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Alinghi 5

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Alinghi V in Lausanne harbour, Switzerland, July 2009
Alinghi 5, July 2009

Alinghi 5 is a 90-ft. LWL, 90-ft. beam sloop-rigged catamaran built by Alinghi for the 33rd America's Cup.[1]

It was launched on 8 July 2009[2] being lifted from the construction shed in Villeneuve, Vaud by a Mil Mi-26 helicopter and carried thereby to Lake Geneva. It was subsequently carried (again by helicopter) to Genoa, Italy.[3] At the end of September 2009, the boat was shipped to Ras al Khaimah, the venue selected by the defender for the 33rd America's Cup.[4][5] At the end of October 2009, the New York Supreme Court (the court of first instance) ruled that the venue of Ras al Khaimah was not compliant with the Deed of Gift. After various discussions, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG-the Defending club) agreed that the venue would be Valencia, Spain.[6] An appeal by SNG regarding the venue was rejected[7] and the boat was shipped at the end of December 2009 from Ras al Khaimah to Valencia, where it arrived on January 5, 2010.[8]

The mast is approximately 62 meters tall.[9] An engine installed at the back of the boat provides power for the winches and for pumping water ballast from one hull to the other.

When sailing upwind, the boat can sail at less than 20 degrees off the apparent wind.[10] During a training run, the boat covered 20 nautical miles to windward and back in 2.5 hours in 8-9 knot winds, so its average velocity made good was 16 knots, about 1.9 times wind speed.[11] The boat sails so fast downwind that the apparent wind it generates is only 5-6 degrees different to that when it is racing upwind; that is, the boat is always sailing upwind with respect to the apparent wind.[12] An explanation of this phenomenon can be found in the article on sailing faster than the wind.

The design of the yacht was influenced by that of racing catamarans developed for regattas on Lake Geneva.[13]

Racing results

The first race of the 2010 America's Cup took place on February 12, 2010. Alinghi 5 lost the race the challenger, USA 17. Alinghi was ahead by 1:27 at the start, but was behind by 3:21 at the windward mark and by about 10 minutes at the finish. Its official finish time was 15:28 behind the winnner because Alinghi had to perform a penalty turn, having failed to stay clear at the start.[14]

Winds were 5-9 knots. Alinghi reached the windward mark in 1h32, so its velocity made good was about 13 knots, about 1.85 times wind speed. Alinghi took 69.5 minutes to reach the downwind mark, so its velocity made good downwind was about 17 knots, 2.5 times wind speed.[15]

Specifications

Boat Type: Catamaran of carbon composite construction
Where Built: Villeneuve, Switzerland, by Alinghi-Décision
Architects: Rolf Vrolijk and Alinghi design team headed by Grant Simmer
Consultants: Nigel Irens, Benoît Cabaret, Alain Gautier
Hours to build: over 100'000[16]
Load Waterline Length: 90 feet (27 m) (measured at rest)
Waterline Length when Sailing: 110 feet (34 m)[17]
Beam: ~83 feet (25 m)
Displacement (weight): ~11 tons (without the mast)[18]

Mast height: ~62 metres (203 ft) (the mast was initially shorter; a taller mast was installed in October 2009[19])[9]

Sails: (as of August 2009)
Mainsail: ~6,000 square feet (560 m2)
Headsail: ~4,000 square feet (370 m2)
Gennaker: ~11,800 square feet (1,100 m2)

References

  1. ^ http://www.tdg.ch/sports/actu/alinghi-oracle-armes-duel-2009-08-17 Tribune de Genève, 18 August 2009
  2. ^ "Alinghi 5 takes to water by helicopter". Performance World. Yachting World. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
  3. ^ http://www.tsr.ch/tsr/index.html?siteSect=200001&sid=11049563
  4. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/news/news/index.php?idIndex=227&idContent=20547
  5. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/news/news/index.php?idIndex=200&idContent=20551
  6. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/33ac/news/index.php?idIndex=656&idContent=20867
  7. ^ http://www.ggyc.com/Decision%20&%20Order%2015Dec2009.pdf
  8. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/33ac/news/index.php?idIndex=656&idContent=21222
  9. ^ a b http://www.tdg.ch/actu/sports/33e-coupe-america-match-gigantisme-2010-02-05
  10. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/news/news/index.php?idIndex=227&idContent=21769
  11. ^ http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/training-in-racing-mode-19-1216
  12. ^ http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/friday-the-third-pt-1-19-1957
  13. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/news/news/index.php?idIndex=200&idContent=21208
  14. ^ http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/first-blood-to-usa-19-2362
  15. ^ http://www.tdg.ch/actu/sports/demonstration-puissance-oracle-brise-reve-alinghi-2010-02-12
  16. ^ http://www.americascup.com/en/acteurs/alinghi/bateau-55-857
  17. ^ See paragraph 20 of [1]
  18. ^ http://www.lematin.ch/sports/voile/alinghi-5-lac-141746
  19. ^ http://www.alinghi.com/en/33ac/news/index.php?idIndex=656&idContent=20657
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