Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

BMW ORACLE Racing- new boat starts shakedown

by Jane Eagleson on 2 Sep 2008
First sail of BMW Oracle Racing’s 90fter - Anacortes, USA BMW Oracle Racing Photo Gilles Martin-Raget http://www.bmworacleracing.com

One week after being launched, BMW ORACLE Racing’s new 90-foot multihull yacht hoisted sail here for the first time today and began its shakedown in 6-8 knots of breeze over four hours of testing on the Rosario Strait.

'What a great feeling to get this amazing boat under sail power,' said team CEO and Skipper Russell Coutts. 'This boat is incredibly challenging. We will take it conservatively in this testing session as we learn more about the boat and its potential.'

After leaving the dock at 11am, the team first hoisted the 5,000 square foot (500 meters square) mainsail up the 158-foot (48-meter) carbon fiber mast towering above the trimaran. Following the mainsail tests, the team hoisted the staysail and completed some initial tacks. Along with 14 sailing team crew on board today were eight members of the design and build team who continued structural and systems reviews during sailing.


The team partnered with Van Peteghem and Lauriot Prévost (VPLP) of France to design the innovative trimaran. One of the most successful skippers in multihull racing, Franck Cammas, has also consulted to the team and is the boat’s helmsman for the Anacortes shakedown.

Led by Mark Turner and Tim Smyth, the BMW ORACLE Racing construction team built the carbon composite boat over a nine month period. With engineers on the team, BMW provides its unique technological competence in intelligent lightweight design, and specialist expertise in finite element analysis and EfficientDynamics technology.

The new yacht is a key element of the team’s preparation for the next America’s Cup, representing San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), on which a ruling is expected from the New York State Court of Appeals in the next six months.

The initial on-the-water testing session will continue in Anacortes until the middle of September.

















For a video of the initial sail of BMW Oracle Racing

Selden 2020 - FOOTERZhik 2024 DecemberRooster 2025

Related Articles

Aussies hunt 'Ashes on Water' win
The BONDS Flying Roos are looking to bounce back with a vengeance in Portsmouth Fresh off a bruising weekend in New York, the BONDS Flying Roos are looking to bounce back with a vengeance as they take on long time rivals Great Britain in their home waters at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, held in Portsmouth.
Posted today at 9:27 pm
4 Ultim rocketships to contest Rolex Fastnet Race
The giant 32m long by 23m wide flying trimarans are taking part in the 100th anniversary edition While the 50ft flying catamarans competing at SailGP Portsmouth this weekend will be impressive, charging out of the opposite western end of the Solent will be giant 32m long by 23m wide flying Ultim trimarans taking part in the 100th anniversary edition.
Posted today at 6:45 pm
SailGP comes to Portsmouth!
We speak to the sailors ahead of the weekend The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth takes place this weekend, with the 12 teams competing in F50 catamarans close to the waterfront, where a massive grandstand has been built for the spectators.
Posted today at 5:41 pm
SailGP: No practice racing at Portsmouth
The Practice Race was a fizzer, however the future of the SailGP fleet development was revealed. The scheduled Practice Day failed to fire at SailGP Portsmouth, after the forecast, admittedly light, breeze failed to male an appearance. The self propelled start marks were making a much better speed than the F50s.
Posted today at 4:14 pm
Django ready to fly YCCS burgee at Admiral's Cup
The event brings together two-boat national teams to compete across offshore & inshore formats The countdown is over. Tomorrow, Saturday 19 July, the 2025 Admiral's Cup officially sets sail with the Channel Race, a 150-nautical mile offshore challenge that marks the start of this iconic international regatta.
Posted today at 3:56 pm
Elite Training at New Sailing Centre
Canash Beach, St Vincent, hosts international sailors The SVG Sailing Association held a successful High Performance Race Training Clinic, at the newly established High Performance Centre at Canash Beach, St Vincent. The four-day event ran from July 13th to 16th.
Posted today at 1:51 pm
McIntyre Mini Globe Race Leg 3 Preview
The race to South Africa starts from Vuda Marina Fiji on 26th July In a world-first sailing challenge, 15 solo sailors from eight countries are navigating identical 5.8-meter (19-foot) self-built plywood yachts around the globe— The fleet has enjoyed a five week stopover in Fiji at the end of Leg 2.
Posted today at 1:26 pm
Third time Finn World No.1 for Alessandro Marega
Maintaining the top spot in the Finn World Ranking List Italy's Alessandro Marega maintains the top spot in the Finn World Ranking List for the third consecutive release. He remains World No. 1 with an 80-point lead over France's Laurent Hay.
Posted today at 1:18 pm
World Sailing Nations Cup to make grand return
After a seven-year hiatus, World Sailing has officially opened the bid process for host cities After a seven-year hiatus, the World Sailing Nations Cup, the ultimate event to crown the world's top match-racing nations, is making its much-anticipated return.
Posted today at 9:08 am
Trophies arrive at RNIYC in advance of Eurocup
RS400 UK & Irish National Championship starts in just over a fortnight Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club took delivery of the prize ware for the upcoming RS400 Eurocup and UK/Irish Nationals 3rd-8th August.
Posted today at 8:46 am