Alinghi Red Bull Racing is set to break new ground with the BoatOne unveiled in Barcelona last Friday. The Swiss Olympic team continued its preparations at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma, while the nautical industry gathered in La Grande-Motte for the International Multihull Show.
A few months after the Swiss challenge was installed in Barcelona, its skipper, Arnaud Psarofaghis, confided: “With the engineers we have at our disposal, we could send a rocket to the Moon”. The rocket that left the Décision yard last month, while not designed for the heavens, gives us every indication of an avant-garde design. Capable of cruising at speeds of over 50 knots, the AC75 BoatOne is the result of a real focus on aerodynamics. This includes a concave deck and a hull with a pronounced double concave V. Few images were released during the presentation evening held last Friday in Barcelona, but we can imagine that we will learn more, very soon. According to the most credible hypotheses, the boat should include two helmsmen and cyclists to generate hydraulic power. The reasons for opening up the cockpit at the rear of the boat, and its impact on the organization of the deck layout, have yet to be explained? The America’s Cup still brings with it its share of questions, and we eagerly await the answers that will be distilled down over the coming weeks. After being the first team to set up in Barcelona, Alinghi Red Bull Racing is once again the first team to present its new-generation AC75 to the public. Could the Swiss be on to something? To be continued…
Soon the Olympics
Small disappointment for the Swiss Olympic team at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma. Sébastien Schneiter and Arno de Planta plunged into the 49er silver fleet. Maud Jayet, who has been a regular on the podium since last year, finished 7th in the ILCA 6, the best Swiss result ever. Yves Mermod and Maja Siegenthaler came 18th in the 470. However, Elena Lengwiler in Formula Kite and Elia Colombo in iQFoil were absent, and could also have achieved good results for the Swiss team.
Passion multi
Last but not least, the past week saw cruising multihulls take center stage at the Salon International du Multicoque in La Grande-Motte. From Wednesday to Sunday, under a radiant sun, visitors were able to discover a broad overview of the boats available on the multihull market. At a time when the nautical industry is experiencing a slowdown, waiting times for ordering a new boat are being drastically reduced. Perhaps this is a good time to get in on the buying action? To help you in your search, Skippers will be posting a number of boat tours on its Youtube channel over the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
