returning to the American entry. Under Version 2 of the AC75 rule pedal-power is once again allowed.
\nAmerican Magic has updated and relaunched their AC75 Patriot in Florida
\nBritish INEOS sailors also seem to be spending a large amount of time pedalling around Mallorca \u2013 a mecca for road cyclists.
\nThe Alinghi team has been training on its AC75 off Barcelona \u2013 after last month\u2019s capsize under tow the team has experienced more tough conditions, with a nose dive in waves causing them to blow out the clew of a headsail.
\nWomen\u2019s and Youth America\u2019s Cup dates confirmed
\nMore dates have been confirmed for the Women\u2019s and Youth America\u2019s Cup. The Youth event will start on 19 September 2024 and the Women\u2019s America\u2019s Cup on 3 October 2024. They conclude with the Youth America\u2019s Cup Single Match Race on 2 October \u2013 the same day as the America\u2019s Cup Challenger Final \u2013 whilst the Women\u2019s America\u2019s Cup Single Match Race will be held on 16 October, a date also scheduled for two America\u2019s Cup Match races.\u00a0
\nAt least one home team will line up against the four Cup contenders for these events, with Sail Team BCN, representing the Real Club N\u00e1utico de Barcelona, competing in both the Youth and Women\u2019s America\u2019s Cup 2024. The team will be led by Spanish pro sailor Guillermo Altadill and managed by Stewart Hosford, formerly of Alex Thomson Racing and now with Origin Sports.
\nNo announcement so far of who\u2019ll be racing the sixth AC40 that\u2019s rostered into the event though\u2026
\nMeanwhile, Iain Murray has been reappointed as Regatta Director and Richard Slater continues in the role as Chief Umpire, both reprising their roles from AC36.
\nThe post INEOS Britannia reveal new T6 America\u2019s Cup test boat appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
INEOS Britannia has unveiled its new ‘LEQ12’ America’s Cup test boat, T6, while activity among all the teams has ramped up with two years to go until the 37th America’s CupINEOS Britannia has launched its first America\u2019s Cup test boat. … <\/p>\n