AC 4.5: Looks Like a Full Sized Yacht ... Look Again

There are few sights on the water more surprising than that of the Mini 12 or International 2.4 Metre -- from a distance they look like normal racing sloops, and fast ones at that. A few seconds later (with the resultant doubletake unmatched in yachting)
one realizes that the boat isn't a half-mile away, it's only 50 yards distant, and what at first glance might have been a winch is a human head. These boats are the quintessential single-handers, as there is absolutely no room for a second person aboard.

The Mini 12s were born in the America's Cup frenzy around Newport in the early 80s, but were never designed as a one design, rather, they took the designs of famous 12 meters. Racing them in fleets involved a handicapping system of weighing both boat and skipper and equalizing all boat weights. The class faded, and now the only truly active Mini 12 fleet is at the Seattle Yacht Club.

The 2.4 Metre, on the other hand, has gone from success to success, gaining ISAF International Class status and finding a niche for both able-bodied and disabled sailors with large fleets in Scandinavia.

It was only a matter of time before someone built a similar single-hander based on the International America's Cup Class (IACC). Rudi and Eberhard Magg of Speedwave in Kiel, Germany have done so, commissioning Julianne Hempel of the Georg Nissen's design office to draw the lines for the new AC 4.5. The boat is build by Speedwave Rudi Magg GmbH.

The AC 4.5 is available in three versions: GRP, FRP and "Dummy". And no, the latter version isn't for landlubbers or politicians, it's essentially a model boat, one that will be displayed (so hope the Maggs) in the corporate office atriums of Oracle, UBS, Prada, etc., in the color scheme design of the syndicates' boats for the 2003 America's Cup.

Steering is done with foot pedals, leaving both hands free to handle the sheets and halyards. The sailplan is based on IACC boats as well, with a large roach mainsail and non-overlapping jib. A 10 m2 gennaker provides plenty of power off the wind (upwind sail area is 8.5 m2).

The keel can be unbolted from the hull, allowing for cartop travel. Hull weights vary considerably depending on the version, with a range of 160 to 240 kg. The keel weighs 65 kg. and provides 1 meter of draft. As in an IACC yacht, as much of the ballast as possible is placed in a bulb.

Speedwave is serious about the rigging and sails on the sailable version, with Harken deck hardware and running rigging in Dynema and Vectran. Sails are from Quantum and available in either a Cruising or Grand Prix version (the latter shown in the accompanying pictures).

Rudi and Eberhard Magg run the Grade 1 ranked Match Race Lake Constance, and in past years have experimented with small boats, fans, and stadium seating. It's a sure bet that we'll see their AC 4.5 used for some match racing event in the near future. Wouldn't it be a blast to see these sailed by the skipper of every America's Cup syndicate in a fleet race in Auckland?

Specifications