Bench Talk

Source: ©Nicolas Touze/La Roche-Posay Racing Team

Modern America’s Cup racing yachts are high-speed embedded systems platforms that use onboard sensors, telemetry, control loops, power conversion, and cockpit interfaces to help crews manage stability, drag, hydraulic response, and foil position. The competition features two classes of foiling yachts: the 12-metre AC40, used for preliminary regattas and the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup, and the 23-metre AC75, the team-specific design that contests the match.^[1]

Mouser has joined La Roche-Posay Racing Team as an Official Supporter for the team’s campaign in the 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup. The partnership gives the French challenger access to performance-critical electronic components, supporting the onboard systems that keep the team’s foiling race yachts stable, fast, and reliable.

This blog looks at why electronics have become central to America’s Cup performance, how the team’s AC75 boat copes with the demands of the marine environment, and what component availability and traceability mean for a campaign built on rapid, data-driven improvement.

Why Electronics Are Central to America’s Cup Performance

Modern America’s Cup boats are tightly integrated, embedded platforms whose electronics—including telemetry, sensor fusion, and networked electronics architectures—support performance, control, monitoring, and safety-related functions. Mark Patrick, Technical Content Director at Mouser EMEA, describes today’s AC75s as “effectively flying embedded systems platforms,” where the deciding factor is how quickly a team can turn that data into performance improvements. For the 2027 AC75, batteries replace the cyclor teams—crew members pedaling stationary bikes—that previously supplied hydraulic power. A new onboard data crew member monitors how the limited stored energy is allocated among trimming, mast rotation, and foil-cant functions, making power monitoring and control part of the race strategy. Engineers analyse the data both during and after testing sessions to refine foil positioning, hydraulic response, and energy management, continuously updating the digital models that guide development.

That speed of iteration puts real pressure on component reliability, system integration, and supply chain support. For critical systems, such as flight control, power conversion, and telemetry, teams typically apply dual sourcing to ensure supply continuity, along with full component traceability and life cycle monitoring to safeguard design decisions. Quality controls, including moisture-sensitive device (MSD) protection, electrostatic discharge (ESD)-safe storage and assembly practices, and authenticity verification, help ensure components perform reliably under extreme load.

Engineering for the Marine Environment

Onboard electronics and interconnect systems must perform under conditions few embedded systems ever face: constant vibration, moisture exposure, saltwater, and electromagnetic interference (EMI)—all at racing speed. That places significant demands on component quality, system integration, and long-term reliability, since even a small delay in actuator response or control-loop timing can affect drag, stability, and flight behaviour. Reliable electronics integration and deterministic system performance have become genuine competitive advantages, not just engineering requirements.

Powering the AC40 and AC75 Foiling Yachts

In both the AC40 and AC75 classes, real-time data from onboard sensors informs small adjustments, such as foil position or hydraulic response, that balance lift, drag, stability, and maneuverability over the course of a race. That level of responsiveness depends on instrumentation and control systems that continue performing accurately at speed, under load, and in a marine environment. To find out more, explore the Mouser eBook on how electronics are being used on La Roche-Posay Racing Team’s sailboats (Figure 1).

Figure 1: A La Roche-Posay racing yacht on the water. (Source: ©Nicolas Touze/La Roche-Posay Racing Team)

Component Supply as a Performance Driver

Procurement quality, traceability, and handling directly affect the team’s preparation for on-water results. Missing parts limit testing time and compress validation cycles ahead of races, which can carry through to performance on the water. Authorised distribution also plays a role in compliant handling and supply continuity during these compressed cycles: Engineering teams often analyse telemetry immediately after a testing session, implement configuration updates overnight, and validate the changes during the next on-water run (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Pia Mathias, embedded systems engineer, discusses her project with the La Roche-Posay Racing Team. (Source: Mouser)

Looking Ahead to Naples 2027

The 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup will be held in Naples in 2027, the first time the event has been staged in Italy. “Performance in today’s America’s Cup is no longer driven by sailing talent alone, but by the ability to integrate cutting-edge technologies into every aspect of the project,” says Stephan Kandler, CEO of La Roche-Posay Racing Team. As the team continues development and testing ahead of the match, its partnership with Mouser is intended to enhance the reliability, precision, and competitiveness of its onboard electronic systems, reinforcing the growing role that component-level engineering plays in elite sailing performance.

Sources

[1] https://www.americascup.com/the-boats