America's Cup: Defender offers Challengers AC75 design Package
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 4 Jul 2018 11:54 BST
4 July 2018
The new AC75 class will feature supplied and one design features © America's Cup Media
Emirates Team New Zealand have confirmed that they have offered new Challengers a basic AC75 design package, repeating the design deal they had with the now Challenger of Record in the 2013 America's Cup.
One of the teams, Team USA 21 let news slip of the offer during a video interview on SailingIllustrated.com on Wednesday morning NZT. Spokesman Mike Buckley confirmed the team had substantial sponsorship running into the tens of millions but was looking for more.
Later Emirates Team New Zealand confirmed to Sail-World.com that a design package was being offered in a similar way to the foiling multihull AC72 package that was sold to Italian team Luna Rossa in the run up to the 2013 America's Cup.
"We are in discussions with several teams along these lines", said CEO Grant Dalton.
"It makes more sense for the smaller teams and we have ‘ practiced’ this with Luna Rossa for San Francisco - so are well versed in making it work," he added.
The basic design package offer will reduce a lot of the design risk for startup teams, and should give investors and potential sponsors confidence that the team will not produce a first, and maybe only AC75, that proves to be an expensive design flop.
The package is expected to be that of a sailaway boat - which would include the hull, foil arms (which are supplied), the foil wings, rudder and foiling appendage, and control systems aside from the sails the rest of the equipment is either supplied parts or a supplied design file.
Three "Super Teams" are confirmed entries so far in the 36th America's Cup. Representing Great Britain, USA and Italy they are all independent, well funded and with previous America's Cup experience.
Of the six teams at the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda, only two have entered the Auckland regatta - Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS Team UK (previously Land Rover BAR).
In the last America's Cup Defender Oracle Team USA had a close working relationship with Challenger Softbank Team Japan - the first time a Defender has worked with a Challenger. The design offer from Emirates Team New Zealand is aimed at encouraging more first time challengers and all teams are prohibited from sailing against each other except in permitted events.