Tests due for wingsails

As the technological battle for America's Cup 2013 heats up, Auckland's North Shore is the location where a four-metre tall extension to the wingsail available for AC45 class boats is being created and which could be in use by April.

The development will make the racing even more spectacular, especially in light conditions, according to regatta director Iain Murray.

Murray said: "The extensions aren't fixed permanently. We can put them on or take them off, so they'll be used at our discretion for light wind venues to add more power to the boats when we're racing in lower wind ranges."

Those parameters would see 15 knots as the maximum.

The governing body of the racing series that is run between the bigger America's Cup challenges has had people in Auckland since early last month overseeing the wing extension project.

Glyn Davies said: "We're building 12 wing extensions to have ready for the teams for the first World Series event in Naples [in April]. We're on a very tight schedule.

"We came back to Auckland from the last event in San Diego, set up the factory and started work in December. We're fortunate to have been able to hire a 'dream'team' of boat builders here and have been able to get into production very quickly."

Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa will test the first extensions early next month on the Hauraki Gulf.

Accommodating the media transmission equipment in the top of the main element of the existing wing has been an issue and the on-water tests will determine the success in whether the equipment still works.