A landmark day unfolded for NYYC American Magic on 7 May as Boat 3, Patriot, embarked on its inaugural sail.
Team members and their families gathered at their Barcelona team base for a christening ceremony preceding the sail of their new AC75, the foiling monohull set to be tested and raced by New York Yacht Club American Magic this summer in advance of the 37th America’s Cup.
Clare Harrington, Vice Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, had the honor of christening the team’s AC75 “Patriot.”
In her address to an enthusiastic gathering of team members, friends, and family, Vice Commodore Claire said, “The New York Yacht Club has never wavered from its core purpose of ensuring international competition at the highest level of skill and performance. That is our tradition. However, the launch of Patriot also signifies innovation, blending two distinct elements: tradition and innovation. And so I bring to American Magic the heartfelt wishes of all 3,400 plus members of the New York Yacht Club for your success in the upcoming competition, maintaining the club’s tradition through your inspired innovation.”
Terry Hutchinson, President of Sailing Operations at American Magic, contemplated the team’s campaign to date, said, “As we reflect on the last 21 months, it’s remarkable that we set a launch date of just three days from now. As a team, we persevered through adversity, especially in the early stages of the build when things didn’t proceed perfectly.”
Expressing gratitude towards the team principals, Hutchinson added, “The entire team is immensely grateful to Hap Fauth and Doug DeVos for their unwavering support. 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.”
Acknowledging the collective effort, he continued, “When you observe the families and children present, you realise the immense support, effort, and energy required to bring this boat to the water. While the production team’s hard work is behind us, the focus and challenges for the sailing team and designers lie ahead.”
In his speech to the team, Mike Cazer, CEO at American Magic, emphasized the team’s collective dedication, saying, “Every person on this team understands our mission: to win America’s Cup. Moreover, they clearly understand their role in helping the team accomplish this mission, and this team is highly talented and dedicated to the mission.”
Cazer also highlighted the team’s commitment to fostering a positive culture, saying, “In addition, the team is also committed to creating a positive and strong culture. Our culture reflects the values of our founders, Hap Fauth and Doug DeVos. These values champion excellence, innovation, integrity, unity, and teamwork. They give us a strong foundation to strive to accomplish our mission. To win the cup, to bring it back home to the United States and to the New York Yacht Club.”
Building upon the legacy of its predecessors, American Magic’s new boat, Patriot, represents the culmination of US boat design and engineering excellence. 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.
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.
Design Coordinator Scott Ferguson reflects, “We followed our own design path with Patriot as we pushed the limits of the AC75 rule while tailoring for the Barcelona venue. 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. 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.”
