AC45: 1st Test Sail
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com
If Dennis Conner’s Stars&Stripes winged cat was a milestone in catsailing, and Alinghi the breaktrough for big performance cats, the AC 45 Class is the epitome of catamaran racing to date (lets wait also for the AC72 and their more complex 3 section Wings and other hi-tech features..)
The C-Class guys like Steve Clark , Fred Eaton and Magnus Clarke should be proud of their work too, that has lead the Wing technology for years and now they are seeing their huge contribution going mainstream.
Reading some history on the AC, you’ll agree that tehnology was a key part of the old days, so detractors of speed and performance should stay put, as the AC sailboat applied tech pioneers must be smiling up there…
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AC45:
LOA: 44.13’ (13.45m)
BEAM:22.6’ (6.9m)
DSPL:1,400 kg
Mast Height:70.5’ (21.5m)
Sail Area:1430 sq’ (133 sqm) (up w/main & gennaker),
2,259 sq’ 210 (sqm) (dwn w/main & reacher)
www.americascup.com
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Cat Porn!!! :-))
I was lucky enough to sail my F18 during the Little Americas Cup right up to and along side the C Class cats and I was amazed at how sleek, efficient and sexy those things are. The AC45s take it to a whole other level, and I can't wait to see them race (in Newport hopefully!)