America’s Cup Program
From the iconic twelve meters to the dynamic IACC’s and now to the AC75 foilers — Farr Yacht Design has helped to shape the America’s Cup across five decades of the most intense design competition in sailing.
No sailing event places greater demands on design and engineering than the America’s Cup. The rules evolve each cycle. The timeline is always too short and the penalty for a wrong design decision is elimination. Farr Yacht Design’s boats have competed in America’s Cup campaigns from the 1987 twelve meter era through to the AC75 foiling monohulls of the 37th Match, each time bringing the same systematic design methodology to the fastest and most competitive designs in the world.
From the world’s first fiberglass twelves of 1987 with KZ-7 “Kiwi Magic,” to the 1988 Deed of Gift “K-Boat” KZ-1; from the innovative tandem keel of NZL-20 in 1992 to the optimized and refined challengers fielded by BMW Oracle Racing in 2003 and 2007, FYD has continued to push the limits of technology in the quest for America’s Cup glory.
The shift to the foiling AC75 for the 36th America’s Cup changed the game once more, with boats now flying on hydrofoils at speeds over 50 knots. A new class of problems, but the same quest to maximize efficiency and push the limits in design and technology.
In 2021 Britton Ward took on the role of Hull Platform design lead for American Magic in the 37th Cup — an opportunity to work with an incredible team of designers and sailors and to apply the latest in technologies to make a huge leap forward. The result — Patriot — was one of the most innovative hulls in the fleet, aggressively sculpted for aerodynamic advantage while being able to take off in the lowest of windspeeds and the mercurial sea states of Barcelona, Spain. The boat showed flashes of brilliance but… not enough to take the prize.
For the 38th Cup in Naples, Italy, the Patriot platform will be reborn and will race under the colors of the American Racing Challenger Team.
American Magic AC75 Patriot Unveiling — Farr Design #890 for the 37th America’s Cup. Britt served as Hull Platform Lead.
2021–24
Farr Yacht Design’s involvement in the American Magic AC37 campaign confirmed the office’s engagement with the leading edge of Cup technology in the foiling monohull era. The AC75 class pushed yacht design into genuinely uncharted territory — hydrofoil-borne monohulls reaching 50+ knots — and Farr’s contribution to the American Magic program — Patriot (Design 890) — represented one of the most technically demanding projects in the office’s history.
AC75 foiling monohull — America’s Cup 37th Match
2007
BMW Oracle Racing — USA-87 and USA-98 (Design 580). The 32nd America’s Cup in Valencia, sailed under the IACC rule.
IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design
2003
Oracle BMW Racing — USA-71 and USA-76 (Design 524). Larry Ellison’s first America’s Cup campaign, mounted from Auckland.
IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design
2000
Young America — USA-53 and USA-56 (Design 407). The 30th America’s Cup challenger trials in Auckland.
IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design
1995
The Tag Heuer Challenge — Design 343 — sailed in the 29th America’s Cup challenger trials in San Diego.
IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design
1992
First regatta sailed under the new International America’s Cup Class (IACC) rule. New Zealand Challenge campaigned NZL-14 (Design 234) first, then the revolutionary tandem-keel NZL-20 (Design 237).
IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design
1988
Michael Fay’s Deed of Gift challenge — the 90-foot-waterline “K-Boat,” KZ-1 (Design 196/KZ1) — met Dennis Conner’s catamaran defender in the 1988 America’s Cup match off San Diego.
Deed of Gift monohull — Farr Yacht Design
1987
Bruce Farr designed the world’s first fiberglass 12 Meter yachts — KZ-3, KZ-5, and KZ-7 (Design 196/12m) — for the 1987 New Zealand Challenge in Fremantle, Western Australia. KZ-7 sailed the challenger trials.
12 Meter class — Farr Yacht Design
The full racing record
America’s Cup. Whitbread. Volvo Ocean Race. The complete Farr record is in the portfolio.