Minute changes can spell triumph or disaster, and the process is fraught with critical compromises. For example, increasing hull length at the waterline increases speed but reduces maneuverability. A heavy keel is vital on an upwind leg of the race, but adds nothing except drag on a downwind leg. Another challenge is beating the time line. Typically, the America's Cup is run every three to four years, and most teams spend two to three years in preparation for the race.
Every development program begins from scratch.
SGI technology helps teams to spend less time designing and more time testing designs on the water. The problem is when you come to the America's Cup, small increments of speed and time make a big difference. Races are sometimes won or lost in one second after three hours. That's what I think distinguishes the America's Cup from any other yacht race in the world. Egan, a former aerospace engineer, joined Team Prada in February 1997, when preparation for this year's race got under way.