When Must Teams Use "New" Boats?

Following our post earlier today about sail number 89 having been allocated by the Technical Director, we have received a number of emails asking when teams are required to race in AC 32 using "new" ACC yachts. By a "new" yacht, we mean one built since the end of the 31st America's Cup in March, 2003.

The answer lies in Article 13 of the Protocol, specifically:

13.1 Eligible yachts:

(a) For the Fleet Race Regatta and the Regatta, ACC Yachts shall comply with the Protocol and version 5.0 of the ACC Rules.

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

(i) the Protocol, except Article 7(f)(i) shall not apply; and
(ii) version 5.0 of the ACC Rules, except for Pre-regattas held prior to 31 December 2004 version 4.0 of the ACC Rules shall apply.

In plain English, this means there is no requirement that an AC 32 team ever race a "new" yacht. However, two caveats.

First, from 1 January 2005 and through the end of AC 32 all teams must race yachts that comply with Version 5 of the AC Class Rule. This can be achieved by building a new yacht or modifying an old one. As most of our readers will know, for the 2005 Acts only Shosholoza had a new yacht (RSA-83); all others used old yachts that had been modified to V5.

Second, and more significantly, starting with the April 2007 Fleet Race Regatta and continuing through the Louis Vuiton Cup and the AC Match, teams must use yachts that meet the nationality rules of the Deed as interpreted by the Protocol -- meaning all yachts must have been constructed in the country of the yacht club the team represents.

Some current teams have yachts (new or old) which meet that requirement. Some do not; for example, China Team, which has the Le Defi yachts from AC 31 that were constructed in France. Such yachts can, however, still be raced in the 2006 Acts.

(Disclaimer -- while, hopefully, we know something of which we write, all are reminded that the foregoing is for general background only and not to be taken as the official view of, or advice from, the Challenger Commission or the editor.)