On america's Cup the rules prohibit sailing the AC Class (50 feet or 15 meters) before December 26, 2016. Thus, the six teams involved, including Groupama Team France, have built prototypes that are 90% replicas of the AC Class boats on which they will race during the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda.
The French team inaugurated its "laboratory" boat as it calls it on July 11 in Lorient. Equipped with foils, this trimaran named Class AC Test (formerly named AC45 Turbo) is almost the same as the one that will be used in the race and will be used for training from July to December 2016. Apart from the length of the hulls âeuros shorter than the original model âeuros, everything is similar. The shape of the hull, the width and the sail area, the cockpits or the Pod on which the wing rests are all one-design, therefore identical to the AC Class model, although it is a bit bigger.
The wing structure, appendages (rudders and foils), electronic and hydraulic control systems and fairings are free. The latter are inspired by the C Class, double winner of the America's Cup with Franck Cammas and Louis Viat in 2013 and 2015. They allow to gain a few knots upwind thanks to the reduction of the aerodynamic drag.
The Groupama Team France Class AC Test must not only validate the extremely complex foil servo systems, but also enable the crew around Franck Cammas to optimize the flight, which allows them to go much faster on the water. This prototype will enable Groupama Team France to validate the technical choices made since October 2015; but also and above all to continue the developments and make decisions regarding the construction of future parts and other systems that will be found on the AC Class.
Technical characteristics of the Class AC Test of Groupama Team France
| Type | Prototype catamaran with foils and rigid wing |
| Material | Carbon |
| Overall length | 13,45 m |
| Width | 8,47 m |
| Moving | 2.45 tons |
| Draft | 2,40 m |
| Height of the wing | 23,60 m |
| Wing area | 101 m2 |
| Upwind sail area | 137 m2 |
| Top speed | 40 to 50 knots |
