So Persico Marine builds superboats (even for the America’s Cup)
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The leading edges and trailing edges (the leading and trailing edges of the arms) for most teams, Luna Rossa’s third AC75 and, of course, many secrets.
The 37th America’s Cup once again features Persico Marine, which entered the circus of the world’s oldest sporting trophy in 1992 with the challenge of the Moro di Venezia, has been the trusted shipyard of Patrizio Bertelli’s team since 2004 (the AC75 for Barcelona is the sixth hull) and has been a regular presence in the various editions ever since.
“From a construction point of view,” explains Marcello Persico, president of Persico Marine, “I would not say there are big differences between the AC75s of 2021 and those of Barcelona 2024. For us to build the first two Luna Rossa AC75s and this one were similar challenges, which absolutely does not mean easy. Also because when you have to laminate a carbon element with metal inserts as thin as a knife blade, it’s not that easy. Tolerances practically don’t exist. And not a trivial job at all.”
“Of course,” Persico continues, “there have been evolutions. And credit must be given to the Luna Rossa team for doing a great design job by intervening on volumes, shapes, profiles. Aspects, however, that do not alter the stides for our work as builders. In short, from the point of view of construction methodology the third AC75 Luna Rossa is no different from the first two. The stide is mainly on the appendages.”
Because you made those as well… “Yes, and being able to rely on the Automotive Business Unit of the Persico Group where among other things we have twenty very high-precision milling cutters. For appendages, it is a matter of making elements composed of a mix of materials including metal, titanium, steels and special alloys and, for example, foams. Very complex processing where we work in synergy with each other for the composite and Automotive for the let’s say metallic part. In the end we are able to provide a complete package.” It would be fair to say that at Persico Marine there is more to it than carbon…. “Let’s say that as far as the structure of Luna Rossa’s new AC75 is concerned, including the appendages and the mast mold (then built by their team, ed.), we are the only shipyard that for the Barcelona races provided a Challenger with the boat on a turnkey basis, apart from systems and hydraulics. But even there we have an edge…” How do you mean? “That thanks to the experience accumulated with the many custom boats built over the years, I’m thinking of the Mini Maxi series, the TP52s, the various Imoca 60s, but also the Multi50 or the Wally 100 Tango, the SwanClub 80 My Song or the 145′ Kauris IV, we have become not only builders but also system integrators, able to implement the most innovative systems in the boat.” So, on the one hand there is the fallout that comes from the builds taken to the extreme of the America’s Cup and the racers, and on the other hand there is the fallout that comes from private shipowners with their demands for sophisticated, performance and innovation-oriented custom? “Exactly. And often things come together as with the 72′ catamaran equipped with a seven-meter foil with automatic lift and angle of attack control that will be launched in early 2025, a Morrelli and Melvin design. Not a foiling cat but a cat with skimming flight. Cruising speeds of 25 knots, 36, even 40 knots, with 18 knots of true wind, electric auxiliary propulsion, rotating mast and lots of technology and research.”
Why do the two spillovers come together here? “Because we employed the same techniques in the construction of the foils as we did in the construction of the arms supplied to America’s Cup teams. It consists of making a series of monolithic carbon panels three centimeters thick and with the fibers arranged according to the loading patterns. The panels, we call them plates, are then joined with special adhesives and then milled to the dimensions and profile of the design. Even the rudders, the elevators on the new cat, are built like those on an AC75, while for other elements we use Coriolis, the robot for automatic lamination of structures, but not only that, on many custom boats. And, again on the subject of spillover, on the cat we are transferring all the experience we had with Kauris IV and the extreme complexity of its onboard systems. There was everything: hybrid propulsion, retractable propellers, DP System for automatic boat positioning…” One step back.
Who is the owner of this cat and how did it come to you? “He is an American, an aviation pilot, a big fan of flying in general; also of boats that fly. He interfaced with Dan Bernasconi’s company (head of the Emirates Team New Zealand design team, ed.) for in-flight control systems and started working on his design for a 30-knot boat. He built himself a simulator at home and contacted Morelli and Melvin. At that point he looked among those operating on the America’s Cup tour for those who would build his design. Eventually they told him the only one who could do it was Persico Marine. That’s how it started and it’s a project that interests many. It could start a new series of high-performance recreational cat boats, and we are employing all our capabilities. Even the ones we use for aerospace…”
Yeah because you are also engaged in that sector…. “Which is related to the America’s Cup anyway. Because building an element or a wing foil of an AC75 or a component for Asthros, the NASA telescope that with a stratospheric balloon will be launched in December, or the – 150°C fuel tanks of Avio’s launchers is practically the same: same difficulties, challenges and minimum tolerances. Plus, however, you need special facilities and machines, dedicated environments, clean rooms, new certifications, new professionalism. Qualities and knowledge that we are adding to those gained in America’s Cup.”
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