Sailing Magazine
Ben Ainslie Racing
Without cutting edge design and engineering, no one wins the America’s Cup. In pursuit of their goal, the British team has developed their own sophisticated 3D sailing simulator, modelled on those used by the world of motorsport.
The virtual flying machine will support the vital link between sailors and designers, creating an important feedback mechanism between the two core parts of the performance team. It also provides an equally important feedback loop within the design team’s optimisation process.
The man leading the team behind BAR’s (virtual) flying machine is Dr. James Roche, formerly of McLaren Applied Technologies, where he had worked on the design of the skeleton sled that Lizzy Yarnold used to slide to gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
By the time of the 35th America’s Cup in 2017, the simulator will be generations on from the first version, but the truth is; the simulator will never be finished. It’s in constant use, and every time the team run a session something new is learned that can be used to improve it, the boat and the sailors. And the better it gets, the more use it gets – and the more it will become one of the most vital tools in BAR’s America’s Cup preparations.
