Black Foils launch new F50 ahead of Halifax SailGP return

New Zealand's Black Foils have blessed and launched their new F50 in Halifax, marking a landmark step in the team's return to SailGP racing after months on the sidelines.

The new boat, named Manawatītī, was blessed in a ceremony led by Master Navigator and Te Toki Voyaging Trust leader Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr (Tainui) before being craned into Halifax Harbour for the first time. After initial checks on the water and a brief return to shore for updates, the sailing team took Manawatītī out on the harbour to begin the commissioning process.

Manawatītī translates to the heart of a tītī — a seabird renowned for its stamina and ability to travel vast distances across the ocean — while remaining connected to New Zealand, no matter how far it roams.

The launch comes after a torrid stretch for the Black Foils, who have been absent from racing since a collision with the French team at February's Auckland regatta wrecked their F50. Combined with an earlier crash at the season opener in Perth, the team has completed just two of 37 races in this year's series — forced to watch from the sidelines as the rest of the SailGP fleet competed across four consecutive events.

The new F50 was built by SailGP Technologies in Southampton, representing thousands of hours of work. Members of the Black Foils shore crew spent time working alongside the SailGP Technologies team at the facility before the boat was transferred to Halifax.

Barclay-Kerr previously led the naming and blessing of the team's first F50, Amokura, when the Black Foils joined the SailGP fleet — continuing an ongoing partnership between Te Toki Voyaging Trust, the Black Foils and Live Ocean.

Black Foils Co-CEO Blair Tuke said the day marked a significant moment for everyone involved.

"Today represented the culmination of a huge amount of work by a massive group of people, and we are incredibly grateful for that effort to get us back in the water," Tuke said. "To have Hotu give the name to the F50 and deliver the blessing also provided a special connection to home and where we have come from as a team. Seeing Manawatītī go into the water for the first time marked a massive step forward for the group since the incident in Auckland."

Co-CEO Peter Burling said it was great to be back on the water as a team.

"It was special to be back sailing as the Black Foils and to take Manawatītī out for the first time. Whilst we still have work to do before this weekend, it was an important milestone in returning to racing," Burling said. "We will follow a process with each of our sailing windows between now and Saturday to make sure we are ready. It was also great to give Stewart his first chance to be on board with the team."

Manawatītī will undergo further checks before additional sailing and commissioning time on Thursday, ahead of Friday's scheduled practice racing with the SailGP fleet. 

Racing in Halifax starts at 7am NZT on Sunday, with coverage live on Three Now. - with the New Zealand SailGP team