GB1's America's Cup AC75 reaches Naples, swapping cyclors for batteries
GB1, the British challenger for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, has moved its AC75 race boat, code-named RB4, to Naples after an extensive refit at Persico Marine in northern Italy. The 800 km road journey took three days, and the team plans to sail the boat on the Bay of Naples before the end of 2026.
In brief
British team GB1 transported to Naples the AC75 yacht with the working name RB4, which won the America's Cup challenger series in Barcelona in 2024. The RB4 yacht travelled 800 km in three days from Persico Marine in northern Italy, where it was refitted for the new AC75 class rules. In the 38th America's Cup, which Naples will host in 2027, yacht systems will be powered by a battery pack instead of four cyclors. The RB4 yacht is to sail in the Bay of Naples before the end of 2026.
RB4 now enters its final fit-out and commissioning phase at GB1's base in Bagnoli. Naples will host the 38th America's Cup in 2027.
The hull that made history in Barcelona
RB4 is the same AC75 the British team raced in Barcelona at the 37th America's Cup. There it won the Challenger Selection Series, becoming the first British challenger in 60 years to reach the America's Cup Match and the first in 90 years to win races in the Match.
Reusing the hull is a requirement rather than a choice. The new AC75 Class Rules oblige existing teams to race their hull from the previous edition instead of designing and building a new boat. The aim is to contain costs and focus design and development on the areas that offer the largest performance gains.
- It's a significant moment for the team to have the AC75 arrive here in Naples. This is a boat that means a huge amount to us. It helped us make history in Barcelona by winning the Challenger Selection Series and taking a British team back into the America's Cup Match after 60 years - said Ian Walker, CEO of GB1.
Stored electrical energy replaces pedal power
The AC75s racing in Naples will be markedly different machines. The biggest change is the removal of the four cyclors who generated hydraulic power in Barcelona. For AC38, onboard systems will run on stored electrical energy from a specified battery system.
That shift has required substantial changes to the boat's internal layout, hydraulics, electronics and control systems. The refit at Persico Marine reconfigured the 75-foot foiling yacht to the new class rules.
- The rules for this Cup mean we are reusing the same hull, but there is a huge amount of development taking place across the boat, particularly around the foils, systems and electronics - said Ian Walker.
A mandated female sailor and a guest racer
The race crew will be cut to five sailors, with at least one female sailor required on board. GB1 recently added former British Sailing Team kitefoiler Jemima Lines to its sailing squad.
A new Guest Racer position will also allow one non-team member to race on board an AC75. Getting RB4 back on the water before the end of the year will open a period of testing and development for GB1 on the waters that will decide the America's Cup in 2027.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
Related articles
Investments A Szczecin firm is to design the world's tallest Christ statue. A 207-metre core in 40 days 
Sailing and water sports A century-old Inga Lisa and Czarny Diament after 32 years at sea. Over 30 classic yachts in Gdynia 
Sailing and water sports Eleven years of trying and metres at the finish. Witold Karałow's Scamp 4 wins the 75th Blue Ribbon 
Sailing and water sports Stanisław Trepczyński's bronze in Puck after five hours of fighting for wind 
Environment The world's largest seahorses move into the Gdynia Aquarium. In this species it is the male that gets pregnant 
Sailing and water sports Stanisław Trepczyński second after two days of the iQFOiL U23 Worlds in Puck. Poles win six races
Comments (0)
The discussion is moderated by the editors: a comment appears after review. Your e-mail address is not published.
Nobody has commented on this article yet.