AC40 #2 for INEOS Britannia has left McConaghy Boats facility on its way to Europe.
The British America’s Cup team are the second AC37 team to receive one of the new AC40s. First were America’s Cup defenders, ETNZ, just a couple of weeks ago.
INEOS expect to do some testing and sailing in the AC40 with an eye towards the warm-up regattas in 2023. And also for some in-house racing and development and for the Youth and Women’s Cups as well.
Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Britannia syndicate have also designed and built their own personal foiling forty-footer, an ‘LEQ12’ test boat, codename T6.
The LEQ12 test boat wll be about the same size as an AC40, be battery powered, and sailed by a crew of four.
This is also set to launch at their new training base in Palma, Mallorca this Autumn.
The team’s HQ will be located in the Porto Pi area of the Palma marina district allowing easy access to the Bay of Palma and INEOS Britannia expect to have about 40 staff – including sailors – based in Palma.
The aim is for 15 – 20 sailing days each month allowing for planned maintenance, bad weather and other unforeseen extraneous factors.
Emirates Team New Zealand launched the first AC40 at their new base on Wynyard Point, New Zealand and following tow-testing have been sailing at over 34 knots downwind and 27 knots upwind.
The AC40 in its one design configuration will be raced using auto pilot flight control in the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup regattas.
Related Post:
ETNZ AC40 hits the water at over 20+ knots in light 8-10 knots of breeze
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