The America’s Cup is the technological pinnacle of sailing, but not only that. As of this edition, the defender Emirates Team New Zealand, winner of the last edition of the Cup, wants to bring hydrogen on board support boats to the Cup’s sailboats. Thus, the rule now requires that one hydrogen-powered boat (equipped with a foil) be made for each team in the America’s Cup as a support vessel. Now it is the turn of the U.S.-based American Magic, which has struck a deal with the Italian
Bluegame
, a brand of Sanlorenzo.
Bluegame: the hydrogen boat for the America’s Cup
We told you about Team New Zealand’s hydrogen boat. Now it is Bluegame to announce a partnership with the New York Yacht Club and American Magic, challengers in the 37th America’s Cup to be held in Barcelona in 2024. The agreement is basedaa on the design and construction of the first hydrogen-powered “chase boat” according to the strict requirements of the Protocol of the event.
From a design point of view, this is a difficult and pioneering project: the boat will have to be a maximum of 10 meters long, reach 50 knots and have a range of 180 miles. All this compulsorily coupled with hydrogen propulsion on a boat equipped with a foil.
Bluegame’s strengths
Why Bluegame to build a hydrogen boat with foils for a regatta? Let’s start by saying that Luca Santella, founder of the Bluegame brand and now head of Bluegame’s product strategy, is a former professional sailor. He is therefore familiar with the needs of those who sail at a high level and certainly has a better feel for understanding what may be the needs of a support unit for a race such as the America’s Cup.
In addition to this, hydrogen, a relatively recent innovation in marine propulsion systems, especially in recreational boating, is an excellent test case for Bluegame in this segment. In this regard, Sanlorenzo signed an agreement a year ago with Siemens Energy to build the first 50-meter Superyacht with electric generation via hydrogen and Fuel Cell. Launch is planned for 2024, but in the meantime the twofold effort in this direction aims to position the group ahead on this technology. The goal is most likely to gain important know-how that can then be declined in recreation as well.
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