Yachting: Designers not to blame for buckled cup boat

By Suzanne McFadden

Kiwi boat designer Bruce Farr and his team have found their work was not at fault when Young America's first America's Cup yacht almost snapped in half.

Investigations into why USA53 buckled when it hit a rogue wave during a race two weeks ago have shown that it was not a design or engineering flaw.

The black boat, which tore at the deck at a weak point just behind the mast, is being rebuilt at the Salthouse boatyard in Greenhithe. The boat's principal builder, Eric Goetz, has been reconstructing the hull.

The Young America design team, headed by Farr Yacht Design, have been examining the boat's design work over the last two weeks to determine the causes of the accident which almost sank the $5 million yacht.

The designers and the syndicate said evidence presented showed "the deck failure was not a result of a fault in the engineering or design of the boat."

The reason why the boat broke has yet to be uncovered by the syndicate or the boat's insurers.

More precautions have been taken with USA58, Young America's second boat, since the end of round robin two, to "prevent a similar sequence of events."

Among the strengthening moves taken has been fastening the areas where the skin to core bonds are suspect.