America's Cup- Double AC72 launch on Monday on opposite Pacific coasts

by Richard Gladwell on 3 Feb 2013
Both Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team NZ have confirmed that they will launch AC72's on Monday February 4, 2013.

Emirates Team NZ's will be first in the water with their second AC72 catamaran, in Auckland, New Zealand, followed about 20 hours later by Orate Team USA, who will be re-launching their first AC-72 in San Francisco.

OTUSA's AC72 has been undergoing repairs since its capsize four months ago, on October 2012. Although it is claimed that some changes have been made to Oracle's boat, they would seem to be refinements rather than a change of design direction.

The US boat will feature their second wingsail, from the outset, as their first was destroyed in the October capsize.

Emirates Team NZ will launch what is effectively their second platform, but with the wingsail from the first AC72, and a lot of transferred equipment from the first AC72, launched in July 2012, and decommissioned in December 2012. The team's first boat sailed for the maximum of 30 days permitted before January 31, 2013, under the Protocol for the 34th America's Cup.