New Zealand's hopes will sail on NZL-82

1.15pm

Team New Zealand has selected its newest yacht, NZL-82, for the best-of-nine America's Cup series against Alinghi which begins this Saturday.

Skipper Dean Barker said he would have been happy to race either NZL-82 or NZL-81. "They're a little different, but they're both very good boats," he said.

"I think that's always been a strength of this team, having two very good boats. You have to have two good boats to have good racing."

In recent weeks, Barker has been at the wheel of NZL-82 for the in-house racing series against Team New Zealand back-up helmsman Bertrand Pace, on NZL-81.

But the skipper said he had been more than happy to swap between the two boats during trialing over the last four months.

"From day one the boats were nice to sail," he said.

"The most nerve wracking time is when you first put any new boat in the water. You always hope they aren't going to be slower than last time's boat.

"That wasn't an easy task. NZL60 (New Zealand's successful defender of the America's Cup in 2000) was a very fast boat. Well, we're happy to say, 81 and 82 certainly aren't slower."

NZL-82 was the second Team New Zealand 2003-generation hull to emerge from the Cookson Boatyard, quietly slipping out on the Hauraki Gulf in October last year. NZL-81 had been launched with fanfare in August.

Both boats carry the hula, Team New Zealand's innovative hull appendage that adds length at the waterline.

Team New Zealand will unveil the hull of NZL-82 to the public tomorrow.

The gates to the Team New Zealand base in the American Express Viaduct Harbour will open at 8.45am. The public will be able to see the boat in its naked glory before it leaves the dock around 10.30am.

The defender and the challenger for the America's Cup must nominate one boat for the match. The Swiss challenger must race SUI-64, the boat it sailed to victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

Racing schedule and results