America’s Cup Program

From IOR keelboats to AC75 foilers — Farr Yacht Design has shaped the America’s Cup across five decades of the most intense design competition in sailing.

No sailing event places greater demands on a design office than the America’s Cup. The rules change every cycle. The budgets are unlimited. The penalty for a wrong design decision is elimination. Farr Yacht Design has competed in America’s Cup campaigns from the IOR era through to the AC75 foiling monohulls of the 37th Match, each time bringing the same systematic performance methodology to the fastest and most competitive designs in the world.

The Cup’s one-design eras brought a different kind of challenge — optimising sails, appendages, and crew systems within a locked hull — and Farr’s involvement with American Magic in the AC37 cycle confirmed the office’s continued relevance at the frontier of Cup technology.

American Magic AC75 Patriot Unveiling — Farr Design #890 for the 37th America’s Cup. Britt served as Hull Platform Lead.

2021–24

American Magic — AC37

Challenger

Farr Yacht Design’s involvement in the American Magic AC37 campaign confirmed the office’s engagement with the leading edge of Cup technology in the foiling monohull era. The AC75 class pushed yacht design into genuinely uncharted territory — hydrofoil-borne monohulls reaching 50+ knots — and Farr’s contribution to the American Magic program represented one of the most technically demanding projects in the office’s history.

AC75 foiling monohull — America’s Cup 37th Match

2007

BMW Oracle Racing

Challenger

BMW Oracle Racing — USA-87 and USA-98 (Design 580). The 32nd America’s Cup in Valencia, sailed under the IACC rule.

IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design

2003

Oracle BMW Racing

Challenger

Oracle BMW Racing — USA-71 and USA-76 (Design 524). Larry Ellison’s first America’s Cup campaign, mounted from Auckland.

IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design

2000

Young America

Challenger

Young America — USA-53 and USA-56 (Design 407). The 30th America’s Cup challenger trials in Auckland.

IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design

1995

Tag Heuer Challenge

Challenger

The Tag Heuer Challenge — Design 343 — sailed in the 29th America’s Cup challenger trials in San Diego.

IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design

1992

New Zealand Challenge

Challenger

First regatta sailed under the new International America’s Cup Class (IACC) rule. New Zealand Challenge campaigned NZL-14 (Design 234) first, then the revolutionary tandem-keel NZL-20 (Design 237).

IACC 75 — Farr Yacht Design

1987

New Zealand Challenge

Challenger

Bruce Farr designed the world’s first fiberglass 12 Metre yachts — KZ-3, KZ-5, and KZ-7 (Design 196/12m) — for the 1987 New Zealand Challenge in Fremantle, Western Australia. KZ-7 sailed the challenger trials.

12 Metre class — Farr Yacht Design

Racing Heritage

Campaign
2001–2018
Volvo Ocean Race
6 race victories
Campaign
1981–1997
Whitbread Heritage
3 race victories

The full racing record

America’s Cup. Whitbread. Volvo Ocean Race. The complete Farr record is in the portfolio.

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