BMW Oracle to build new boats in Seattle
By IBI Magazine
The BMW Oracle Racing team, US challenger for the 2007 America's Cup, has announced that it will build the hulls of its new race boats in Seattle, Washington. The mould for the 24.4m (80ft) sloops will be built by a team of in-house experts at Janicki Industries in Sedro-Woolley, while the hulls will be built in nearby Anacortes, where the team will lease a 20,000sq ft building for the composite hull construction. "The Seattle area's aerospace and maritime heritage and resources make it the ideal location to build many of the components for such high-tech racing yachts," said Chris Dickson, CEO of BMW Oracle Racing. "We plan to utilise local technology and resources where possible to support our in-house team of experts. In our 2003 campaign, we had a great result when we built many of the components in the Seattle area and we hope we can repeat that success." The BMW Oracle Racing team built a mould for one of its 2003 America's Cup yachts at Janicki, and were pleased with the results. The group has now gone one step further by building the hulls in the same area. "While last time we constructed the hulls in California, we decided it would be more efficient to build most of the components in the Seattle region," says Dickson. Seattle-based sailor Paul Bieker will lead the structural design team, working closely with Mark Turner, boatbuilding manager for BMW Oracle Racing, Tim Smyth and Mark Somerville, who will collectively manage the build programme. All three were involved with the construction of the team's 2003 race boats, the USA 71 and the USA 76. Boat construction is not expected to begin for some months yet, as the Seattle-based facilities are still being prepared to house the construction of the moulds and hulls.
(21 January 2005)
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