Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

America's Cup: Images and video reveal American Magic's novel design approach

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 14 Sep 2019 08:24 PDT 15 September 2019
AC75 - NYYC American Magic caught on the tow for more test sailing on Narragansett Bay, Newport RI © Stephen R Cloutier / PhotoGroup.us

The second AC75 to be launched and first to sail, NYYC American Magic, was caught on camera by several media during a regatta on Narragansett Bay, Newport RI.

Previously just a few shots had leaked on the the web, along with two official shots from the team.

Media at the regatta were given a fly past by the AC75, sailing fast in a 12-14kt breeze and flat water.

The foiling monohull appeared to be very stable a video filed by Mark Mills on Facebook as the AC75 did a run in 12-14kts of breeze, including an attempt at a foiling tack at the end of the run.

The most unusual shots are of the AC75 under tow where her scow-like full shape is revealed - shot from ahead of the boat, rather than astern as in the official sailing shot, released by the team on Wednesday.

The AC75 Class Rule prevents "scow-bows" by setting two maximum beam measurements within the first three metres of the hull - creating a rather unusual bow treatment on NYYC American Magic.

The design approach taken by her design team assisted by design partner Airbus shows a very wide flat hull - even allowing for camera lens distortion. That is quite a different approach to that taken by the Emirates Team New Zealand design team who have opted for a more traditional hull shape, with multi chines, and a bustle running partway down the centre of the hull, producing a distorted underwater shape.

The NYYC American Magic shape is more stable at low speeds but will have more drag because of increased wetted surface. It would seem that the offset for that is to get the boat heeling as much as possible, get her riding on her leeward bilge to reduce wetted surface and induce foiling as quickly as possible.

Shots taken at the American Magic base show the two teams, American Magic and Emirates Team NZ have taken completely different design approaches. While ETNZ's Grant Dalton described their design as "extreme" the design team at NYYC American Magic along with partner Airbus, have also produced what many would consider to be an extreme design approach in their hull. The rigs also will be quite different, with American Magic opting for a conservative rig, while the Kiwis are expected to unveil a deck sweeper mainsail, without a convention main boom and sheeting.

One of intriguing possibility of the beamy flat hullshape is whether the boat will be able to benefit from ground effect aerodynamics - a question best answered by the Airbus team - but if present it does reduce induced and creates lift, as the boat/plane effectively rides its own air bubble across the water. In fighter planes the effect cuts in when the aircraft is one wingspan above the ground or water.

For more see facebook.com/blockisland

This second video shows the AC75 in steady flight, and at the end a foiling gybe is attempted, which ends in a soft landing at the exit, after the old foil wing is raised.

Italian sailing site Farevela has published a series of 16 shots of NYYC American Magic after she was hauled from the water which can be viewed by clicking here

The most significant point of difference between the foils on the two AC75's launched to date, aside from the differences in hull design, is the approach with the foil fairing and foil wing. While the carbon foil arm is one design and a supplied part, the teams are free to add whatever fairing they wish. With the foil wing, it must fit within six-sided template outline, otherwise it is free design. The foil wing is allowed to weigh up to 740kg, and when not being used as a foil is canted to windward to provide righting moment.

Under the current version of the Protocol which governs the America's Cup there is virtually no restriction on photography, the detail revealed in the American Magic images is less than revealed by Emirates Team New Zealand at their launch a week earlier, and a spy boat complete with photographer said to be from Italian Challenger Luna Rossa was in close attendance when ETNZ were Te Aihe was sea trialing last Wednesday.

Related Articles

America's Cup: Luna Rossa sail two AC40s
Luna Rossa Youth and Womens team sail two AC40s marking the anniversary of their 2024 wins The Italian Challenger Luna Rossa has opened its account in the 2027 America's Cup, sailing two AC40s from the team's permanent base in Cagliari, Sardinia. The occasion was a celebration of their wins in the Youth and Womens America's Cups Posted on 1 Oct
SailGP and America's Cup on collision course
Serious schedule clashes ahead as a group of professional sailors try to serve two masters. "This America's Cup has to be their #1 priority. Frankly, as far as I am concerned, it's the only priority", Emirates Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton on pro sailors wanting to compete in SailGP as well as the America's Cup. Posted on 26 Sep
America's Cup: Ray Davies scouts Naples
Ray Davies of Emirates Team New Zealand recently made a vibrant stop in Naples, Italy Ray Davies of Emirates Team New Zealand recently made a "vibrant" stop in Naples, Italy, ahead of the upcoming Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, and was left in awe of both the city and its sailing conditions. Posted on 25 Sep
America's Cup: Controversial agreement signed
According to Italian media, the secret AC Partnership agreement has been signed by CoR/D* International sailing journalist, Fabio Pozo, writing for the Milan based newspaper La Stampa, reports that the secret America's Cup Partnership (ACP) agreement is expected to be signed next week. Posted on 21 Sep
America's Cup: Vision for the Naples unveiled
Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute unveiled the vision for the America's Cup in Naples in 2027. Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute, the publicly-owned Italian company responsible for promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle across the nation, unveiled the vision for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027. Posted on 20 Sep
Womens America's Cup opportunities expand
the pathway for female athletes has never been stronger than in the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup 2024 and the inaugural Puig Women's America's Cup was announced following the publication of the Protocol for the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup in Barcelona. It was a moment not only for women's sport and equality but showed that the America's Cup was Posted on 19 Sep
America's Cup: The Elephant(s) in the Room
Some shafts of light have been shed on the negotiation positions of the Challengers and Defender. With nearly 250 pages of America's Cup regulations released, it's clear both the Challenger and Defender have ben forced to take a pragmatic stance on the Naples Cup. Some shafts of light have been shed on the positions of the Challengers and Defender. Posted on 18 Sep
America's Cup: Luna Rossa's Challenge accepted
According to local media the Italian team, Luna Rossa has had its Challenge accepted by the Kiwis. Leading America's Cup journalist, Fabio Pozzo, reports that the Italian team, Luna Rossa has had its Challenge accepted for the 2027 Cup in Naples. Posted on 12 Sep
America's Cup: ETNZ's design boss on new AC75 Rule
Kiwi design chief, Dan Bernasconi on recycled AC75 hulls, electric power and other rule changes. Kiwi design chief, Dan Bernasconi on the use of recycled AC75 hulls, the switch to full electric power, and other changes. He claims there is plenty of performance gain left in the AC75 for the designer teams. Posted on 12 Sep
America's Cup: Class Rule and Tech Regs out
The America's Cup Class Rule and Technical Regulations for the Naples Match have been published With the clock ticking down to the start of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027, the AC75 Class Rules and Technical Regulations have been issued to all teams and published with a focus on cost containment. Posted on 11 Sep
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst GT 1456x180px BOTTOMHyde Sails 2024 - One DesignPalm Beach Motor Yachts