CC MEMO -- Eligibility of Yachts

With Trapani behind us and everyone now looking forward to Acts 10-12 next year in Valencia, the guessing game about which teams will build new yachts in the meantime, and whether they will race new yachts in some or all of next year's Acts, is in full swing.

It must be on the minds of the media as well, as we have been asked by a number of journalists this week when the "built-in-country" rule for yachts goes into effect. Protocol 13.1 (a) and (b) refer:

13.1 (a) For the Fleet Race Regatta [April, 2007] and the Regatta [LVC and AC Match], ACC Yachts shall comply with the Protocol and version 5.0 of the ACC Rules.

13.1 (b) For the Pre-regattas [Acts] held prior to the Fleet Race Regatta, ACC Yachts shall comply with:

(i) the Protocol, except Article 7(f)(i) shall not apply; and....

Article 7(f)(i) is the requirement "that the yacht of a challenging yacht club be constructed in the country of the challenging yacht club, and the yacht of the yacht club holding the America's Cup be constructed in the country of such yacht club...."

Accordingly, for the 2006 Acts Competitors may continue to use yachts which were not built in the country of their challenging (or defending) yacht club.