People will have a chance to check out the fancy catamaran owned by Oracle Racing that they're testing for the America's Cup race in 2013. This won't be the exact boat they'll be using in the race, but rather it's a test-design that was built in New Zealand earlier this year. The AC45 wing-sailed catamaran is a 45-foot version being tested out to give the team a sense of what they'll ultimately be racing with: the AC72, which will be a 72-footer.
The high-tech carbon fibre catamaran is capable of reaching speeds of 30 knots, or 35-mph. And as we discussed earlier, the wing-sail technology is also being tested for use in passenger ferries on the Bay.
They'll be launching the boat at 1 p.m. from the Golden Gate Yacht Club in the Marina, and Mayor Ed Lee will be there to greet the team.