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BMW Oracle building two 70ft catamarans in New Zealand?


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From Valencia Sailing:

 

BMW Oracle building two 70ft catamarans in New Zealand?

 

First of all, I want to stress that this story is based on an anonymous comment made in a previous article about Ben Ainslie and his comment on the "massive" advantage BMW Oracle would have if the 34th America's Cup boat were indeed a wingmast catamaran. As a result, there is no guarantee at all it is true. It could be a hoax or a simple lie but it could also be an interesting development.

 

The official announcement on the type of boat to be used in this edition of the Cup will be made in just 4 days right here in Valencia. However, whatever yacht it turns out to be, it is obvious that the final decision was taken various months ago. Similarly, the decision on the boats to be used in 2011 must have already been taken. In addition, if BMW Oracle's intention is to start next year's pre-regattas in April on yachts they would provide, similar to the format of the Louis Vuitton Trophies, these boats must already be in construction.

 

One has to bear in mind that these yachts, called "2011 Yachts" in the Protocol, do not have to comply with the America’s Cup Class Rules but only with the "2011 Yacht Rules", that is "the class rules of the yacht determined by the Event Authority to be used in the pre regattas prior to the implementation of the AC Class Yachts, with all interpretations, rulings and amendments.", as per the Protocol. As a result, even if the America’s Cup Class Rules are not finalized before the end of September, the "2011 Yachts" can already be built, as long as the "2011 Yacht Rules" are ready. According to the Protocol, the 2011 rules will be announced one month after the America's Cup Class announcement, that means before the end of October.

 

So, according to the anonymous comment, "for the past 2 months BMW Oracle have quietly been building 2 70´cats with soft sails for next years LVS, right here in NZ. Have a look at their facility in Warkworth......."

 

It is a plausible scenario with the two catamarans being ready early next year so they can be tested during the southern hemisphere summer. Last but not least, if you were the Defender and your intention was to have a 72ft catamaran as the new America's Cup boat, the 2011 class would be something very similar!!

 

 

Anybody know anything about thins?

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When I saw this at Valencia Sailing my first reaction was to come here and see what the go is.

 

There must be someone who can provide a simple yes or no.

 

Two 70ft Cats - that's hard to keep a lid on.

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That might semi help explain a somewhat cryptic comment I heard the other week but as it is the AC so until the gun goes for R1, 99% of what is said is total crap or should be regarded as so.

 

Lazza and Russ are no more trustable than Bertie or any of the rest.... OK, I should exclude Bertie as he did take verbal masturbation to a new and highly elevated level but even with him out you'd still have to have rocks in your head to believe any of the rest.

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Will all become very very clear to you all, very very soon.

 

as Multihull news goes it will eclipse the dumping of tornadoes from the olympics

and it may even kick the Timberwolf thread off its #1 spot !

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Will all become very very clear to you all, very very soon.

 

as Multihull news goes it will eclipse the dumping of tornadoes from the olympics

and it may even kick the Timberwolf thread off its #1 spot !

Hmmm.... a hardly cryptic message that would suggest Lazza and Russ are saying one thing but doing another.

 

What's the AC Cup made of, Bullshitium?

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I interpret the comments by Wolfie as negative for multis (like the tornado dumping). This suggests that the rumour that the cup will be in multis is a planted story by BO, and we will all be disappointed to find that the AC will again be in boring keelboats.

 

Find out tomrrow I guess.

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Eclipse means it will make you forget that some old coffin dodgers recently dropped the tornado from the Olympics.

 

With the massive involvement of multihulls in the next AC, LVPS etc it will be a massive boost to multi sailing.

Its also great that NZ is at the centre of what is going down.

 

Fear not Ken

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so where is the yard - surely that's not a secret?

 

They have sheds in Warkworth, have some old generation AC boats stored there and who knows what else.

 

Would have thought the dock talk would have got out if anything was underway there, even if no details had emerged.

 

But hey today is the day (tonight our time) that they are going to anounce it. How bloody exciting. The next AC in two wheeler with a solid wing. The world of sailing will never look back.

 

The Olympics and our YNZ may need to drag themselves into the 21st century kicking and screaming though. Someone tell Jan and Ray that lead is gone, IRC is dead and sailing is all about going fast again.

 

 

Yeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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I interpret the comments by Wolfie as negative for multis (like the tornado dumping). This suggests that the rumour that the cup will be in multis is a planted story by BO, and we will all be disappointed to find that the AC will again be in boring keelboats.

 

Find out tomrrow I guess.

 

If it was to be in keelboats, the designs they're looking at are more of the planing variety than displacement like the last crop of monos - think an upsized RC44.

 

I don't think you'll be too disappointed.

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Talked to some people.

 

People working in Warkworth, yes. Word is they are making blades for wind turbines, a tui add if ever I heard it.

 

So could be either Hulls or wings for a LVPC or both. Or something for RC?

 

Cooksons turning away work, doing V70 for TNZ but must have more than that. Boats for LVPC or space for a cat for TNZ next month?

 

Or maybe its all a hoaks and the mould for KZ7 has been polished and waxed, and we are going to see a return of true close matchracing and sailing will be saved from the multihull abis....................

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