Team Australia Targets March 1 Naples Launch with Repurposed AC75
Glenn Ashby leads a quiet build as Team Australia ships a 2021 winner to Naples for a March 1 start.
Key points
- Team Australia will launch in Naples on March 1, 2026, shipping the boat from Auckland.
- The 2021 AC75 is stripped to the frame, with new mechatronics and a smaller cockpit.
- Glenn Ashby leads the effort, with just under 12 weeks between first sail and first race.
Team Australia prepares to launch in Naples on March 1, 2026. Glenn Ashby, a three-time champion, heads the project. The team ships a 2021 AC75 from Auckland to Italy. This move marks a quiet but critical start for the squad.
Three teams currently sail AC75s, while four rebuild. Australia operates across the Tasman Sea. Sydney hosts the base, while Auckland handles boat modifications. The two halves will merge in Italy next year.
A compressed schedule to Naples
Ashby admits the timeline is tight. The boat ships directly from New Zealand to Naples. It undergoes a week of dock testing there. The official first sail happens around March 1. This leaves just under 12 weeks before the first race.
The first race is the third Preliminary Regatta. It is part of the 38th America's Cup. The team must commission the boat and train the crew quickly. Ashby calls it a scramble but says the program is solid.
Stripping the boat down to the shell
Repurposing a 2021 winner for 2026 is complex. All seven teams face this task. The goal is to make the boat lighter. Manual systems are replaced with battery power. The cockpit size shrinks from eight to six crew members.
The interior is stripped to the structural frame. New electronic and hydraulic packages are installed. Control lines and winches are removed. Everything runs on mechatronics and hydraulic rams. A new bow is added to meet construction rules.
Testing systems in Auckland
Ashby’s team performs commissioning work in New Zealand. They push oil through rams and check systems. This happens before the boat ships. Some calibration remains for Naples. The rig is only installed in Italy.
The schedule is massively compressed. The crew must get up to speed fast. Ashby believes the right people are in place. The team aims to arrive in good shape. This report comes from Yachts and Yachting Online.
