United Technologies Sponsors Research For America's Cup Challenger
United Technologies Corp. (UTC; Hartford, CT), will sponsor AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based challenger for the 2000 America's Cup sailing race (Auckland, New Zealand; February and March 2000). As the modeling and analysis sponsor, UTC is applying proprietary technology, research, and modeling processes to improve the designs of two racing sailboats.
Designing A Better Sailboat
About AmericaOne
Designing A Better Sailboat (Back to Top)
Researchers and engineers from United Technologies Research Center and Pratt & Whitney have begun applying computational fluid dynamics modeling to the hull, mast, sails, keels, and appendages of the AmericaOne boats. The UTC team is also conducting structural analyses of the masts. Research must be completed in time to be implemented into the design and production of the boats.
"We are using the same technology, creative thinking, and research discipline that have made us a market leader in the building systems and aerospace industries to make substantial improvements in the design of these boats," says John Cassidy, UTC Senior VP of science and technology. "We believe that these advancements, combined with a world-class crew, put AmericaOne in a competitive position for a run at the Cup."
Cassidy noted that UTC involvement in AmericaOne is also paying dividends for UTC. "Working with designers, scientists and researchers from other sponsor companies and from AmericaOne allows us to expand our own technology in new fields," he says. "This has given us new and broader experience as we apply this technology throughout our different business units." UTC's business units are Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Carrier, Otis, Hamilton Standard, and UT Automotive.
About AmericaOne (Back to Top)
Operating since June 1, 1996, AmericaOne is the America's Cup challenger on behalf of San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club. AmericaOne is dedicated to recapturing the America's Cup by applying U.S. technology in computer equipment, aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, sail design, naval architecture, and structural engineering to America's Cup sailboat design. The AmericaOne operating team is comprised of 45 professionals; the design team is comprised of 40 members actively working on the research and design of its sailboats.
Paul Cayard, the 1998 Whitbread Round the World Race champion, will skipper the boats for AmericaOne in the 2000 America's Cup.
"UTC, as one of the first partners to join our effort, has provided crucial research and design capabilities at an early stage that have already produced advancements currently being built into our first IACC (International America's Cup Class) boat," Cayard says. "Just as important has been UTC's role in helping to organize the entire AmericaOne research effort to ensure that critical design work is completed in time for all possible research to be included in our final boat designs."
The next America's Cup will be held in Auckland, New Zealand, in February and March 2000. Challengers will race in a selection series from October 1999 through February 2000 to select one Challenger for the America's Cup match against Team New Zealand. Sixteen challengers from 10 nations have met the requirements to race in the Challenger Selection Series.
AmericaOne technology partners and top-level sponsors include Hewlett-Packard, Bellcore/SAIC, and Ford Motor Co./Visteon Racing.
UTC provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the building systems, automotive, and aerospace industries.
For more information, visit www.ac2000.org.