Italian America's Cup challenger Luna Rossa launch their second boat in Auckland.
While so much has been said of what the syndicates may do differently in their preparations for the America's Cup, Luna Rossa helmsman Jimmy Spithill says there's an important similarity that, for now, is working as an equaliser.
Until December, none of the syndicates are going to know exactly whatit's like to race an AC75.
The radical 75-foot foiling monohull vessels were scheduled to first hit the water in Sardinia back in April and then again in Portsmouth in June as part of the America's Cup World Series. The regattas would have given the teams an idea of what to expect early next year and how their vessels would need to be upgraded or refined.
Instead, the syndicates have had to build their second and final race boats based on simulations and non-competitive sailing. With the high speeds the boats can reach, the proximity of the vessels on the course and the angles of the foiling arms, Spithill said there is a lot the teams need to learn, but don't have the chance to do so until the Christmas Cup in mid-December.
"These boats have risk, no two ways about it," Spithill said. "Every team has to be smart because there's no soft contact with these foil arms hanging out the side. But we're all learning; no one has done a race yet, so that's something we're all going to have to figure out – to be in the running, you have to have a boat upright at the end of the race.
"I don't think we want to see contact in these boats because of the way the foil arms are set up but, again, we don't know what the racing is like because none of us have ever raced one of these boats – that's where we are all the same, and that Christmas Cup will be the first time we see what it's really like.
America's Cup challenger Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team christen and launch their second AC75 at their Base in Aucklands Viaduct Harbour. Photo / Supplied.
"This almost feels like an old school campaign where the first line up will be just before the Challenger Series at the Christmas Cup. It's a fascinating campaign in that regard."
Luna Rossa unveiled their second race vessel of the same name on Tuesday, following on from American Magic and Ineos Team UK who launched theirs on Friday and Saturday respectively. Only Cup defenders Team New Zealand are yet to reveal the machine that they will rely on to retain the Auld Mug.
While the other challengers made significant changes between their first and second boats, Luna Rossa's second build was more about refinement than making any radical changes.
As for the other teams, Spithill said while they could take photos of the physical appearance of their vessels – opposition members doing exactly that from their chase boats from the water off the dock - actually racing would tell them more about their opposition's tool.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team launches its second AC 75 Luna Rossa in Auckland for the 36th America's Cup at the Viaduct Harbour. Photo / Supplied.
"We all have our spy recon – it's like James Bond out there with everyone out there trying to get a read on how the other guys are going. But it's tough. Until we get out there and line up in anger, you don't know.
"These boats never stop. Every day there might be something upgraded; it might be something that you can physically see, but a lot of the time it's the stuff you can't see – the systems, some of the software – they're very, very sophisticated boats and a lot more than where we were in Bermuda and even San Francisco. They're weapons, these things."
