The America's Cup is the oldest international trophy in the world, pre-dating the modern Olympics, the Ryder Cup, and the World Cup. Despite the sailing competition for the Auld Mug having been started by the British Royal Yacht Squadron in 1851, the Brits have never won it.
They hope to put over 170 years of futility to rest when they challenge for the cup in 2024. The INEOS Britannia campaign finally hit the water in Mallorca, Spain, with its AC37 boat undergoing tow tests in what was a pretty odd scene.
If one did not know any better, the mastless hydrofoil under tow appeared more like a prop from a James Bond film, but in fact, it is a legitimate racer going through a variety of critical tests before the rigging is set in place.
The INEOS design team based at the Mercedes-AMG F1 team headquarters in Brackley, UK., will use data from the testing to dial in sensors and pinpoint any aerodynamic inefficiencies that may not have revealed themselves in the computer modeling phase of design or in wind tunnel testing.
The AC37 is half the length of the AC75 hydrofoils that will be used in the America's Cup, but the testing of the smaller craft is vital to the development of the final product in terms of cost. The testing will enable teams to get an idea of how their designs will perform in various wind conditions and how they will behave at speed while up on their foils before spending tens of millions of dollars on the real thing.
As we have seen lately with the other teams, the testing does not always go as planned. Alinghi Red Bull, Luna Rossa, and even the Cup's defender Emirates Team New Zealand have all capsized in recent months due to the unpredictable nature of the vessels as they are foiling above the water.
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