America's Cup - Team NZ has a re-think on launch after Protocol change

by Emirates Team NZ and Sail-World on 4 Jan 2017 Emirates Team New Zealand is back hard at work this week as 2017, the year of the 35th America’s Cup, kicks off at the frantic pace needed to ensure the team arrives in Bermuda in the strongest possible shape to win back the America’s Cup in the next six months.

The latest Protocol Amendment 13, (Article 35.5) has been published in recent days in regard to a 28 day non sailing ‘black out’ period applicable from the ninth of January 2017.

As a result of the Protocol amendment, Emirates Team New Zealand, like all of the other teams, face a strategic decision of when to launch their America’s Cup Class race boat:

- Article 35.5 is amended by the addition of sub clauses (d), (e) and (f) which establish a requirement for each competitor to observe a blackout period of 28 consecutive days during which it will not sail its AC Class Yacht.

- Competitors may elect to take the blackout period at any time from 9 January 2017 and are required to nominate their respective periods by advising the dates to the Regatta Director prior to the commencement of the period.

- Competitors cannot sail their race yacht during the blackout period and if it has been previously launched it cannot be worked on during the nominated blackout period.

So, although teams have been permitted to launch their AC Class race yachts since 27 December 2016 (150 days before the first race in the AC Qualifier) this new provision adds a new strategic decision for all teams.

Bermuda bound

After only a day and a half back on the job, in Auckland, a combined task force of sailors, designers, shore and administration team members has already seen the 990 square meters platform tent deconstructed and loaded into containers to put on a ship to Bermuda.

Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton describes the scene at the base on the third of January as ‘inspiring’.

“It has been an encouraging way to start the year for the team and I. To look out of my office window and see an army of team members from all departments, including the entire sailing team, ripping into the hard labour that needed to be done from 0700 on a public holiday was inspiring.”

The Christmas break for the team was not long, especially after the intense schedule the team endured with the testing and development right up until Christmas. But the break has obviously had the desired effect with everyone returning to work full of energy and with the realization that this is the year of the America’s Cup, and it is all or nothing.

Skipper Glenn Ashby and his sailing crew were right in the mix having swapped their sailing shoes for safety boots.
“The past couple of days have really shown what commitment the whole team has to the goal of winning the America’s Cup this year, but also to each other.”

“For us its just all about doing what has to be done, keeping our heads down and chipping away at every little detail to win the cup back for New Zealand.”