While New Zealand sailors are considered among the world’s best, its marine technology and innovation was used by all the teams contesting the America’s Cup.
From the design of the blisteringly fast AC75s to the chase boats behind the race, and the components powering these foiling yachts to ever greater speeds, New Zealand companies were at the forefront. With ETNZ bringing foiling to yacht racing, New Zealand companies have pioneered advanced manufacturing techniques resulting in the lightest, fastest and strongest boats built for purpose.
Southern Spars’ Auckland headquarters manufactured 26.5m carbon fibre masts to fit the tight class requirement for several of the teams, while North Sails supplied sails for the boats used in the Women’s and Youth AC40 regattas, as well as Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC75. Adhesive Technologies New Zealand supplied resins and adhesives for ETNZ’s boats, hydrogen and land speed record craft and rigs, as well as supplying other teams in the competition.
Gurit supplied composite engineering services while C-Tech has been supplying battens to the America’s Cup since 2003. Its advanced research and development focus pushed the performance boundaries not only of battens, but also other composite components.
On the water, Rayglass Boats, Salthouse Coach Boats and Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders supplied chase and support boats for the Cup. Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders built Catalyst boats for both Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS, supplying the large support vessels that fulfilled key roles as the Cup unfolded.
Rayglass Boats supplied 30 RIBs, which were visible 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 provided category-leading weather forecasting, including 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 the teams, as well as providing engineering expertise across numerous components.
Winning the Cup showcased technology for the ocean by the world’s experts on water. With an eye to the future, 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.
The New Zealand Marine Industry is proud to have supported ETNZ in building New Zealand’s America’s Cup boats for over 35 years.
www.nzmarine.co.nz
