ORACLE TEAM USA Using TeXtreme® Technology to Defend America’s Cup Title

Jan 25, 2016

ORACLE TEAM USA will continue its cooperation with TeXtreme® as the preferred supplier of carbon fiber materials used to produce composite parts for the team’s catamarans. The team is preparing to defend its title in the 35th America’s Cup in 2017, using boats reinforced by TeXtreme® technology.

Grant Simmer, General Manager of ORACLE TEAM USA, says, “We are pleased to renew our partnership with TeXtreme®. We receive outstanding support working with TeXtreme’s high quality materials, which allows us to build and develop the most advanced race boats. This will give our sailors a distinct competitive advantage in the America’s Cup.”

The ORACLE TEAM USA America’s Cup catamarans are built in New Zealand by Core Builders Composites. Tim Smyth, General Manager of Core Builders commented, “With TeXtreme® we achieve benefits from a mechanical standpoint, in terms of strength and stiffness, as well as from a manufacturing perspective. As a result of using the TeXtreme® carbon fiber fabrics, we have managed to considerably reduce the lay-up time and realize significant cost savings. At the same time, the materials have made it possible for us to reduce the overall weight of the boats.”

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ORACLE TEAM USA is currently training and testing on AC45S boats in Bermuda, and applying that knowledge to the development of their America’s Cup Class yacht to be raced in 2017. A key component in the process has become to precisely optimize the weight and design of the yacht in order to achieve proper foiling. The choice of materials, predominantly carbon fiber composites, have a direct impact on a boat’s performance.

In addition to the novel TeXtreme® materials presence in the America’s Cup, the company’s innovative products are widely used in the Formula 1, NASCAR, Le Mans and Indy Car auto racing circuits; in the manufacture of bicycles; ice hockey, golf and tennis equipment; surfboards, rowing shells and canoes; skis and snowboards – and in various industrial and advanced aerospace applications.

“We’re delighted that TeXtreme® continues to be the number one choice among so many professionals when it comes to weight reduction and improved mechanical performance. We aim to keep ORACLE TEAM USA as competitive as possible by remaining at the forefront of composite material development, helping to provide the team with the best possible conditions to win another title,” says Andreas Martsman, VP of Marketing & Sales at Oxeon.

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Products reinforced with TeXtreme® on average benefit from a 20% overall reduction in weight in comparison to other carbon fiber materials on the market – without sacrificing strength or rigidity. As an alternative to materials such as aluminum or steel, the potential weight savings is even greater.

“We compared countless different composite reinforcements and considering all aspects such as cost, potential weight savings and mechanical properties, TeXtreme® was the obvious choice,” concludes Core Builders’ Tim Smyth.