Southern Spars: Technology Meets Talent in the AC40s for the Youth and Women’s America’s Cups
by Kate Davison 17 Sep 06:42 PDT
18 September 2024
Luna Rossa sailing their AC40 against their LEQ12 test boat in Sardinia © Ivo Rovira / America’s Cup
As we near the beginning of the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup on 17th September and the Puig Women’s America’s Cup on 5th October, anticipation is rising around the AC40s and their crews.
The AC40 is a complete one-design yacht from bow to stern, eliminating the technical reconnaissance associated with the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup, shifting the focus squarely onto the teams and their members.
Experienced Sailors, New Challenges
Don’t be deceived by the name; the Youth America’s Cup crews are anything but inexperienced. They feature Olympians and world champions from various classes. The Puig Women’s America’s Cup presents some of the most prominent names in global sailing, including Hannah Mills—one of the most accomplished female Olympians ever.
Foiling into the Future
The AC40 has sparked interest, symbolizing the next phase in the exciting development of foiling technology. Fans received a sneak peek of what the thrilling new foiling class has to offer during the initial two America’s Cup pre-regattas in Jeddah and Barcelona—and it certainly lived up to expectations.
Many of the sailors gearing up for competition possess experience in thrilling foiling classes like Moth, Wazp, 69F, and the F50s of SailGP—presenting an exciting opportunity for a diverse group of foiling experts to compete at the highest level.
Foiling yachts are innovating in numerous directions, and Southern Spars proudly contributes—bringing knowledge from America’s Cup innovation to landmark maxi & superyacht projects in recent years, such as Mills 60 ‘Flying Nikka’ and Baltic 111 ‘Raven’.
The Ultimate Engine Above Deck
The smaller counterpart to the AC75, each AC40 features 3Di sails by North Sails, a high-performance carbon rig from Southern Spars, and Future Fibres multistrand composite rigging. Cutting-edge technologies from our group merge to create the world’s most decorated engine above deck, optimized for collaboration and pushing the limits of sailing performance.
AC75 vs AC40
The AC40 shares many similarities with its larger sibling. Regarding its rig package, the AC40 has a D-shaped Southern Spars mast, which can rotate up to 45° to harness the performance of its twin-skin North Sails mainsail. Both boats have T-shaped foils that elevate the yacht out of the water, reducing drag for higher speeds. Both employ advanced control systems.
However, there are significant differences as well. The most notable is that the AC40 is reduced in size, with a 12m hull and 18m mast. Its smaller dimensions and weight make the AC40 lighter and more agile, making it well-suited for fleet racing, which is the primary format for the Youth and Women’s America’s Cups.
Onboard an AC40, the crew consists of just four members—two helms and two sail trimmers—compared to the 11 crew members on an AC75. In the absence of cyclors, human power is replaced with battery power to operate the hydraulics, which are crucial for managing the foils, sails, and other systems.
Future Fibres serves as the one-design rigging supplier for both the AC75 and the AC40. Each AC40 comes equipped with ECthree—the premier rigging solution for yachts ranging from 30 to 65 feet.
New Pathways
It wouldn’t be surprising if crew members in the Youth America’s Cup go on to compete for the Auld Mug in the future, following the example of standout talents like Neil Hunter and Josh Armit, who participated in the last Youth America’s Cup in Bermuda before joining INEOS Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand’s senior teams, respectively.
However, the Women’s Puig America’s Cup has no historical precedent. The America’s Cup has traditionally been a gender-neutral event where teams are not limited by crew composition. Historically, competition has been largely dominated by male sailors, with only occasional female participation. 2024 marks the first independent women’s event in the 173-year history of the America’s Cup, and Southern Spars is immensely proud to be part of this monumental milestone.