F50 (catamaran)
 | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Year | 2019 |
| No. built | 6 |
| Design | development, one-design |
| Builder(s) | Core Builders Composites |
| Name | F50 |
| Boat | |
| Crew | 5, weight limit 438 kg (966 lb) |
| Hull | |
| Type | foiling catamaran |
| LOA | 15 m (49 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 8.8 m (28 ft 10 in) |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | wing and jib |
| Mast length | 18 m (59 ft)- 29 m (95 ft) |
| Class is a member of World Sailing | |
← AC50
| |
The F50 is a one-design foiling catamaran used in the SailGP race series. The boats are based on AC50 boats and technology used in the America's Cup. The boats are the fastest racing class in history, with speeds exceeding 50 knots.
Three boats from the 2017 America's Cup were converted to comply with a new one-design rule called F50 which was based on AC50 hulls and components in order to create the new SailGP fleet racing circuit. More boats were built from scratch by Core Builders Composites in Warkworth, NZ in order to assemble a fleet of four boats crewed by teams from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and France, as well as two more boats representing China and Japan.[1]
The boats use a two-element wingsail and jib for propulsion. Two removable sections in the wing can be used to achieve mast heights of 18 m (59 ft), 24 m (79 ft) and 29 m (95 ft) to suit wind conditions. In SailGP races, the mast height and jib are selected in competitions by the race committee. Apart from the wingsheet, which is controlled by two grinders, all trimming is hydraulic powered by electric motors and batteries. This includes active pitch control of all appendages, daggerboard lifting/lowering and the jibsheet. This allows the crew to be reduced to five sailors.[2] The beam of the boat was increased from the AC50 boats to 8.80 m (28.9 ft), in order to increase righting moment.
The boats have a crew of five—a helmsman, wing trimmer, flight controller and two grinders. In order to focus on tactics, the helmsman is relieved of flight controls by a dedicated crewmember, similar to Team New Zealand's unique crew arrangement in the 2017 America's Cup. During racing, crew are located the windward hull.
The boats comprise a one-design development class. However, unlike most one-design sail classes, which have fixed rules, F50 boats are constantly developed with changes being implemented on all boats simultaneously. This prevents technological arms races, while allowing performance improvements.[1]
References
- ^ a b F50 arms race, SAILGP, 2019-05-01
- ^ The supercharged F50s, SAILGP, 2018-10-03