Multiplast delivers the AC50 at Groupama Team France to compete for the America's Cup 35th edition
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These last weeks have been quiet intense in the Multiplast yard, with the transformation of the AC45 Turbo, delivered last July to Groupama team into an AC50. This catamaran will compete in the French colours in Bermuda at the end of May, led by Franck Cammas.
Groupama Team France were training until the 20th December in Lanveoc using the AC 45 Turbo, before sending it back to Multiplast yard at Christmas. The transformation consisted of taking off the 45 feet floats and replace them by two new 50 feet ones. These parts were built in the Decision S.A. workshop in Switzerland, ahead of time and sent by truck to Multiplast.
It was then necessary to proceed to the assembly of the two new floats and repaint them. The assembly is a delicate operation that needed more than 2,500 hours of work from Multiplast and the same amount of time for the Groupama Team, who were at the yard while the transformation took place.
Performance quest ...
Ben Wright, Franck Cammas's Technical team Manager explains : " The modification is very demanding in terms of precision because our quest for performance is constant; we have to control the weight of the boat and make sure that all the systems are reliable. Futhermore, we must respect the rules defining the characteristics of the America's Cup boats. In parallel with the work conducted on the composite parts, which Jack Michal monitored for Multiplast, our task was to integrate the electronics, the hydraulics, but also all the new ideas collected through five months of sailing on the test boat, the AC45 Turbo".
Respect of tolerance setting
The rule for these new class and first generation catamarans is very strict, Horacio Carabelli, Groupama Team France construction follow up Manager says : "The rule is one of the critical points of these boats. We are targeting 1 mm tolerance on the main catamaran dimensions and the challenge in terms of mass is around a few grams per m². The margins are very squeezed, so it is necessary to maximize the accuracy at every level of construction. The challege is all the more ambitious as we only had one training boat, while the Americans are on their fourth".
Yann Penfornis, Jack Michal, Horacio Carabelli and Dominique Dubois before the boat leaves for Bermudas
The skills of the yard
Multiplast - Groupe Carboman try to find not only the best technical solutions, but also to offer ideal working conditions for the international teams that are involved with these projects. Bruno Dubois, Groupama Team France Team Manager says :" We were welcomed by the Multiplast yard last spring during the bulding of our AC Test Class (AC45 Turbo) and again in the last four weeks for the transformation of the latter into its final version. The Groupama Team France team was able to work under very good conditions and thanks to the synergy of the Carboman Group companies, we benefited from all the expertise and know-how of both Multiplast in France and Decision in Switzerland."
Franck Cammas, Yann Penfornis and Multiplast's Team in charge of the project
A long history between Franck Cammas and Multiplast
"Multiplast and the Groupama team have a long history. The yard has already built Groupama 3, Groupama 4 and our Class C. Today, our teams are finishing their collaboration on the AC 50 construction. I hope we will be as successful having had this support as with our previous challenges! " said Franck Cammas, skipper of the Groupama Team France challenge.
The boat is now on his way to Bermuda where the training will resume at the end of February in order to be ready for the first regattas that will start on May 26, 2017. The teams of the Carboman Group will closely follow their races.
Important dates
- America's Cup Qualifiers; 26th of May - 3rd June
- America's Cup Challenger Playoffs
Semi-finals: 4th - 8th June
Finals: 10th - 11th June
- America's Cup Match
17th and 18 of June, 24th and 25th of June
Liens
More d'information :
Contacts :
Yann Penfornis : + 33 2 97 40 98 44 / + 33 6 12 05 86 97
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