Deadlines to meet...

Crunch time for GBR Challenge design team...

While their colleagues in the Sailing Team are learning the vagaries of the Hauraki Gulf, the members of the GBR Challenge Design Team are finalising their concepts as they approach the end of month deadline. Currently the team is in a three week tank testing session, which is their fifth and final time in the Qinetic facility in Gosport, working with the Wolfson Unit.

Though the pressure is on the design team to come up with a fast design, it must also reflect what the sailing team want to achieve. For this reason the sailing team must be involved in the design process and any decision will be a team decision based on what is right for GBR Challenge in this campaign.

On 1 November, the final design for the first ever British built America's Cup Class yacht will be handed to the Build Team.

General Manager David Barnes already knows it will be a difficult decision. "This decision is obviously more difficult for a one boat programme, and can be a philosophical one. The bigger teams can build a 'safe option' - probably an evolution of previously successful AC boats - and a more revolutionary boat based on new thoughts and ideas. We can only choose one and we must decide down which route we should go."

"All of our designers have worked tirelessly to come up with the best solution to the America's Cup Class Rule and I have been very pleased with the progress they have made."

The new boat will be constructed in the build shed at the GBR Challenge Base in Cowes, which is now ready following the completion of the 100 foot long oven.