E
ven in the later stages of the long
2017 season the talk of nine owners
building new TP52s for this year
seemed outlandish. But such is the
highly competitive, driven nature
of TP52 owners that as soon as one or two
were known to have signed up for a new boat,
to be in the mix at the front of the 2018 leet
there really was no alternative than to choose
your designer and ind yourself a build spot.
By the end of September, when it was revealed
that the weapon of choice for AC36 would be a
75t monohull, there was talk of ive America’s
Cup teams building or acquiring boats.
But by May, when the leet lined up for 2018’s
irst 52 Super Series regatta in Sibenik, Croatia
there were just two boats racing with full America’s
Cup crews: Luna Rossa, and NYYC American
Magic – the Bella Mente/Quantum Racing
programme of Hap Fauth and Doug DeVos.
he mouth-watering prospect of Britain’s
Ben Ainslie and Giles Scott in the aterguard
of Tony Langley’s Gladiator was scuppered
by their team’s transition to INEOS Team
UK. he decision to instead develop a
38t monohull test boat this summer,
plus the need to recruit their sailing
team, meant the TP52 alliance
with Langley was cancelled,
leaving the passionate owner-
driver very disappointed.
he belief that FranckJuly 2018 Yachts & Yachting 25