The Tech Deck offers a unique behind-the-scenes experience with hands-on interactive experiences, enabling visitors to get close to the boats, people, and technologies in development that will allow the team to fly faster and sail smarter; helping the British Challenger achieve their goal to bring the America’s Cup home for the first time.

The Tech Deck is unusual amongst educational resource centres as it is based at the home of a working professional sports team. Developed for Key Stage 3 of the National Curriculum, the aim is to foster and ignite young people’s interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and aims to inspire students to continue on to careers in these essential fields. By sharing and demonstrating the many challenges that the team faces in designing, building and racing in the America’s Cup, as well as the roles science and technology play in designing boats that fly and areas such as sailing tactics, the team also hope to increase awareness of the sport and challenge throughout the country.

School groups can sign up here

Past to Present – A timeline of the America’s Cup.

The Boat that Flies – This is the first introduction to STEM, in particular the physics of how the boat hydrofoils and why we use a rigid wing sail rather than a soft sail.

Testing Boat – Get up close and personal to the team’s second testing boat ‘T2’ where one of the carbon fibre hulls is on display.

Stable Flight – An interactive game using Oculus Goggles creating a virtual reality experience where users steer the boat and adjust the hydrofoils to get the fastest speed around two different courses – ‘start foiling’ is for first time foilers and ‘advanced foiling’ for more experienced sailors.

Engine Room – A game which simulates the demands put on the grinders on board during races. Visitors can put their arms to the test to experience what life it like for the grinders.

Data Analytics – An insight into the team’s ‘virtual chase boat’; the analytics and data streams used by the Performance and Analysis Team during events, to give the team as much information as possible to increase performance in real time.

Controls Vs Speed – This is where you can learn about the trade-off between control vs speed and design your own boat and test it during a simulation run.

Building Blocks – An insight into the materials the team use to build our boats and components - an interactive exhibit to show some of these components in action and why we use these materials.

Smarter Futures – Highlighting the sustainable team base and how the team are minimising their impact in day-to-day operations.

Harnessing the Elements – This is an in-depth look with official supplier Low Carbon into how the team can use tidal, wind and solar energy to help us achieve the best possible performance and act as sustainably as possible.

Meet the Team - A behind-the-scenes look into the wider INEOS TEAM UK team, including designers, shore and support team members to showcase that every department is crucial to the success or failure of the whole project.

Battling the Elements – An insight into the communications challenge onboard and the innovative solution that BAE Systems has developed using Bone Conductor Technology, based on military technology. An interactive exhibit where you can test the bone conductor technology for yourself.

Step On Board – Experience being a guest racer and step onboard our test boat ‘T2’ for an immersive 360 experience, incorporating unique bone conducting technology.

Body Armour – A comparison between the equipment and clothing worn during previous America’s Cup campaigns and the Henri Lloyd gear that the  crew wear today. This looks into helmets, body armour, the team’s custom made Spinlock life jacket, safety equipment and the performance advantage that can be gained from wearing this equipment.

The Race – A cinematic experience to inform visitors of the journey the team is embarking on with the aim of generating supporters of the team.

Wind Tunnel – Learn how our designers use a wind tunnel to test the aerodynamic properties of the boat. Build your own model boat out of lego and test it to see what lift and drag your model creates.

Click here to register interest for school visits to the Tech Deck or visit the 1851 Trust website