BMW Oracle Racing unveil USA-87 and bowsprit

by BMWOR Media and Sail-World on 28 Mar 2006 BMW Oracle Racing have christened their first new AC class yacht for the 2007 regatta in a ceremony and festivities at the team base in Valencia.

BMW ORACLE Racing’s new America’s Cup Class yacht was named USA 87 in a spectacular christening ceremony tonight during the team’s new base opening festivities in Valencia. Sue Dickson, wife of BMW ORACLE Racing CEO and skipper Chris Dickson, smashed a magnum bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne across the bow of USA 87 to christen the team’s new racing yacht.

More than 500 guests, among them the families of the team, partners and sponsors and more than 100 members of the international media, witnessed the ceremony at the team base in the Port America’s Cup in Valencia.

‘This is a great moment and milestone for our team,’ Chris Dickson said. ‘A boat christening is always a moving event – for every designer and boatbuilder, for every sailor, for all of us who have the privilege to take part in such a magnificent campaign. USA 87 is the result of 1,000 hours of full-scale two-boat testing and 30,000 man hours invested by our boatbuilding team. Over the coming days and weeks, the challenge will be to tap the yacht’s full potential.’

Dickson thanked the BMW ORACLE Racing design team headed by Ian Burns, the BMW contribution of automotive engineering know-how, the boatbuilding team managed by Mark Turner, Tim Smyth and Mark Somerville, and the sailing team who will now be testing the boat to develop its full potential.

A feature of the USA-87 is the small bowsprit, of which we will no doubt hear a lot more in the future.