sail-world.com -- America's Cup: Short break and then the Big Push for Emirates Team NZ
America's Cup: Short break and then the Big Push for Emirates Team NZ
Thu, 27 Dec 2012
Emirates Team New Zealand’s chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge reflects on the end of the AC72 Boat 1 sailing programme and the push to get Boat 2 ready to go sailing.
The sailing programme finished on time, in fact two days earlier than we had planned way back in January when we sat down to write the AC72 programme.
That was good news. It gave us a little extra time to decommission boat 1 pre-Christmas. The boat has now been pulled apart and every component has been structurally checked.
We stopped the sailing programme mid-December to enable some of the structural elements to be used in the second boat. Boat 2 is now in one piece, beams attached.
Over the holiday, some team members will have a very short break and will be back at work on January 3. The entire team will be back at work on the seventh. By then the boat will have been painted, the graphics will be on and the boat will be near ready to be trucked to the base.
The shore crew, most of the sailing team and contractors will work on fit-out through January: electronics, hydraulics, the trampoline and all the hundreds of small fittings will be put on to the boat in preparation for a launch in early February.
The sailing team will be involved in their own areas so they know exactly how the boat went together and it makes it easier from them to use equipment efficiently and troubleshoot any problems.
Construction of Wing 2 is well advanced. Boat 2 will use Wing 1 in for the first few weeks to allow us to test the platform’s structural integrity and not have any issues with the wing, making it a relatively more straight forward and quicker process than it was for Boat 1.
Fit out for the new boat should be faster than it was for Boat 1. That took us nearly six weeks with the first boat and we’re trying to do that now in 3 – 4 weeks.
The boat has been simplified and we know a lot more about what we are doing. And certain components that are coming off boat 1 to go on Boat 2 to save time as well.
Boat 1 is not being retired.
We could get it sailing again within a week if we had to.
Burke Marine
Burke Marine, suppliers of international quality marine clothing and equipment, was founded by Martin Burke on the shores of Sydney Harbour in 1971. Visit our website for your nearest stockist. [More info]
http://www.burkemarine.com.au
Ensign Ship Brokers
Ensign Ship Brokers was established in 1980 and has spent the last 28 years expanding our marine knowledge and developing our reputation! We strive to provide the very best service! [More info]
http://www.ensignbrokers.com.au/
GME Standard Communications Pty Ltd
Leaders in communications and navigation. Their goal has always been to make products whose innovation, convenience and peace of mind can help improve the lives of their customers. [More info]
http://www.gme.net.au
Hamilton Island Luxury Accommodation
Full range of private apartments, villas and houses on Hamilton Island. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 bedroom options available. All include buggy and island airport or marina transfers. [More info]
http://www.whitsundayholidays.com.au
Multihull Solutions
Multihull Solutions is Australia and New Zealand’s premier offshore and cruising catamaran and trimaran specialist, offering sales and servicing of the world’s finest multihull brands.
[More info]
http://www.multihullsolutions.com.au
Navionics Australia
Navionics is proud of its superb cartographic database comprising more than 25,000 charts and port plans; the largest privately owned database of its kind, the only one using full seamless technology [More info]
http://www.navionics.com.au
OziOpti
OziOpti is all about 'getting kids in boats' and the Australian company supporting the introduction to of the world’s most popular junior sailing yacht, the 'International Optimist Dinghy' [More info]
http://www.oziopti.com.au
Performance Sailcraft Australia (Asia Pacific)
Laser builder Performance Sailcraft Australia has taken on the successful RS Sailboat range from Britain, and is now licensed to build and distribute all of the RS range in the Asia Pacific region. [More info]
http://www.lasersailing.com.au
Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show
2013 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is Australasia's most significant marine lifestyle event. We look forward to welcoming you to the 25th annual event. [More info]
http://www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au/
Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week
Entries for the fourth annual Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week have opened! 4 days of racing, 5 days of fun – that is what you can look forward to from 3-7 September at Magnetic Island. [More info]
http://www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
Ullman Sails
For over 45 years, Ullman Sails has been devoted to helping our customers reach their sailing goals. [More info]
http://www.ullmansails.com
VicSail Sydney
Vicsail Sydney Pty Ltd, launched into the Australian sailing fraternity in 1983 and has been sailing strong ever since. At Vicsail, “We Sail the Boats We Sell”. [More info]
http://www.vicsailsydney.com.au