Everything having to do with this year’s America’s Cup seems faster than ever—even the trickle-down effect. In April, as part of the Strictly Sail show in Oakland, California, the veteran multihull design firm Morrelli & Melvin—which helped write the AC72 rule and is a part of the Emirates Team New Zealand design team—revealed it already has a 45ft production foiling catamaran in the works.
The new California 45 will be built by Australia’s McConaghy Boats, a top performance yard with experience building everything from super-maxis like Wild Oats X to foiling Moths. According to Morrelli & Melvin, the design draws directly from the firm’s experience working with the current America’s Cup. The goal is to make “the exhilaration of America’s Cup sailing available to the club sailor,” although the boat will include higher coamings and a solid deck aft to protect the crew from spray. The boat will be transportable in standard containers for competition worldwide. Electric winches are being combined with an ergonomic deck layout in an effort to make high-speed, high-adrenaline sailing “a breeze.” We’ll see about that!
