Emirates Team New Zealand’s skills and technology masterpiece for the 37^th America’s Cup. Photo Credit: Emirates Team New Zealand

The estimated 1.5 billion-plus global audience for this year’s Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup will witness not only spectacularly fast races from the AC75 competitors, including Emirates Team New Zealand, but also a showcase of the New Zealand engineering skills supporting the biggest-ever programme of Cup races, also including women’s and youth events.

“What people see on the surface, with yachts such as Emirates Team New Zealand reaching speeds of more than 50 knots, is just part of a wonderful story for local skills,” says long-time Emirates Team New Zealand supporter Lee Short, Director of Hydraulink Fluid Connectors.

“Inside the boats there is a wealth of technical and engineering input from a host of New Zealand companies that put us right up there with the world’s best. The quality of engineering of hydraulics systems in these boats, is right up there with the standards of Formula One racing cars. The 350kg foil canting system that enables the boats to respond quickly to changes and inputs has to be able to raise and lower the yachts’ 1.5 ton foils inside three seconds.

“Some of the hydraulic systems involved are every bit as complex and critical as the construction, civil engineering, and mining machinery we work on throughout Australia and New Zealand. The pedal-powered cyclor pumps, provide the hydraulic power for the AC75 boat control systems – including control of the twin skinned mainsail, foils, and rudder functions of the AC75s.

“Kiwi engineers have developed amazing systems for all the boats – the AC75s, plus the smaller AC40s for the Puig Women’s and UniCredit Youth America’s Cup, which collectively comprise the biggest racing fleet ever of Cup and supporting event yachts over the leadup to the final series starting on October 12.

Hydrogen-powered Cup chase boats can attain 50 knots. Foiling for these powered vessels – like in sailing – reduced drag and helped to extend range to around 180km on one fill of hydrogen. The hydraulics of each boat employ 24 Hydraulink hoses to deliver the performance required. Photo Credit: Emirates Team New Zealand

“Then there are hydrogen technological advancements led by Emirates Team New Zealand, the Defender of the 37^th America’s Cup, and their innovative developments of ‘Chase Zero’: the hydrogen-powered foiling chase boat. This is an outstanding development to boost the use of this sustainable zero emissions source of energy in the marine industry,” says Lee. Hydraulink has been supplying hydraulic hoses, componentry, and fittings to Team New Zealand Cup defences and challenges since 1995 and has been there through the entire series of four Cup events leading up to this event.

Hydraulink is just one of the many New Zealand companies contributing its skills to support the defence – for example, providing hoses and fitting for the one design foil canting systems used by the AC75’s and AC40’s, in addition to all hydraulic hoses and fittings used by Emirates Team New Zealand in their boat ‘Taihoro’.

“The pressures on hydraulics are so much greater than when we first got involved – the days of muscular manpower and sheer grunt are no longer enough to handle the loads on the crews as the boats go ever-faster. So, there is an engineering challenge to produce the lightest, most compact, powerful, and responsive hydraulic systems with engineering innovations such as titanium rams and 550 bar (8000psi) systems, with hose assembly pressure ratings up to 700 bar (10,000 psi), to deliver the best power for peak performance.

“The precision of these systems is up there with the engineering standards of Formula One racing – all our hoses, of which there are 23 in each of the cant system in all the AC75s, are all individually painstakingly inspected and marked exclusively for their intended use. “

A total of more than 2,000 Hydraulink hose assemblies are involved in the Americas Cup fleets, including AC75s, AC40s, Hydrogen chase boats, and spares. All are meticulously inspected and classified for particular uses. The hose types all feature Kevlar reinforcement to minimise expansion at elevated pressure, and ultra-smooth tube surfaces to provide low Delta P pressure drops to enhance activation response times of the circuit cylinders.

Port adaptors and hose connections are primarily DIN2353 metric c/w elastomeric sealing elements to provide maximum integrity of retention and sealing where elevated pressures may be experienced.

Flow-on for Kiwi companies

Lee Short says the whole engineering effort taking place above and below the yachts’ decks has flow-on benefits for the myriads of Kiwi companies involved in helping to mobilise resources for this world-class event.

“I know that our role in our specialisation – hoses, fittings, and service – tests our mettle and presents us with challenges, and we take pride in ensuring the highest level of performance, reliability, and safety in all our markets, whether on land or at sea.’

“With the 600 media outlets attending – and with the event going live broadcast free to air globally and on YouTube – numerous New Zealand skills and achievements will be showcased. These will have a lasting impact on our engineering capabilities for years to come.

Best Under Pressure

Hydraulink considers its involvement in high-tech ventures as reinforcing the company’s strong focus on safety and reliability for industrial users in New Zealand and Australia.

The company – which operates under the corporate signature “Best under pressure” – also applauds the technical improvement and ongoing education that a Cup challenge entails. This continuous improvement ethos is a keynote of Hydraulink’s own industry operations, which span machinery used in roads and earthworks, civil engineering, mining, energy, oil and gas, agriculture, materials handling, manufacturing, machinery and vehicle distribution fleet, utilities, public works, machinery servicing, and safety.

Racing in each Youth and Women’s event will take place in the world’s most exciting new foiling class – the AC40 – all equalised with standard components in strict one-design monohulls. Hydraulink provides 78 hoses per boat, over a total of 13 such craft, operating at system pressures of 350 bar through hose assemblies pressures rated at 700bar. Photo Credit: Emirates Team New Zealand