America's Cup: Second AC75 Patriot joins Defiant in American Magic's Auckland base
by Will Ricketson, American Magic 4 Sep 2020 02:16 BST
4 September 2020
Patriot, the second AC75 racing yacht built by USA America's Cup Challenger New York Yacht Club's team American Magic, is unloaded in Auckland © Will Ricketson/American Magic
New York Yacht Club American Magic, a Challenger for the 36th America's Cup, took delivery of its second AC75 racing yacht at its Auckland base on Friday, September 4th, 2020. The yacht is named Patriot, and will succeed the team's current AC75, Defiant.
American Magic is expected to use the new boat to compete in three upcoming regattas: America's Cup World Series Auckland (December 17-20, 2020), the Prada Cup (the Challenger Finals, January 15-February 22, 2021), and the 36th America's Cup Presented by Prada (March 6-21, if the team wins the Prada Cup).
The team has sustained an aggressive pace of operations during the current America's Cup cycle. American Magic was the first to launch a full-size test boat, "the Mule," in October 2018. 11 months later, they were the first to sail and foil on an AC75 shortly after launching Defiant. With Patriot being the first "second generation" Challenger AC75 to arrive in Auckland, American Magic will now look to maximize testing time on the water prior to the opening regatta.
"We are incredibly grateful to our production team in Bristol [Rhode Island], which includes over 50 people and is led by Brandon Linton, Tim Hacket and Silvio Arrivabene," said Terry Hutchinson, Skipper and Executive Director of American Magic. "That group built 188 combined feet of foiling monohulls over the past three years, which is pretty staggering. And they did it to the highest possible standard. In simple terms, our production team has put us in position to succeed over the next seven months."
Bringing a cutting-edge design off the drawing board and into reality was far from the only challenge for the team in Bristol. "The build was running quite smoothly up until the start of the pandemic," said Linton. "We reacted accordingly, and many of the difficult but necessary changes and precautions we implemented made the process far less comfortable for our build team. It is a credit to them that they worked on through in adverse conditions without missing a beat."
In terms of how the build process for Patriot compared to Defiant, Linton noted that all custom boatbuilding requires constant problem solving. "When comparing the build of boat #2 to boat #1, certain parts of the build were easier and others more difficult. This is a different design to Defiant and so there are limitations to being able to capitalize on doing the same things twice."
After being trucked from Bristol to T.F. Green Airport in Providence, Patriot was strapped into the cargo bay of an AN-124 transport aircraft, one of the largest in the world. After departing Providence with the AC75, several tons of equipment and American Magic team member Trevor Davidson onboard, the AN-124 made refueling stops in Chicago and Honolulu before landing in Auckland. After a journey of over 9,000 miles across four days, Patriot arrived at the American Magic Team Base in Auckland before dawn on Friday.
"We're coming down the final leg of a big dream for all of us," said Team Principal and CEO Hap Fauth, a multiple Maxi 72 World Champion. "Our hearts are all in one place, which is to bring the America's Cup back to Newport and to the New York Yacht Club." Team Principal and multiple TP52 World Champion Doug DeVos added, "This is another step forward in our quest to win back the Cup, and we have made it this far with the support of our donors, our fellow club members, our sponsors and our fans around the U.S."
American Magic will continue to sail its first AC75, Defiant, for several weeks prior to launching Patriot later this year on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour.
About New York Yacht Club American Magic
Formed in October 2017 by Bella Mente Racing, Quantum Racing and the New York Yacht Club, American Magic represents a joint vision to win the America’s Cup, the highest prize in sailing and the oldest trophy in international sports. American Magic brings together two highly successful racing programs with one of the foremost yacht clubs in the world, united by a campaign to win back the Cup, reconnect the American sailing base with the premier event in the sport and elevate the quality of competitive sailing in the United States. The name, American Magic, is a nod to the New York Yacht Club’s storied America’s Cup history; a combination of the boat the trophy is named for, and the first boat to defend it.
American Magic will develop and support a team that will participate in the America's Cup competition, the Prada Cup and the America's Cup World Series events that lead up to both. American Magic’s Official Innovation Partner is Airbus, along with Team Partner TSI Incorporated. Other partnerships include Official Apparel Sponsor Helly Hansen and Official Control Systems Sponsor Parker Hannifin. BMW of North America is the team's exclusive premium automotive provider. American Magic is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. www.americanmagic.com
About the New York Yacht Club
The New York Yacht Club was founded in 1844 when nine New York yachtsmen met aboard John Cox Stevens' yacht and a year later its original clubhouse was built in Hoboken, N.J. The Club's Annual Regatta was first run in 1845. The Club was the keeper of the America's Cup from 1851 to 1983, and it organized the first transatlantic race in 1866. The Club maintains two exquisite clubhouses, on 44th Street in the heart of New York City, known for its Model Room and extensive nautical library, and Harbour Court in Newport, R.I., which annually hosts some of North America's most prestigious sailing events, including the Annual Regatta, Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup and the Queen's Cup. www.nyyc.org