Luna Rossa’s AC 40 flies to Cagliari for first tests. VIDEO

Luna Rossa launched its AC 40 in Cagliari (recently excluded as a location from the AC World Series) and the first tests, towing and sailing, on the boat began immediately. As known, the Italian crew was the last to receive the 12-meter one-design, which we recall is built by a single shipyard, Mc Conaghy in China, which distributes it to all Cup teams.

Luna Rossa flies to Cagliari

In fact, the Protocol provides two AC 40 construction options for each team, but allows unions to trade these slots with each other. Due to an agreement among the other teams Luna rossa ended up, for delivery of the first hull, at the end of the list. Little matter, in the meantime the Italian team continued testing on the 12-meter prototype, trying various sets of foils that have now reached a very advanced generation of development.

AC 40 Luna Rossa – Testing begins in Cagliari

The launching of Luna Rossa’s AC 40, which will be used for the official Youth and Women America’s cup races, took place in a private ceremony, and Federvela President Francesco Ettorre was also spotted in Cagliari. Godmother of the launch Giulia Caponnetto, daughter of designer Mario now passed on in American Magic.

For Luna Rossa, having a second boat on the water will be useful not only for training future youth and women’s crews, whose members have not yet been disclosed but where a staple will be Marco Gradoni. In fact, the boat will also be used by Bruni and his teammates for training, and it is foreseeable that tests will be carried out in twos with the 12-meter prototype.

Compared to Luna Rossa’s Prototype, the AC 40 seems narrower and with leaner, softer volumes. After all, the Prototype is a scaled-down reduction of the AC 75 (the boat in which the Cup will be held in Barcelona), while the 40 is a boat in its own right that originated as a one-design class. Similar, but different. The Protocol stipulates that the AC 40 can be modified, but for the official Youth and Women regattas in Barcelona, the boats must be in rigid monotype.

The first official sea outing of Luna Rossa’s AC 40 took place with Marco Gradoni and Ruggero Tita at the helm, with Umberto Molineris and Andrea Tesei as trimmers. Instead, the designated Boat Captain of the AC 40 is Enrico Voltolini.

Mauro Giuffrè