Ben Ainslie Racing at the CWM FX London Boat Show
by Ben Ainslie Racing 10 Jan 2015 08:24 GMT
9-18 January 2015
Ben Ainslie Racing's Giles Scott and Paul Campbell-James train on the Nacra F20 © Harry Kenney-Herbert
The team at Ben Ainslie Racing are all looking forward to this year's CWM FX London Boat Show, running at the ExCel exhibition centre from the 9th to 18th January 2015.
There's plenty of exciting stuff going on with members of the Sailing and Design teams talking at different events at The Lab (see schedule below); we have the brand new merchandise line from Henri Lloyd; an energy and technology display that includes a Power Grinder, 3D printer and a 3D virtual sailing experience; the America's Cup World Series team will be on hand to tell you all about the event in Portsmouth in June; and not forgetting the boats, the foiling two-man multihull we use for training and our brand new 9.8m Scorpion support RIB will be on the stand.
The first phase of our brand new range of Henri Lloyd merchandise will be available – the full line will be out this coming summer. If you want to 'wear your support' for Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR), then pop along to the stand to have a look. And you can even personalise it with your name, just like Ben! Spinlock will also be showing the great new Personal Protection Equipment that they have developed for the team.
It will also be possible to get up close to a couple of the craft BAR use. There is the foiling two-man multihull – others will be sailed in training in Bermuda later in January – and our brand new 9.8m Scorpion RIB. This will be handed over to the team at the Show, and will be out on the Solent supporting the sailing of 'T1', our first training boat, in February.
Several of our other partners will be on the stand, including the most recent; Low Carbon, who will be helping the team install the very latest solar photovoltaic (PV) technology at our new headquarters in Portsmouth. Other exhibits in our interactive technical area will include tasters from the Visitor Centre at the Team's new HQ in Portsmouth. This is due to open in July 2015, run in conjunction with the 1851 Trust as a showcase for the sport, innovation and sustainability.
Energy is one of the themes of our stand this year, apart from Low Carbon's solar panels we will have the Power Grinder that the athletes use to train. This is where the power comes from on the America's Cup boat – the sailors must generate the equivalent energy required to run two microwave ovens for the duration of the race. Come along and have a go, see just how much effort it takes to charge your smartphone, never mind do your washing. It's a fun – but sweaty – way to learn the cost of energy!
We will also have a 3D printer at the Show manufacturing parts for our next training boat, along with the components for a model of the wing. It's a highly efficient way to produce custom parts – and if you time it right, you can see pieces of a real BAR training boat in production! Plus enter the world of 3D with our virtual experience, to see what it feels like to sail on-board a foiling AC45.
There will also be a chance to speak to the America's Cup World Series team who have a display on the event in Portsmouth this summer. Get advice on the dates to add to the diary and the best vantage points to view the racing.
Sustainability Update
Keeping with the energy theme, we've just added a new sustainability section to our website, which includes the publication of the full details of our Sustainability Strategy. BAR will promote innovation and new technology to push the boundaries of what's possible, and showcase a way of operating that's low carbon and light on environmental impact. If you're interested in the different areas in which we are working, please click along and take a look:
ben-ainslie-racing.americascup.com/sustainability
Our Sustainability Manager, Susie Tomson will be talking at the Show's 'Lab' on Wednesday, giving details of our Sustainable Procurement Code and new procurement system for suppliers. Our goal is a more sustainable supply chain, and more and better opportunities for all shapes and sizes of marine, local, national and international businesses to work with us - if that sounds like you, then come along and see Susie (details below).
It's going to be quite a week, and it's all happening on Stand F002 – come along and say hello!
Schedule
Saturday 10th
- 10 30 – Sailors Paul Campbell-James and Matt Cornwell take part in activities on the BAR stand
- 14 00 – Paul Campbell-James and Matt Cornwell Q&A at 'The Lab' (45 mins)
- 15 00 – Paul Campbell-James and Matt Cornwell signing session on the BAR stand
Wednesday 14th
- 14 00 - 'Joining BAR's Supply Chain' - talk in 'The Lab' with Sustainability Manager, Susie Thomson
Saturday 10th
- 10 30 – Designers Andy Claughton and Simon Schofield take part in activities on the BAR stand
- 14 00 – Andy Claughton and Simon Schofield Q&A at 'The Lab' (45 mins)
- 15 00 – Andy Claughton and Simon Schofield signing session on the BAR stand