what an AC75 is, the notion of having battery or energy dependent systems, for accumulation of energy, I think that we could have looked at achieving that in a much more efficient way.’
As for the sailing itself, a Spanish sailor with Ineos Team UK, Olympic Champion Xabi Fernandez, predicted some great leaps forward: ‘Right now it looks very far away, but I’m pretty sure everyone will end up sailing dry laps. Everything is possible; we were told the foiling gybe would never happen, the foiling tack would never happen, that you can’t match race in a catamaran, but we have proved all these things wrong. My hope for this Cup is that we will see proper racing, which is always a challenge with a new design concept.’
As a concurrent part of the Yacht Racing Forum, the Design and Technology Symposium (DTS) brings together the brightest minds in the industry to discuss the innovations that drive the opportunities for exciting racing discussed in the Forum. For one day, techniques in the design and fabrication of modern high-strength composites used in masts and rigging, boats, appendages and even sails are typical topics in the never-ending quest for greater efficiencies in performance.
Chaired by Luca Rizzotti of Foiling Week, this year’s panel discussion on foiling technology focused on detailed use of robotic machinery in the fabrication of foils where the extreme loads and complex geometries demand absolute precision, and control systems need the reliability to coax the maximum repeatable performance from foiling, whether on a Moth or in the America’s Cup. The audience of 80- 100 was also treated to insights from Martin Fischer on the foil design process used in the development of the just-launched foiling monohull for the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli America’s Cup team. The foiling theme continued with a discussion of how this technology can be applied successfully to the design of luxury cruising catamarans that also stray occasionally into racing use, and drag reduction in the aero realm was the theme of Future Fibres’ Jonathan Duvall’s presentation on composite rigging. Following a discussion of the marriage of modern sail materials and design to yacht design and fabrication, a discussion led by North Sails’ president Ken Read explained North’s approach to cableless furling headsails and the tremendous promise they hold for improving the speed and shape retention built into these sails. The clever layout of high-
Above:
Dr Edit Olasz Harken
highlights the dangers the sun presents to sailors – and the
special risks of products containing ingredients that are now harming the world’s corals ... as well as the world’s humans. The 2019 Forum culminated with a star studded panel (top) to discuss the America’s Cup with Xabí Fernandez, Shanon
Falcone, Ken Read, Francis Hueber, Juan Kouyoumdjian and Manolo Ruiz de Elvira
strength fibres built into these sail systems also promises vast improvements in the deployment and furling experience for all big-boat sailors, from local inshore club racers to offshore and oceanic greyhounds to the world of superyachts. Clever product innovations and applications in reducing parasitic chafe and friction was examined in a session presented by Pietro Parmeggiani from PROtect Tapes, and considerations of sustainability inherent to material use in boatbuilding were discussed by William Jelbert from Gunboat. Moderated by Seahorse Magazine technical editor Dobbs Davis, a lively discussion was held among prominent designers, builders and technologists to examine trends in how Imoca designs may be influenced by shared use of these boats in the upcoming Ocean Race. Are they the same? The consensus is that it’s yet too early to tell completely, so watch this space… And now that four teams have boats launched for the America’s Cup, another panel of designers, sailors, builders and suppliers shared
their thoughts on how the sailors will best handle these challenging boats. Here the consensus is that the simulators are doing a fairly good job, and even though the current learning curve is steep as manoeuvres are worked through by the teams, everyone thinks by the time racing starts all will be ready and the focus will once again return to speed. Perhaps the most exciting innovation to the DTS this year was in looking ahead not just to the latest in boats, sails and systems, but to the talent that will drive their development into the future. With help from Dr Ignazio Maria Viola of the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Patrick Bot from Ecole Navale in France and Dr Sandy Day from the University of Strathclyde, six graduate students from these and other schools were selected to give short presentations on their thesis projects to the DTS, followed by numerous networking opportunities as part of this conference.
‘This was a tremendous idea,’ said Jonathan Duvall of Future Fibres. ‘We regularly have interns and are always looking for smart, motivated people to join our team.’ ‘This was a great start to what I hope will be a stronger partnership,’ said Dr Viola. ‘The industry needs bright young minds, and we need to have project ideas to put these minds to work, so I foresee this having great potential to forge an important bridge between the academic and industrial worlds of sailing.
Next year’s Yacht Racing Forum will take place in Portsmouth, UK, on 23-24 November, 2020.
www.yachtracingforum.com
q SEAHORSE 81
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