America’s Cup challenger Ineos Britannia have suffered a setback following a capsize while testing for the 2024 America’s Cup.
The British team was testing their T6 Test Boat on Palma Bay, Mallorca in Spain when the boat capsized after rounding up from a downwind course to an upwind course in18 knots of breeze, according to the team’s website.
The shore crew and sailors worked together for over two hours and after initially righting T6 back on its side they were able to fully right the yacht. T6 was then side towed by support boat back to the team base, where a full assessment of damage is underway.
A fully inverted T6 with mast and double skinned main sail submerged. Photo / Ineos Britannia
The team also faced further challenges when the lithium batteries, that powers the yachts systems, reacted to seawater ingress causing a fire on board.
“It was a tough situation for the team once T6 fully inverted. Everyone came together well to resolve what could have been a much more serious issue in salvaging the yacht. Thankfully everyone is safe, and we can now focus on repairing the damage as part of a pre-scheduled upgrade window at the end of this week,” Ineos Britannia Skipper and Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie said.
Team New Zealand also had a capsize last week when both AC40-3 and their training boat LEQ12 were on the Waitematā Harbour.
Team New Zealand's capsize on Waitemata Harbour. Photo / America's Cup
It didn’t suffer any damage after hitting a UFO (unidentified floating object) and was quickly back on the water reaching nearly 50 knots in testing.
Nathan Outteridge, Pete Burling, Liv Mackay, Leo Takahashi, Sam Meech, Marcus Hansen, Josh Junior and Blair Tuke were all on board the two vessels.
“Two windward/leeward runs in close proximity, then the boats blasted off together to the Motukorea Channel between Rangitoto and St Heliers and set on a broad reach down to Bean Rock where the recon RIB just couldn’t keep up, even at 46 knots,” the America’s Cup website said.
“As the two hardened up for the ‘work’ home it was here that the LEQ12 showed its pace and by Rangitoto Wharf, Pete Burling and Nathan Outteridge called for the windward board to be dropped to allow the one-design AC40 to catch up. Encouraging for the design team who have made some pretty big changes to the LEQ12 both visible with the foils and unseen below decks.”
“When many would have called it a day and tripped into the weekend, the Kiwis went for it and put on a performance that in many ways, changes sailing, and its perception, perhaps forevermore. This was high performance at a level unseen before in 40-foot grand prix foiling race boats and utterly mesmerising to watch,” the report continued.
