NZL 82 was a 2003-generation International America's Cup Class racing yacht. Raced by defenders Team New Zealand (TNZ) in the 2003 America's Cup Match , it was defeated 5-0 by challenger Alinghi (SUI 64).
Background
After the successful 2000 defence in Auckland, there was an "exodus" of senior TNZ members who were lured by rich syndicates to join their challenges for the 2003 America's Cup. Most notable among these departures was that of Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth to Swiss challengers Alinghi.
These departures resulted in a lack of senior leadership at TNZ, which along with a relative lack of funds, caused the team to resort to radical design innovations in an attempt to defend the cup with raw boat speed alone.
Design Innovation
NZL 82 was notable for its design innovations. The most controversial of these was the so-called "HULA" (Hull Appendage) - a flat appendage attached to the afterbody of the hull designed to increase waterline length (and therefore speed) without increasing the overall length of the boat. Another radical innovation was the keel bulb, which at approximately 7 metres in length, was over 2 metres longer than its competitors of the time.
Disaster
TNZ's 2003 defence was a disaster, going down 0-5 to challengers Alinghi. The defeat was largely down to NZL 82's reliability, or lack thereof. NZL 82 retired from two of the races, both in choppy seas, from multiple gear failures, and a broken mast respectively. Alinghi's SUI 64 proved to be quicker and more reliable. Bizarrely, NZL 82 also appeared to be letting in huge amounts of seawater, particularly during the first race. Syndicate head Tom Schnackenberg later acknowledged that the boat was largely untested in heavy seas.
2003
Sail number: NZL 82
NZL
Yacht Club: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Westhaven Marina in Auckland
Unsuccessful defender of the 31th 2003 America's Cup Challenge
Owner: Team New Zealand, Ltd. Ross Blackman Chief Executive Officer.
Syndicate head: Tom Schnackenberg.
International America's Cup Class IACC
Sloop
Design team: Tom Schnackenberg, Clay Oliver, and Mike Drumond.
Builder: Cookson Boatbuilders, North Shore, Auckland. Cookson staff plus TNZ personnel.
Sailmaker: North NZ in Freemans Bay.
Spars: Southern Spars.
Year of building: 2002
Launched: October 21, 2002
Homeport: Auckland
Skipper: Dean Barker
Tactician: Adam Beashel, Hamish Pepper
Navigator: Mike Drumond
Helmsmen: Cameron Appleton, Bertrand Pace
Crew: 16.
Data:
Construction - Carbon fiber, Nomex honeycomb. Fitted with a controversial hull appendage, on the aft part of the hull nicknamed the "hula".
Dimensions -
L.O.A.: 24.07 m
L.W.L.: 18.28 m
Beam: 4.11 m
Draft: 3.96 m
Sail area: 306 m2
Displacement: 27.550 tons
Mast: 33.50 m
Rating: IACC
Year of buiding: 2002
Launched: 10/21/2002
Edition 31 (2003)
Crew: 16
Hull: Carbon Fiber
Mast: Carbon Fiber
L.O.A.: 24.07
L.W.L.: 18.28
Mast: 33.50
Beam: 4.11
Boom Sail Area
Displacement: 27.55
Draft: 3.96
Rating: IACC
Louis Vuitton Acts 2004-2006
NZL 82 was subsequently refined and competed in the Louis Vuitton Acts which were used as the build-up to the 2007 America's Cup. NZL 82 won the 2004 Louis Vuitton Season.
2007 / 2008 Use
NZL 82 along with NZL 81 are both currently in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The boats, now owned and operated by Cabo Adventures, are set up so that the public has the opportunity to race the yachts off the Sea of Cortez / Pacific Ocean areas near Cabo San Lucas. The actual crew from Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) staffs the yachts.
Both yachts have had engines installed in order to get them out off the Cabo San Lucas coast into the stronger breezes. Heavier sails have also been purchased and installed which will last much longer than the lighter, racing sails used in America's Cup racing.
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