racing of yacht

What is Yacht Racing? (Here’s All You Need To Know)

Have you ever watched a yacht race, with its colorful sails gliding across the water in a graceful dance? Have you ever wondered what it takes to participate in yacht racing? This article will take you through all you need to know about yacht racing, from the different types of yachts and races, to sailing clubs and regattas, technical knowledge and skills, safety, and the benefits of yacht racing.

We’ll also explore some of the most popular events and races.

So whether you’re an avid sailor or just curious about this exciting sport, you’ll find all the information you need here.

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Yacht racing is a competitive sport and recreational activity involving sailing yachts .

It is most popular in areas with strong maritime cultures, such as the UK, US and Australia.

Races typically involve a course that boats must follow, which can vary in length depending on the type of race.

Competitors often use advanced sailboat designs, and use tactics and strategy to try to outmaneuver their opponents in order to be the first to cross the finish line.

Types of Yachts Used in Racing

Yacht racing can be done with a wide variety of boats, from dinghies and keelboats to multihulls and offshore racing boats.

Dinghies are small, lightweight boats with a single sail and are often used in competitive racing.

Keelboats, on the other hand, are larger and heavier boats with a fixed keel and two or more sails.

Multihulls, like the popular catamaran, are boats with two or more hulls and are designed with speed and agility in mind.

Finally, offshore racing boats are designed for long-distance racing and are typically larger and more powerful than other types of yachts.

No matter what type of yacht you choose to race, they will all have common features that make them suitable for racing.

All yachts must have a mast, sails, hull and rigging, and will usually feature a deck, compass, and navigation equipment.

Additionally, racing yachts are often fitted with safety features such as life jackets, flares, and emergency radios.

Each type of yacht has its own unique characteristics, and some are better suited for certain types of racing than others.

For example, dinghies are better suited for short-course racing, while offshore racing boats are better for long-distance racing.

Additionally, keelboats and multihulls are often used for more challenging types of racing, such as distance racing or match racing.

No matter what type of yacht you choose for racing, it is important to remember that safety should always be your first priority.

Be sure to check the weather conditions before heading out and make sure that you have the proper safety equipment on board.

Additionally, it is important to get professional instruction or join a sailing club to ensure you have the necessary skills to race safely and enjoyably.

Types of Races

Yacht racing events can take place in a wide variety of forms and formats, from long-distance ocean racing to short-course inshore racing in protected bays and estuaries.

Each type of race requires different skills and equipment, and the type of race you choose to participate in will depend on your sailing experience, budget and the type of boat you have.

Long-distance ocean racing is a popular form of yacht racing, with races often taking place over several days and often involving multiple stages.

These races often have several classes of boat competing, with each boat competing in its own class.

These races may involve sailing around a set course or route, or they may be point-to-point races, where the boats sail from one point to another.

Inshore racing is the most common form of yacht racing, with races typically taking place over a few hours or a single day.

This type of racing is often conducted in protected waters, such as bays and estuaries, and generally involves shorter course lengths than ocean racing.

Inshore races may involve multiple classes of boat, or they may be one-design classes, where all boats are the same model and size.

Multi-hull racing is another popular type of yacht racing and involves boats with two or more hulls.

These boats are generally faster and more agile than monohulls, and races are often held over a short course.

These races can be highly competitive, with teams of experienced sailors vying for position and race victory.

Offshore racing is similar to ocean racing, but often involves much longer distances and more challenging conditions.

Races may take place over several days and multiple stages, and require a high level of experience and skill.

Offshore racing boats are usually specially designed for speed and agility, and may have multiple crew members on board to help manage the boat in challenging conditions.

Sailing Clubs and Regattas

Yacht racing is a popular sport around the world, with sailing clubs and regattas held in many countries.

Sailing clubs are organizations where members can come together to race, learn, and enjoy their shared passion for the sport.

Membership in a sailing club usually includes access to the clubs facilities, equipment, and training classes.

Regattas are large-scale yacht racing events, often hosted by a sailing club.

The regatta can be organized for any type of boat, from dinghys to offshore racing boats, and the races can be held over a series of days.

The goal of the regatta is to crown the winner of the overall race, or the individual class honours.

Sailing clubs and regattas are a great way for sailors of all levels to come together and compete.

They give sailors an opportunity to hone their skills, network, and make friends with other passionate sailors.

Additionally, these events are often open to the public, so they give the general public a chance to see the amazing spectacle of yacht racing up close.

If youre looking for an exciting and fun way to get involved with sailing, look no further than your local sailing club or regatta.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

Yacht racing is a sport that requires a great deal of technical knowledge and skill.

Competitors must be familiar with the physics and dynamics of sailing, including how to read the wind and manipulate their vessel to maximize speed and maneuverability.

They must also be able to understand the principles of navigation, so they can accurately plot a course and adjust it to take advantage of the prevailing wind and current conditions.

Furthermore, competitors must be able to read the weather and use that information to their advantage in the race.

Finally, competitors need to have a good understanding of the rules of the race and how to adhere to them.

Yacht racing is a complex sport with a steep learning curve, and it requires a great deal of experience and practice to master.

