BMW ORACLE Racing – 90ft Trimaran testings – Photographer: Gilles Martin-Raget
10 October 2009
BMW ORACLE Racing has completed work on a set of important new components at its Anacortes boat-building facility in Washington State – Core Builders. The new parts will be trucked this week to the team’s testing base in San Diego.
The carbon fiber components rolled out of Anacortes early Saturday morning and will soon be bound for San Diego. These latest structures will be used in future modifications to the BOR 90, the giant trimaran that the team is preparing for the 33rd America’s Cup. This next phase of development will be unveiled in San Diego in a few weeks.
The team’s boat construction managers were pleased to see the latest build project on its way to San Diego.
“Our Anacortes crew have been a vital part of our last two America’s Cup campaigns,” said Tim Smyth (NZL), who, along with Mark Turner (NZL), has been overseeing the boat-building project for the team.
“For this campaign, and with this boat, we’ve been building on a scale that hasn’t been attempted in the modern America’s Cup,” Smyth said. “For all of us, this has been a big test of our skills and ability, and the team here in Anacortes has more than responded to the challenge. I’m very proud of what’s being accomplished here.”
While boat building activity has increased in San Diego with the latest BOR 90 modifications, the Core Builders facility in Anacortes remains the backbone of the team’s American construction operations. The team in Anacortes will continue to work on America’s Cup-related projects.
The BOR 90 has been undergoing modifications in the tent-boatshed at the San Diego base since its most recent round of sea trials concluded September 20th. The boat is scheduled to emerge after the latest modifications this week and will return to the water for further testing before the end of the month.
BMW ORACLE Racing is preparing to face Alinghi in the 33rd America’s Cup in February 2010.
