America's Cup base walkabout - A year from the Match - Image galllery
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 17 Mar 2020 20:57 AEDT
17 March 2020
INEOS Team UK framework - America's Cup Bases - March 17, 2020 - Wynyard Point © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com
With just under a year to run to the Match, Sail-World's camera went walkabout to check on around the America's Cup base construction around the Wynyard Point and Hobson Wharf extension
The framework is being erected on the INEOS Team UK base, with the boat shed and team sailing office area, outlined. Floodlight standards are in the process of being erected. The New York Yacht Club facility alongside is currently being used as a carpark.
The Wynyard Wharf reconstruction is partially complete, but well advanced - in what was a major renovation of an almost 100 year old wharf that was in a terrible state of disrepair.
Part of that project is to lay a new stormwater pipe (the large black pipes visible on the ground in some images) that will run the 500metre length of the wharf and exit into the harbour.
The bridges which the AC75's will traverse to get onto Wynyard Wharf are in place.
The marina which will be used to tether the AC75s and chase boats is in place in the newly created Wynyard basin - which has been created by installing wavebreaks. The wavebreaks have been a major upgrade, with eight new breaks installed to stop water movement in an area which was completely exposed in a northerly wind.
Emirates Team New Zealand are on the eastern side of the Wynyard Basin, and have been in their base building - formerly the Viaduct Events Centre - for over a year, and it is fully operational, with the America's Cup and ETNZ clothing shop on its ground floor level.
Hobson Wharf is on the eastern border of the construction area with Princes Wharf/Hilton Hotel and apartments on its eastern side.
Hobson Wharf is the home of the National Maritime Museum and berthage for several classic yachts and similar vessels, including the steam tug (still operational) William C Daldy. Hobson Wharf has been extended to form the base area for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on the end and extending around the western side which forms a sheltered launch area and marinas. It is all complete (but not pictured).
There was no, or not a lot, of construction work under way for the Italian base, however several stacks of what appear to be building material are stacked on the wharf.
The other project in the Wynyard Point area, development of Orams/Site 18 into a major superyacht servicing is well under way, surrounded by a fleet of superyachts away from the construction area having refit work done in an existing marina facility.