American Magic's Boat 3 Arrives in Barcelona
Last weekend, American Magic reached a significant milestone in its challenge for the 37th America's Cup. The newly constructed AC75 boat, “B3,” successfully completed its journey from the build facility in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, to the team's base in Barcelona, Spain. This marked a culmination of months of dedicated effort, meticulous planning, and teamwork by the American Magic boatbuilding and design teams.
The journey of B3 began in November of 2022, when the boatbuilding team at the American Magic build facility in Portsmouth commenced construction. Led by production manager Brandon Linton, the team poured over 70,000 hours into crafting the team’s new AC75 race yacht. Their unwavering commitment and attention to detail ensured that B3 was built to the highest standards.
As Terry Hutchinson, President of Sailing Operations of American Magic, aptly described it, "Boat Three was conceived by the American Magic design team, with Britt Ward and Pete Melvin leading as the principal hull designers. Over 70,000 hours were dedicated to her construction, managed by Brandon and the Build Team in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. It's unbelievable and pretty impressive to see what has been created at the hands of the American Magic team.”
On Sunday, the culmination of months of hard work and anticipation arrived as B3 was loaded onto a truck in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. With utmost care, the team secured the boat for its drive to Providence Airport, where it would embark on the next leg of its journey. From there, B3 was loaded onto an Antonov AN124, one of the world's largest cargo planes, for its transatlantic flight to Barcelona.
The arrival of B3 in Barcelona was an important milestone for the American Magic team. "The coordination involved in shipping via the Antonov was a crucial aspect. The execution, from loading at TF Green airport to the precise offload in Barcelona, every detail, from securing landing clearance to weather conditions, played a role in this success. It's each one of these operational pieces that we execute effectively and efficiently, which builds confidence in the team as a whole because it's something that we need to be able to do day in and day out." added Hutchinson.
Upon touchdown in Barcelona, B3 was unloaded from the aircraft and transported to the team's base, where it would undergo commissioning, testing, and preparation for the upcoming 37th America’s Cup.
The successful transportation of B3 from Portsmouth to Barcelona is a testament to the dedication, teamwork, and expertise of the American Magic team. As Aaron Perry, Designer at American Magic, noted, "This is the most excited I've been about a campaign and a race boat."
With B3 now in Barcelona, the next phase of American Magic's journey begins. The boat will undergo rigorous testing and tuning as the team prepares to commission the boat ahead of its unveiling later this spring.
