RB3 | The Build, Carrington Boats

It’s difficult to place the genesis of the design of INEOS Britannia’s AC75 to an exact date or time. The boat began its life in the swirl of activity around the new team in 2021 and there was a lot to do – merging the personnel of Mercedes GP and Athena Racing into INEOS Britannia, setting up offices, boat sheds, finding the right people and operational structures, creating design and build processes… 

There was also another boat to design first; T6, the team’s research and development boat. A project that enabled many of those other tasks to be completed and refined.  

But it’s probably safe to say that somewhere in all of this buzz of action back in 2021, RB3 began her life. It’s been a very long journey, spanning almost three years, to reach the moment where she was rolled out into public view for the first time this week. And through all of that time, three people have lived and breathed (almost) every intricate moment. 

The first is Philibert Chenais, the design team lead who has been with the British team since the first iteration in AC35. Now on his fourth America’s Cup (Chenais includes 2007 with Alinghi), he started with the French design studio VPLP, working on (amongst others) maxi trimarans, C-Class catamarans and the 100 foot Comanche. This time, Chenais led the group that designed the platform, the hull structure around and within which everything else is placed.  

“This has been an incredible project to work on,” commented Chenais. “The design team has been getting stronger since AC35, but this time we have been able to take it to another level with the input from the Mercedes F1 group. The ideas, the innovation, the attention to detail in the design of every aspect of this boat are second to none.” 

Next up will be Jason Carrington, the boat building legend behind CBL (Carrington Boats Limited) where RB3 was built. There was never really any question that CBL would build the third of the three AC75s raced by a team led by Ben Ainslie. After all, they built the previous two to an extraordinarily exacting standard, and RB3 has upped that bar again. 

Lastly, Ryan Taylor, head of composites for INEOS Britannia, has worked with Carrington and his team since the start. Taylor began his career in the Cornish maritime hub of Falmouth but has since travelled far and wide to manage and construct elite yachts. Apart from the America's Cup boats, there has been IMOCA 60s for the Vendee Globe, Volvo 70s, and some of the planet's most spectacular record-breaking structures for the super-yacht sector.

Jason and his team did an incredible job on this yacht,” said Taylor. “By every metric that we use to measure quality in composite construction, they have exceeded the parameters that we set them. RB3 is a remarkable machine, and everyone at Carrington Boats should be proud of the combination of craftsmanship and technology that will represent them, INEOS Britannia, and Britain at the America’s Cup in Barcelona.  

And as they say, ‘amen to that’. 

Thank you to the Carrington Boats squad!