By JULIE ASH
Oracle Racing's second America's Cup yacht was launched in Auckland yesterday.
USA76 was lowered into the Viaduct Basin just three weeks after the launch of the team's first boat, USA71.
Both Oracle boats were built using female moulding, a process rarely used in America's Cup yachts.
Instrumental in the Oracle design was New Zealander Bruce Farr and his Farr design team. Farr has lived in the United States for the last 21 years.
Tim Smyth, one of the three Oracle boat-building managers, said the results of the building process were extremely pleasing.
"The end results are awesome. Of all the America's Cup boats we have built in our careers, we have never seen anything like these boats," he said.
Oracle Racing's lawyer, Melinda Erkelens, carried out the christening tradition, breaking a champagne bottle across the bow.
Her husband, Bill Erkelens, Oracle's chief operating officer, said the boat-building team worked 80-hour weeks in Ventura, California, to complete the yachts.
"The steering bulkheads, which support the steering wheels, in USA71 and USA76 have been signed by all the boat-builders, a symbol representing the enormous pride they took in their work," he said.
Oracle's two new sail boats will now build up to the Louis Vuitton challenger series, starting on October 1.
Much of the time will be spent racing head to head.
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Oracle launches second boat
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