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Luna Rossa returns to the water in Cagliari and narrowly avoids a capsize

A challenging day for Luna Rossa in Sardinia ends with over two hours of foiling, extensive manoeuvres and valuable development data

Luna Rossa returns to the water in Cagliari and narrowly avoids a capsize during a demanding AC75 testing session

Luna Rossa’s return to the waters off Cagliari produced an eventful day of foiling, intensive manoeuvring and several challenging moments. During a sudden loss of stability, the Italian AC75 came close to a slow capsize, which was avoided through the quick response of the sailors onboard.

The 29 July session marked an important step in the team’s preparation for the 38th America’s Cup. The yacht had spent approximately two weeks inside the team’s hangar, where technicians and designers carried out inspections, modifications and system upgrades following an earlier high-speed training incident.

The AC75 returns after two weeks in the shed

Luna Rossa resumed sailing in what the team describes as a commissioning phase, a period devoted to checking systems and validating recently introduced changes. On days like this, outright speed is only part of the programme. Engineers also need to observe the yacht’s behaviour, collect reliable data and identify settings that require further adjustment.

Peter Burling and Ruggero Tita were among the helmsmen involved, supported by the rest of the sailing crew and technical specialists onboard. Conditions initially appeared well suited to testing, with almost flat water and a thermal breeze of around 11 to 13 knots, becoming lighter farther offshore.

Control difficulties emerge during the first runs

After being assisted onto its foils, the AC75 began a long run away from the coast. Some difficulties soon became visible during the downwind legs, particularly when the yacht attempted to maintain a stable ride height. A rudder stall caused Luna Rossa to heel significantly to windward before dropping back onto its hull.

The sailors and coaches paused to review what had happened before continuing. The inconsistent behaviour appeared compatible with a yacht returning to service after extensive modifications, when control systems, appendages and onboard settings still need to be carefully recalibrated.

A dramatic moment near the stern

The most serious incident occurred during the second sailing period. Burling was moving aft to inspect the mainsail traveller control when Luna Rossa suddenly heeled aggressively to windward. The bow dropped, the yacht lost its stable flight and began a slow movement that came close to developing into a full capsize.

The AC75 eventually landed back on its hull without rolling over. Nobody was injured and no major damage was reported. The episode nevertheless offered a striking reminder of how quickly the balance of a foiling yacht can change when travelling above the surface of the water.

Rudder behaviour and onboard systems under review

Following a short interruption to address what was described as a minor issue, Luna Rossa resumed the programme. Another rudder stall occurred while the crew attempted a complete circle, a manoeuvre that can play an important tactical role during close America’s Cup match racing.

As the session progressed, the yacht began to look increasingly settled. The sailors completed repeated sequences of tacks, gybes, bear-aways and round-ups, giving the technical team an opportunity to assess the platform across a broader range of manoeuvres and loads.

More than two hours of foiling completed

Despite the early instability and several interruptions, Luna Rossa finished the day with approximately 126 minutes of foiling. The crew recorded 39 tacks and 36 gybes, generating a substantial volume of information for designers and performance analysts.

During the final part of the session, the breeze increased to around 13-15 knots. The AC75 completed several short pre-start exercises before another small technical problem required attention from the support team. The yacht was soon back on its foils and able to continue sailing.

Learning from a demanding commissioning day

A difficult test session is not necessarily an unsuccessful one. Developing an AC75 involves exploring operating limits, refining control systems and discovering how new configurations behave in real conditions. Unexpected situations can provide engineers with information that would be difficult to reproduce through simulation alone.

A member of Luna Rossa’s computational fluid dynamics team explained that minor problems are not unusual during the first commissioning day following a lengthy technical stop. The rapid response of both the sailors and the shore team allowed the yacht to continue its programme without serious consequences.

Cagliari remains Luna Rossa’s development base

The waters of Sardinia continue to serve as Luna Rossa’s working laboratory ahead of the next America’s Cup. Every session helps improve the relationship between the crew, foils, rudders, sails and control systems, turning even an uncomfortable moment into valuable development data.

The near capsize may be the most memorable image from the day, but the wider story is one of methodical preparation and technical resilience. According to the schedule included in the official report, Luna Rossa was planning to sail again in Cagliari on Friday 31 July.

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(C) America’s Cup

31 July 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
Luna Rossa returns to the water in Cagliari and narrowly avoids a capsize
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The information in this article has been sourced from and adapted from official sources and/or press releases, in accordance with our editorial code of ethics.