The AC 40 gets classy: for millionaire owners dreaming of the America’s Cup

The AC 40 was the 2023 novelty for the America’s Cup world, a flying monotype that will be used not only for the Preliminary Races but also for the Youth and Women America’s Cup. However, the life of these boats, which are capable of tripling wind speeds from 8 knots and up in intensity, will not be limited only to the America’s Cup.

The AC 40s in fact are now a class, whose Manager is Italian Luca Rizzotti, one of the founders of Foiling Week. Team New Zealand came up with the concept for the boat, whose construction rights are owned by McConaghy Boats, which makes the boats in its factory in China.

At a cost of between $2 million and $3 million, even a private owner will be able to purchase an AC 40 and even be an owner driver. It remains to be seen what potential owners might be interested in a boat that in any case is not easy to run or manage, and has decidedly high costs compared to any other One Design boat that for that matter cannot be compared to this one.

The rules of the AC 40 class

The AC 40s will be a strictly one-design boat, nothing can be changed: from the onboard software, to the sails, to the foils, to every maneuvering gear, everything will be perfectly the same from one boat to the next.

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Teams may have up to two members on board who have participated in the 36th or 37th America’s Cup. This constraint increases to 3 for the first racing season (expected to be in 2025) for coxswain owners who can certify that they have spent a maximum of 50 days at sea for racing activities. Sailors participating in the Youth or Women America’s Cup should not be counted in these odds.

To give a concrete example, a private shipowner could hire, for example, Marco Gradoni and other sailors participating in Youth or Women and compose the entire crew with them. On the AC 40s there are 4 people sailing, so de facto owners will also be able to have 3 professionals on board, as long as they are Youth or Women or abiding by the rules listed above regarding “senior” Cup sailors.

AC 40, for which owners?

Given the complexity of the boats, which require a small short team to run them, and given the overhead costs between purchasing and maintaining a team of top sailors, the AC 40 operation is clearly not feasible for many owners. It seems more functional to create a flywheel that can bring new teams or private owners into the America’s Cup loop who may perhaps be interested in the America’s Cup proper in the future.

In short, a way to bring new wealthy owners closer to the America’s Cup tour through boats that are certainly more manageable than an AC 75. The Class, however, will also provide assistance and logistics during events for possible private owners who do not have their own private organization.

In short, a class certainly not for everyone, but for a circle of owners who want to experience the thrills of such a boat and perhaps do so with an eye on the America’s Cup.

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