On May 7, NYYC American Magic unveiled the AC75 racing boat Patriot in Barcelona. Team members and their families gathered at their team base for a christening ceremony before the boat’s inaugural sail.
- Patriot is the foiling monohull set to be tested and raced by New York Yacht Club American Magic this summer before the 37th America’s Cup.
- Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves and Collier Merrill flew to NYC in March to keep an advanced look at the new design.
Terry Hutchinson, American Magic’s President of Sailing Operations, contemplated the team’s campaign to date, much of it spent in Pensacola.
“As we reflect on the last 21 months, it’s remarkable that we set a launch date of just three days from now,” Hutchinson said. “As a team, we persevered through adversity, especially in the early stages of the build when things didn’t proceed perfectly.”
The skipper thanked principals Hap Faith and Doug DeVos for their “unwavering support.” He added, “Without their vision and backing, none of this would have been possible. As a team, we are dedicated to honoring their commitment by striving for excellence in everything we do.”
Hutchinson and American Magic CEO Mike Cazer recognized the team’s collective effort.
“Every person on this team understands our mission: to win America’s Cup,” Cazer said. “Moreover, they clearly understand their role in helping the team accomplish this mission, and this team is highly talented and dedicated to the mission.”
Dig Deeper: The development of Patriot was a collaborative effort involving American Magic’s team of 30 designers, CFD analysts, engineers, naval architects, AI resources, and boatbuilders. Over 108,000 design and 65,000 construction hours were dedicated to refining every aspect of the boat.
Notable advancements include:
- Enhanced hull design to optimize performance in varying wind and sea states.
- New lighter foils with an increase in span to 4.5m, facilitating lift out of the water.
- Upgraded electronics, hydraulics, and software systems for improved control and maneuverability.
- Reducing crew size from eleven to eight members utilizes innovative cyclors (replacing grinders) powering the yacht’s systems.
- The AC75 features a 26.5-meter mast, meticulously crafted by the American Magic team in the United States.
- The soft sail design comprises twin mainsails and a headsail (jib), resulting in a total sail area of approximately 230m².
- This configuration ensures maximum efficiency and performance.
“We followed our own design path with Patriot as we pushed the limits of the AC75 rule while tailoring for the Barcelona venue,” said Design Coordinator Scott Ferguson. “Our overall philosophy is minimalistic, as we’ve tried to squeeze down our volumes to the base minimum while still fitting the crew and systems into the boat. There are tradeoffs for every decision regarding performance, weight, energy, and forgiveness.”
He continued, “The design team, together with the sailing, shore, and build teams, have developed what we feel is a strong package for competing at a high level here in Barcelona.”
