"Currently there are a team of designers, lead by Emirates Team New Zealand design coordinator Dan Bernasconi working on various exciting monohull concepts which will eventually help shape the AC36 Class Rule," the team said in a statement.
"Emirates Team New Zealand have been consulting with a number of potential challengers and there is an overall desire to have a spectacular monohull yacht that will be exciting to match race, but also one that the public and sailors can relate to as a sail boat that really challenges a full crew of professional yachtsman around the race track."
Further protocol details will be announced later this month, added Team NZ, who beat Oracle Team USA 7-1 in Bermuda in June to lift international sport's oldest trophy.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
