New Zealand Marine Industry celebrates successful America's Cup defence
by Isla McKechnie/NZ Marine Industry Association 20 Oct 2024 08:38 NZDT
Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders supplied Catalysts for both Alinghi Red Bull Racing and INEOS Britannia and other AC teams © America's Cup
Emirates Team New Zealand’s win against the best of the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, France and the USA further evidences New Zealand has the world’s best sailors and is leading the world in boatbuilding innovation and technology.
The NZ Marine Industry Association congratulates Emirates Team New Zealand, winners of the 37th America’s Cup, in a contest which set new records on the water.
It has been a thrilling week of racing as New Zealand marine innovation has enabled new records on the waters of Barcelona. As the globe’s leading sailors battled it out on the water, it was the New Zealand technology behind teams which allowed this pinnacle of human achievement on the water to reach new heights.
While New Zealand sailors are considered among the world’s best, the country’s marine technology and innovation is used both by its own team, and by the teams contesting the America’s Cup.
From the design of AC75s - the yachts which have set a new America’s Cup record speed at a blistering 102 km/h - to the team chase boats behind the race, and the components powering the foiling yachts to greater speeds, New Zealand companies are at the forefront.
It’s the marine equivalent of the Formula 1, and a coup for the small Southern Ocean country for which connectivity to the sea is an integral part of the DNA. New Zealand’s Marine and Specialised Technologies Academy (MAST) trains up to 700 marine innovation specialists and boatbuilders a year in a programme which has now been syndicated around the world.
With Emirates Team New Zealand bringing foiling to yacht racing, New Zealand companies have pioneered advanced manufacturing techniques resulting in the lightest, fastest and strongest boats built for purpose.
From Southern Spars’ Auckland headquarters, it has built carbon fibre masts of exactly 26.5 metres for a number of teams to fit the tight specifications of the class requirement, while North Sails has supplied sails for both the women’s, youth AC40 and Emirates Team New Zealand. Likewise, Adhesive Technologies New Zealand supplied the resins and adhesives for the Emirates Team New Zealand boats, hydrogen and land speed record craft and rigs, as well as supplying other teams in the competition.
Gurit has supplied composite engineering services while C-Tech has been supplying battens to the America’s Cup since 2003. It has an advanced research and development focus to keep pushing the boundaries with not only battens but a number of other composite components capable of withstanding the forces of America’s Cup boats.
On the water, Rayglass Boats, Salthouse Coach Boats and Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders have all supplied chase and support boats for the Cup. Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders built the distinctive pickle forked bow Catalyst boats for INEOS and Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Since 2017 the Catalyst design has become the go type for use as large support vessels by America's Cup teams and private owners including resorts.
Rayglass Boats has supplied 30 boats, which can be seen now in the Barcelona race village after they were shipped to the event from the company’s base in Mount Wellington.
New Zealand technology innovator, Predictwind provides category-leading weather forecasting to both America’s Cup sailors and local boaters alike, providing specific forecasting for 20,000 sites globally. PURE Design & Engineering is another New Zealand company using innovation to pave the way; it engineered the one design foil arms used by all teams as well as providing engineering expertise across a number of components.
It’s technology for the ocean, by the world’s experts on water. With the America’s Cup reaching an extensive worldwide audience, New Zealand’s ability to push new records for the water is set to reach even larger heights.
The New Zealand Marine Industry; proud to support Emirates Team New Zealand and building New Zealand’s America’s Cup boats for 35 years.