Safety is a key element of yacht racing, as it involves operating large vessels in often unpredictable and hazardous conditions.

All racers must be properly equipped with the appropriate safety gear, such as life jackets, flares, and a first aid kit.

It is also essential that all racers are familiar with the rules of the race, and have a good understanding of the safety protocols that must be followed in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

All yacht racing events must be properly insured, and there are often medical personnel on standby in case of an emergency.

Before any race, all participants must sign a waiver declaring that they understand the risks involved and accept responsibility for their own safety.

Benefits of Yacht Racing

Yacht racing is a great way to challenge yourself and take part in a thrilling sport.

It offers numerous benefits to those that participate, from improved physical health and mental well-being to an opportunity to travel and explore new places.

Whether youre a beginner or an experienced sailor, yacht racing provides an exciting and rewarding experience.

One of the main benefits of yacht racing is its impact on physical health.

It requires a great deal of strength and endurance, as the sailors must use their arms and legs to control the boats sails and rudder.

Its also a great way to get your heart rate up and improve your cardiovascular health.

Additionally, sailing is a low-impact sport, meaning theres less risk of injury than other more strenuous activities like running or cycling.

Yacht racing also has many mental benefits.

Its a great way to relax and take in the beauty of the ocean, as well as the camaraderie and excitement of competing in a team.

Additionally, it gives sailors the opportunity to put their problem-solving skills to the test, as they must think quickly and strategize in order to succeed.

Yacht racing also requires quick decision-making, which can help to improve mental acuity and develop a more acute awareness of ones surroundings.

Finally, yacht racing is a great way to explore new places and meet new people.

Races often take place in different locations around the world, meaning sailors can get a glimpse into different cultures and explore new destinations.

Additionally, yacht racing provides an opportunity to socialize with other sailors, as well as make connections in the sailing community.

Overall, yacht racing is a great way to challenge yourself and reap the numerous physical, mental, and social benefits that come with it.

With its exciting races and stunning locations, its no wonder that yacht racing has become a popular sport around the world.

Popular Events and Races

Yacht racing is an exciting and popular sport with events and races held all over the world.

From the world-famous Americas Cup to local regattas, there are races and events of all sizes and skill levels.

The Americas Cup is the oldest and most prestigious yacht race in the world, with the first race held in 1851.

Held every 3-4 years in a different location, the Americas Cup pits the worlds best sailors against each other in a battle of boat speed, tactics and teamwork.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is another major race, held annually in Australia.

The race begins in Sydney Harbour and ends in the port of Hobart, Tasmania and is known for its unpredictable and challenging conditions.

The Whitbread Round the World Race (now known as The Volvo Ocean Race) is a grueling nine-month, round-the-world yacht race.

This race is one of the most challenging and dangerous races in the world.

In addition to these larger races, there are many smaller local and national regattas and races that offer an opportunity for sailors of all skill levels to compete.

From small dinghy races to larger keelboat and offshore racing events, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in yacht racing.

Yacht racing is a fun, competitive and rewarding sport and with so many events and races available, there is sure to be something for everyone.

Whether you are a competitive sailor or just looking to have some fun on the water, yacht racing is the perfect sport for you.

Final Thoughts

Yacht racing is an exciting and challenging sport that is enjoyed by many around the world.

With a variety of yacht types, races and events to choose from, there is something for everyone.

To get started, it is important to have a good understanding of the technical skills and knowledge needed, as well as the safety protocols associated with the sport.

With the right preparation and dedication, yacht racing can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

If you’re interested in taking up this exciting sport, make sure you check out your local sailing clubs and regattas to find out what’s on offer.

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

The America's Cup: Everything you need to know about the sailing competition

Ahead of the 2021 America's Cup in New Zealand , Elaine Bunting explains everything you need to know about the sailing competition in our handy guide - from America's Cup racing rules and history, to detailing just how fast those hydrofoil boats can go...

The America’s Cup is considered the pinnacle of yacht racing. Every four years, teams compete for the oldest trophy in international sport in yachts that represent the cutting edge of yacht design and technology.

This is a magnet for the world’s most talented sailors. It is notoriously difficult to win, and the opportunity comes only once every four years. Yet the storied history of the Cup has always attracted brilliant minds and been backed by some of the world’s most ambitious and successful businessmen.

The America’s Cup match is held between only two teams, the defender and one challenger. The series that establishes the right to be that challenging team was held through January and February, and provided some genuinely shocking moments.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?

Two of the four challengers were eliminated in the Prada Cup challenger series in January and February. The US team American Magic spectacularly spun out of control and capsized in a high-wind, high-speed mark rounding. Despite rapidly being rebuilt, the team was unable to get the boat fully functional again and was ousted from the Prada Cup without a single win.

The British team INEOS Team UK, led by Sir Ben Ainslie, won the opening round robin series handsomely and were regarded as favourites only to shock fans when they were thrashed 7-1 in the Prada Cup final by the clearly faster Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

So after several brutal gladiatorial rounds, the match is on between old rivals Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. The stakes are sky-high: whoever wins the America’s Cup not only earns the historic America’s Cup ‘Auld Mug’ trophy, but they get to write the rule for 37th America’s Cup in four years, defining the yacht design, how it is sailed – and to choose the venue where it will all take place.

