“The Thrill of the Chase” – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
Garmin and Fusion are proud to be the official suppliers to Team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the 36th America’s Cup yacht race.
The race to win the 36th America’s Cup presented by PRADA is on — with Italian Team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli battling it out against Emirates Team New Zealand in yacht racing’s most famous head-to-head competition. Dating back to 1851, the America’s Cup is the world’s oldest sporting trophy and predates the modern Olympic Games by 45 years.
What are Chase Boats?
The main purpose of a chase boat in the America’s Cup match racing is to provide support and assistance to the 75-foot AC75 racing yachts on the water. The new AC75 monohulls can fly above the water on their foils and reach breakneck speeds of more than 50 knots, and it is essential that the chase boats keep up with them.
Carrying the team’s engineers, safety divers, communications and racing equipment, these chase boats have to closely follow and monitor the AC75 at high speeds as they race across the windward-leeward course. In the event of an emergency such as a capsize or collision, it is critical for these chase boats to be able to respond and ensure the crew’s safety.
High Performance and Reliable Equipment
As the team’s workhorses, these chase boats are also responsible for monitoring the AC75 during training sessions and racing, as well as towing the AC75 to and from its base in the harbor. These are some of the reasons why Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli has chosen Garmin products as equipment suppliers because high-performing and reliable products are of utmost importance.
The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli chase boat has been completely outfitted with Garmin electronics including a GPSMAP® touchscreen chartplotter/sonar combo unit with gWind™ Wireless 2 wind transducer to provide wind data, bottom contours and currents on the race course. The chase boat is also equipped with Fusion’s top-of-the-line Apollo™ Series stereo and Signature Series 3 speaker system so the crew on board can receive crystal-clear communication from teammates on board the AC75.
Garmin has also supplied state of the art instruments for the AC75.
“I am very proud of this partnership that will support our team throughout all the stages leading up to the America’s Cup,” said Max Sirena, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli skipper and team director.
“It’s a great honour and privilege to be the official supplier of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, Challenger of Record for the 36th America’s Cup presented by PRADA,” said Pontus Fernstrom, Garmin EMEA marine segment director. “This is the first step in a project that started some years ago and has allowed our brand to extend its presence into the highest level of sailing worldwide, thanks to our top-performing products and complete services.”
To learn more visit: https://www.lunarossachallenge.com.
