Yachting: First time for new era yacht

By Suzanne McFadden

Meet the narrower, longer, less glossy Black Magic - generation 2000.

Yesterday was a monumental day in the young life of NZL57 - she made her first sail on an idyllic day on the Hauraki Gulf before coming under the spotlight at her christening last night.

Unveiled for the first time, Team New Zealand's first new boat in their defence of the America's Cup looks different on a number of counts from the boat which won in 1995.

She is a matt black - not as shiny as the old Black Magic.

The "stealth bomber" black is the result of a new type of paint and hours of sandpapering to make the hull smoother and supposedly faster.

One of the designers, Clay Oliver, joked it was a special development to aborb opposition radar.

Like the All Blacks, they have dropped the white collar from the top of the hull. Her silver fern is silver instead of white.

Tactician Brad Butterworth hinted that the new boat was narrower, longer and taller than NZL32.

The new boat was christened "New Zealand" by Lady Pippa Blake, who cut a ribbon which triggered a contraption to break a bottle of Steinlager on the bow. But the boat will still be known as Black Magic by her crew.

A decent crowd lined the edge of the Viaduct Basin for the official launch as kids in Optimist dinghies circled the boat.