Please select your home edition
Edition
V-DRY-X

America's Cup: Up and away - AC40 hits 34kts on first day sailing in 10-12kts

by Emirates Team New Zealand Media 21 Sep 2022 20:13 NZST 21 September 2022
AC40 - returns home after its first sailing day accompanied by the team's foiling hydrogen powered chase boat - Auckland - September 21, 2022 © Hamish Hooper / Emirates Team New Zealand

It was up up and away on a very successful maiden sail for Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC40 on the familiar waters of the ‘back paddock’ between Auckland’s Waiheke Island and Howick Beachlands.

After a long tow out behind the team’s hydrogen powered chase boat ‘Chase Zero’, the sails hoisted and sheeted on, it took just a handful of minutes for helmsman Nathan Outteridge to go from a cautious displacement mode to popping the AC40 up onto its foils and off on starboard tack at over 20+ knots in the light 8-10 knots of breeze.

It was Outteridge’s first day sailing a foiling monohull and it didn’t disappoint, “It was obviously a very successful day, it was an impressive boat to sail for my first time sailing this type of boat. A little unnerving when trying to build speed, but once you get a bit of speed and the foil engages it goes from about 10 knots to 20 knots in about 5 seconds. So both pretty impressive, the acceleration and the reliability.”

Outteridge, Ray Davies, Nick Burridge and Sam Meech onboard throughout the highly productive full day on the water, initially went through a selection of straight line runs before throwing down their first tack successfully staying up on the foils and carrying on upwind.

“Day 1 was pretty epic and exciting,” explained Ray Davies.

“An amazing team effort to go out there and pull off the first tack as a foiling tack, the first gybe a foiling gybe.The boat is going really well, we have a few tweaks for sure, but awesome to sail with Nath, Sam and Nick. All of the support guys have done an incredible job, out of the box and we were ripping around foiling.”

The speeds of the AC40 were impressive in a relatively light breeze reaching a top speed of over 34 knots downwind and 27 knots upwind in the steady NW breeze.

The auto pilot is a key component for the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup regattas and was impressive to the team from the outset explains Dan Bernasconi, “The auto pilot on day one has been fantastic, so with a smaller crew and less experienced crew on these boats for the Women’s and Youth racing, the auto pilot will be a really important feature.”

“After today now we know this is going to be just fine for the Youth and Women’s America’s Cup. It will be spectacular racing, super quick, super-efficient and all straight out of the box.” said Davies.

After one long downwind run with a succession of foiling gybes, it seemed like it was the 20th day on the water rather than the first. It is an exciting time ahead with the AC40 fleet.

Related Articles

America's Cup: Confidential settlement reached
(Updated) A confidential settlement reached over five year Cup legal claims. Confidential settlement reached between the America's Cup team Emirates Team New Zealand and their formerly contracted Event Managers, Mayo & Calder, and others associated with the company. But what of Mainstream Media's role in the affair? Posted on 29 Jun
America's Cup - #3 Finish Line
The Cup is still undecided. And somewhere, in one last simulation, the universe holds its breath. The Cup is still undecided. And somewhere, in one last simulation, the universe holds its breath. Step into the last leg. This is where legends break — or rise. Posted on 23 Jun
Cup Spy: "Burling Rule" unlikely to be changed
The Defender is unlikely to soften the Rules and allow open season on its sailing team. Despite the shift of three times America's Cup winner, Peter Burling it is understood that there is unlikely to be any softening of the Nationality rule to enable Burling to get any closer to the action than a chase-boat in the 38th America's Cup. Posted on 20 Jun
Burling "excited' by Italian move
In a media statement issued by his Media Team, Burling says he remains fully committed to his role w In a media statement issued by his Media Team, Burling says he remains fully committed to his role with Black Foils, the New Zealand SailGP Team. Posted on 20 Jun
America's Cup: Kiwis advertising for key people
Emirates Team NZ seeking new people for key roles ahead of its 12th America's Cup campaign Emirates Team New Zealand, the current America's Cup champion is gearing up for the 2027 Defence of the most prestigious trophy in sailing. The team has advertised eight positions in the IT, Meteorology and Engineering areas Posted on 12 Jun
America's Cup: Another sponsor signs for Italians
Luna Rossa has announced that Unipol has renewed its trust in the team Luna Rossa has announced that Unipol has renewed its trust in the team and will accompany it as an official sponsor for the duration of the 38th America's Cup. Posted on 5 Jun
America's Cup fillibustered by Challengers
A Cup in turmoil - Protocol is unsigned - with entries due to open on Sunday. Updated story: America's Cup got underway in Rome on Monday, with Round 2 of the official welcoming ceremonies on Wednesday in Naples. However three teams are working in collusion and have again issued statements within minutes of each other. Posted on 29 May
America's Cup enthusiastically received in Naples
The Castel dell'Ovo, was the venue for the arrival of the America's Cup in Napes The Castel dell'Ovo, set on the tuft peninsula of Megaride was the outstanding setting for the Official Host Venue Presentation of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. Posted on 28 May
Italian PM welcomes America's Cup in Rome
Prime Minister Meloni set out a bold vision for the regeneration planned around AC38 The magnificent setting of the Casino del Bel Respiro, commissioned by Pope Innocent X in 1644, in the grounds of Villa Pamphilj, was the outstanding and historic setting for the formal presentation of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. Posted on 26 May
America's Cup: Big changes in crew line-up
Women and Youth crews to sail in AC75 in the next Cup - Final Draft of AC38 Protocol Historic changes are proposed in the Final Draft of the Protocol released by the America's Cup Defender. For the first time a Female and Youth crew members will be part of the six-crew lineup on board the all-electric AC75s. Posted on 23 May
Switch One DesignSea Sure 2025RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER