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Off the ground: another AC75 prototype for the America's Cup «» launched successfully

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The New York Yacht Club's American Magic team has released a video of the launch of the AC75 Foiler prototype. «The 11.6m test yacht AM38, also known as MULE, is half the size of the boat that the team will use in the 2021 America's Cup World Series race for the 36th America's Cup» in Auckland,New Zealand . The MULE was tested at American Magic in Narragansett Bay near Newport , Rhode Island, USA. Airbus specialists will help the team refine the boat before the release of the full-size AC75.

The original concept of this model, which was jointly developed by Bella Mente Racing, Quantum Racing and American Magic, was presented last November.

»According to the official site of the America's Cup «, the only team that has not yet tested in one form or another AC75, remain the current hosts of the competition - Emirates Team New Zealand.

One can only speculate whether this is due to the ban on testing full size yachts until March 31, 2019.

The Italians from Luna Rossa are keeping their developments mostly secret, while British team INEOS unveiled a smaller version of the AC75 named T5 back in the summer. The T5 is based on a major redesign of the Quant 28. In particular the boat got two T-shaped foils and a control system to manage them. In addition, the deck layout, rudder, sails, and some structural elements were changed to make the Quant look like the AC75.

Now it is safe to say that the fears of experts, who believed that the unusual design of hydrofoils would not be able to provide AC75 with the necessary lift, were not justified. Its prototypes took off. And it is unlikely that anything will prevent their older sisters from taking off when they are ready.

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