Emirates Team NZ overcomes TP52 measurement issue ahead of MedCup

2:44 AM Fri 8 May 2009 GMT

'The TP52 Emirates Team New Zealand alongside the team base in Valencia, yesterday' Valenciasailing.com Click Here to view large photo

Emirates Team New Zealand have overcome a measurement issue on their new TP52, and will leave Valencia for Alicante, Spain on Saturday, local time.

The keel bulb was found to be overweight. The discrepancy was found by Emirates Team New Zealand as the yacht was being dismantled before leaving Auckland. One option was to chop the ends off the bulb and replace them with fairing material to effect a weight reduction.

The alternative was to have the keel re-milled, which would accurately reduce the weight to the required amount, and would also reduce the drag of the bulb, effectively improving speed to compensate in some way for the loss of righting moment from the weight reduction in the keel.

A facility capable of undertaking the milling task was found close to Valencia and the modification has been effected. The yacht will leave for the venue of the first event in the MedCup series on Saturday 9 May ahead of the series start on 12 May.

13 yachts will now complete in the series, with the latest addition being an entry from the America's Cup Defender, Alinghi.

Interest will also focus on the performance of two new yachts, Artemis and Emirates team New Zealand which were both built by Cookson Boats in Auckland and carry Southern Spars masts, and sails by North Sails NZ.

by Richard Gladwell