BMW Oracle testing the limits.

BMW Oracle Racing hopes to sail against two-time defending America's Cup champion Alinghi sometime next year with a new 90-foot trimaran. This trimaran is the only one of its kind and has enormous potential. It will be known as BMW Oracle Racing 90. The trimaran has a space-age look and a mast, boom and mainsail that dwarfs its crew, It was launched last week and was tested to make sure the three carbon-fiber hulls would be able to handle the enormous loads the rigging will put on it under full sail.

On Monday August 25, 14 sailors - including a New Zealander who is also a three-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts - and eight designers and builders were aboard for its shakedown cruise. During the shakedown cruise the wind ranged from 6 to 12 knots, Fortunately nothing broke and the testing went well, However they didn't do any serious speed tests. It is estimated that the boat can hit 36 to 40 knots in the right conditions. Which is around 66-75 Kph or 41-46 Mph.

The boat is 90 feet long by 90 feet wide (Which is the equivalent to two basketball courts), and the mast is 158 feet tall and has a 500 m2 mainsail and a 700 m2 gennaker. It has been said that the trimaran cost more than $10 million to build, And even though the time, effort and money has gone into the trimaran, It might not even get the chance to sail for the oldest trophy in international sports due to all the political rubbish that goes on in the Americas cup

Sea trials will continue for the next few weeks.