We know that internal combustion engines aren’t allowed
for powering the hydraulics, and that most likely a battery-
powered system will drive the foils while traditional grinders
will power the winches for sheets and halyards.
The rig is currently undefined. The options being explored
range from a conventional mast and soft sails to a wing mast,
rotating and possibly canting, but with soft main and headsails.
The complexity and vulnerability of a full, solid wing sail is
deemed too much to accept and will limit the operational
window as well as making docking or berthing very risky. So, a
canting, rotating wing mast would offer low drag and increased
power over a conventional mast tube.
It is understood, though not confirmed, that fears of a high-
speed leeward mark rounding becoming a case of ‘tin openers
at dawn’ with foils slicing through a competitor’s under-belly as
they vie for buoy room – are being addressed with a proximity
alarm and a virtual exclusion zone around each boat.
It is fair to say that this class levels the playing field as far as
possible. ETNZ has a marginal advantage in being the creator of
the rule, but has wiped out its undeniable edge in the AC50s for
the sake of as fair a competition as possible.
My prediction is the nay-sayers, as was true for the AC50s,
will eat their words once these beasts are seen in action. BNZ44 Boating New Zealand
TOP Foiling speed is presumed to
be around nine knots minimum.
ABOVE Don’t get too close to the
competition’s foils.The class rule will
leave hull design
open to the teams
to explore.