Ben Ainslie and his INEOS Team UK are off to a flying start with the launch of a foiling prototype for the 36th America’s Cup launching a mini version of the AC75.

» UPDATE – IT WORKS! Click here to view the video of them actually sailing

The photos were captured by Steve A Wenham and posted to his Facebook page. Steve works in the area of Old Portsmouth where the team is based and was lucky enough to be there when the boat was flying through the air.

Comments on his post however show a concerned audience.

“Too dangerous for close racing”

“It’s going to get complicated before it gets simple. If ever…”

“Disaster waiting to happen me thinks.”

And another…

“I just don’t see how you could possibly ‘close race’ these. Way to dangerous. Anyone falling into the path of those foils does not stand a chance. Look at the injuries just from the Nacra 17 with sailors losing fingers from the rudders. Frank Gammas nearly loosing his foot on a GC32 and these are boats where the foils protrude ‘underneath’ the boat. These things are going to hurl themselves around a course at seriously high speeds like some Boadicea chariot.”

This isn’t their boat for the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland, it’s scaled down version as the actual boats can not be launched until 2019.

And while foiling is the future, it seems that some people are still on the fence when it comes to this particular design. However… Weren’t we all a little skeptical when we saw the first AC72 and the first time Emirates Team New Zealand foiled?

Take a closer look at the photos… Floats / training wheels on the sides.

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