Yachting: Young America also have a black beauty

By Suzanne McFadden

The latest black boat is sleek, shiny and swift - and it touched the water for the first time in Auckland yesterday.

Oh, and it doesn't belong to Team New Zealand.

This black America's Cup boat belongs to the Kiwis' arch-rivals from the New York Yacht Club. And it is already making waves.

The first of Young America's new generation yachts is not painted black, like Team New Zealand's.

In fact, it is not painted at all. The black is the carbon fibre of the hull, which has been covered with a clear seal.

Young America skipper Ed Baird, who worked on Team New Zealand's Black Magic sisters in the last regatta, said the au naturel look was a ploy to make the boat faster.

"One of the things which has made this boat especially fast is the care we took building the hull," he said. "We didn't need a lot of fillers to make the hull smooth.

"Boats often need to be painted to cover up the putty. But the fact that you can see the carbon is because we were so cautious building the boat."

With its unique look, USA53 will probably win the 'best-dressed" award in the Louis Vuitton challenger series. The shiny hull changes colour in the sun, and will reflect the waves as it sails along.

Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts was not bothered by the rival black colour scheme.

"It has two New Zealanders as its designers - Bruce Farr and Russell Bowler - so why wouldn't they have a black boat?" Coutts laughed.

He was more concerned about the Young America boat's radical new wing mast.

"They've gone for a mast much the same as ours, but perhaps an even bigger development than what we made," he said. "But just wait and see what our next mast looks like."

The New Yorkers' boat was briefly dipped in the water outside the Young America compound in the cup village yesterday. It was the boat's first taste of seawater, and it will probably take its maiden sail in the next couple of days.

Team New Zealand's first black boat, NZL57, will be christened in nine days.