Dutch firm’s HDT Flag Blue will go on the hull of American Magic

AkzoNobel, the Dutch multinational paints and performance coatings maker, says its Awlgrip brand will go on the hull of American Magic, the US entry in the 36th America’s Cup race in 2021.

As an official supplier to an AC team, the company says its Awlgrip’s HDT Flag Blue will go on American Magic’s AC75 foiling mono-hull racer. The coatings system contains AkzoNobel’s new High Definition Technology topcoat.

The company says “offers unrivaled gloss, depth of image and reparability in a single product.” American Magic will also bear AkzoNobel’s’ Griptex non-skid component on the deck.

The next AC takes place in New Zealand in March 2021. It will be an event of foiled, monohull yachts skimming across the waves, clear of the water.

“For the AC75, it’s important for us to use the most advanced and durable paint products,” says Terry Hutchinson, skipper and executive director of American Magic. “HDT coatings were the perfect choice for us as we pursue the America’s Cup.”

AkzoNobel spent more than three years developing its Awlgrip HDT topcoat saying it requires fewer layers of paint to be applied, resulting in weight savings.