Bluegame – Luca Santella On America’s Cup Foiling Hydrogen Chase Cats.
From August 22nd through October 27th, all eyes in the sailing world will be focused on Barcelona for the 37th America’s Cup sailing race. The oldest international sports competition still going strong, the challenge upholds many traditions. This year, however, competing teams are working with a number of changes, one of which affects design of the chase boats that assist the race boats.
The new protocol was directed by the current champion, Team Emirates New Zealand. It requires each team to build a minimum of two 10+ meter hydrogen fuel cell powered chase boats capable of sustaining a minimum speed of 25 knots for no less than a 180 nautical mile range, and hit a top speed of 50 knots.
The results are stunning, particularly in the case of the New York Yacht Club’s American Magic chase boat designed and built in Italy by Bluegame, the eccentric, nonconformist, trendsetting division of Sanlorenzo Yachts.
Bluegame, founded by Luca Santella in 2005, was tapped by the American Magic team for the build in August of 2022. Putting his 35 years of sailing experience to work, he embraced the challenge. Sailing all of his life and in all of the most important events in the world, he explains that the only event he has not participated in is The America’s Cup. An Olympic sailor, with an older brother that shared sailing experiences with him from a very young age, this is a very special race and a very special project for him.
Santella, states:
These projects keep me alive, referring to the passion and curiosity surrounding innovative new builds like this.
Santella says he first became curious about these hydrogen foiling catamarans two years ago, imagining flying over the chop, the waves, smoothly and silently. He had never been on one, save for that on a foiling board.
Captured by the challenge of the project Santella gathered an impressive talent pool, putting himself and Mirko Oprandi on design, Philippe Briand on hull design, and Francis Hueber and Mario Caponnetto on foils design. He then engaged Gurit Engineering for the composite structures, bringing Paolo Manganelli, Harry Gillies Ripoll, and Steve Shaw on board.
To ensure each component was the best it could be, Santella also brought in Edoardo Bianchi to manage composites, Gianni and Paolo Cariboni and Pierluca Bartolotto on mechatronics, Paolo Bertelli for the power training component, and Enrico Dari for R & D, Computer Graphic Technology, and EODev, Energy Observer Developments. Santella also relied on Paolo Dassi as project manager. This highly experienced, well-respected collection of top, cutting-edge talent went to work, creating what Santella envisions will be the finest, most technically advanced chase boat at the race.
An Important Marine Business Component
While these unique craft may be just another interesting part of this epic competition, Santella feels it was a very smart marine business move to include the advanced technology for the chase boats. Foiling will absolutely become a part of mainstream marine design, Santella says, adding that it may take a little longer for the hydrogen propulsion to become popular.
Santella, states:
“It is a very delicate and complex matter, and the network is still very, very much at the beginning,”
“regarding the foils, I am really a fan of it, and looking forward to it. We are already working on a project at Bluegame. We will have a 45-foot foiling catamaran. It won’t be a high tech foiling boat like we see in the chase boat, but still it will be a foiling boat.”
Transitioning From Race Course Concept To Day Cruiser
After the excitement of watching these chase boats at the America’s Cup, there is bound to be interest generated by their quick, quiet presence. If someone comes up to Santella after the race inquiring about their own personal version of the boat, he says that it would be expensive, but Bluegame would absolutely be able to deliver. “Yes, yes, well … you see, it’s a lot of money, but it can be a very unique toy for really special guys, so why not?”
Santella says that he has already thought about the evolution of the same boat to make it suitable for use with a superyacht. It can be avant garde, high tech eye candy for even the edgiest, most well-equipped superyachts.
With regard to the need for training to assure competent captains, Santella equates driving the foiling HSV with driving a Ferrari. There might be a learning curve, he says, but with minimal instruction and a small practice session an experienced captain can easily fly the boat, especially since flying is controlled 100 percent by software.
“We do practice our captains with our normal boats. I share my knowhow with captains so they can drive safely and so that we can be proud of our boats in their hands,” Santella assures. He adds that on the production version, speeds might be limited to 40 knots.
We are moving the technology, the knowhow, the experience on the chase boats into production, giving a sense to the investment in time, money and energy on this project.”
Looking Ahead To Barcelona
Santella smiles, noting that he is most looking forward to seeing the BGHSVs shine as the best on the water, along with American Magic winning the cup. As far as the race itself, Santella acknowledges that it will be different from the previous race in New Zealand.
“We will see a different sailing compared to the one in New Zealand because New Zealand was very protected seawater, very flat, no waves. Barcelona is very different, so we can have varied conditions, waves, flat water, anything.”
American Magic and her BGHSV are ready. The best engineers, the best technicians, the most precise mechanical parts, the complicated software, all have come together to create an very able craft.
Regarding his latest accomplishments on this high tech foiling hydrogen catamaran chase boat, Santella says, “Now I am really proud that my boat can be in the America’s Cup.”
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Bluegame – Luca Santella On America’s Cup Foiling Hydrogen Chase Cats. source
