AC36: Sails up on AC75s in Auckland and Newport

San Francisco (#1203) — As we suggested would be the case on today's TFE LIVE (watch a replay here), both New York Yacht Club's American Magic and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Emirates Team New Zealand have been seen Tuesday with hoisted sails at their respective training bases on opposite sides of the plant. And at nearly the same time, albeit it is Wednesday morning in Auckland and Tuesday afternoon in Newport, RI. Which will be first to sail under its own power? We're hearing from NYYC AM sources that, given all the experience they have had with their training boat, The Mule, they expect to be sailing almost immediately with little tow-testing.

Apparently American Magic was the first AC75 to hoist sails, in Narragansett Bay north of Newport, RI Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly after American Magic went sails up, so too did ETNZ in Auckland — on their Wednesday morning.

Our sources report that both boats, after tow-testing during the past couple of days, are doing more of the same today, but with sails up. Whether either or both have yet sailed under their own power is not known. We have however been sent this video of American Magic apparently being tow-tested. It's only a matter of time before one or the other sails — first displacing then foiling — under it's own power.