It is a winner-takes-all format. The America’s Cup is famously a race in which, as Queen Victoria was informed during the first contest in 1851, “there is no second.”

HOW IS THE AMERICA’S CUP WINNER DECIDED?

The challenger, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, will race against the defender, Emirates Team New Zealand in the 36th America’s Cup match series starting on 10 March.

There are two races each day on 12, 13 and 14 March with additional days on 15, 16 and 17 March if needed to conclude the first-to-seven wins series.

A choice of race course is decided each day depending on wind conditions, but the courses are all windward-leewards with around 3km between each end and around 1.5km from side to side.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TEAMS RACING FOR THE AMERICA’S CUP?

Emirates Team New Zealand, yacht Te Rehutai – The home team is the defender, having won the Cup in Bermuda in 2017. Heading it up is the steely Grant Dalton, with eight times America’s Cup campaigner Kevin Shoebridge capably in charge of the sailing side. The design team is also second to none – and between them they all set the rules this time.

The Kiwis boast some of the youngest sailors, who grew up in the era of foiling, notably the wildly gifted Pete Burling as helmsman and his Olympic champion crewmate Blair Tuke, who share a Gold and Silver Medal and six World Championship wins in the high performance 49er class.

The pair works in partnership with the team’s resident Australian Olympian, Glenn Ashby. This successful triumvirate was a crucial ingredient in Emirates Team New Zealand’s last Cup win. Ashby is key to tactical decisions, Blair Tuke is the so-called flight controller in charge of flaps on the foils and rudder, with Peter Burling is steering and coolly making those split-second decisions on the race course.

Their yacht Te Rehutai has many visible differences compared with Luna Rossa. It is a more brutal looking design beside the smooth shaped, elegant Italian boat, and has quite different shaped foils (see ‘How do the America’s Cup yacht work?’): New Zealand’s are almost flat across the wing base, while Luna Rossa’s foils are in a dihedral shape, sloping downwards from a central wing bulb.

These are just the most obvious differences, and there will be many more variations beneath the surface, especially in the complex control systems. Yet despite dissimilarities, the speed differential between teams in the Prada Cup varied only by fractions of a knot, putting the emphasis on dominating pre-start manoeuvres, reading the wind shifts and match racing the opponent. These will all play a part in the Cup match too.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, yacht Luna Rossa - The Italian team, backed by Patrizio Bertelli, is bristling with experience. Italian team boss Max Sirena has been involved in six America’s Cups.

At the wheel, the Italians have a set-up never seen before, with straight-talking Australian Jimmy Spithill helming on starboard and Italian Olympic sailor Francesco Bruni helming on port. When one is steering, the other acts as flight controller and trims the foils.

It is a formidable partnership. Spithill is the most successful Cup sailor in the line-up, having been part of seven campaigns and winning it twice in 2010 and 2013 for Larry Ellison’s US team Oracle. Bruni, meanwhile, has three Olympics behind him and several Cup campaigns himself.

While this unconventional division of control between the two helmsmen prompted observers to shake their heads at first, it has proved highly successful. Spithill has suggested that the arrangement allowed them both to accelerate their skills, while at a very practical level it means no one has to jump out of the cockpit and cross the boat during high-speed G-force tacks and gybes before settling back into continuity in a new position.

Indeed, it has been so successful that Emirates Team New Zealand have been experimenting with changing to the one-helmsman-per-side arrangement, split between Peter Burling and Glenn Ashby. Watch out, this may come into play at some point.

Meanwhile, they have increasingly brought into play the tactical skills of Pietro Sibello, an Olympic 49er sailor, who is to be seen popping up to read the wind and the race course and feed back into the strategy.

HOW TO WATCH THE AMERICA’S CUP

America’s Cup racing is split into two parts throughout February and March and you can watch them all free. All the racing will be streamed live on the official America’s Cup YouTube Channel , Facebook and on americascup.com .

It will also be on free-to-air and pay-to-view networks in 120 territories around the world, including TVNZ in New Zealand, RAI and Sky Italia in Italy, the BBC and Sky UK & Ireland in the UK, and NBC Sports in the USA and Caribbean.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN THE AMERICA’S CUP RACES

1. The pre-starts. This America’s Cup has traditional upwind starts. Each team must enter the start box from opposite ends at the two minute mark. They jostle for the best position with the aim of hitting the line powered up exactly as the clock counts down to 0:00 – and in front of their opponent.

To get an advantage, each team will look to dodge, weave, box out their opponent, put a penalty put on them, or execute some other perfectly legitimate but edge-of-the-seat manoeuvre. These minutes can be among the most exciting of a whole race, and may set the tactics and playbook for all that follows so are not to be missed.

2. Mark roundings. Teams can round either one of two marks at the top or bottom of the course, so watch for splits here, close overlaps and other tactical manoeuvres. As the boats bear away at the upwind mark rounding they head into a power zone, speeding up rapidly. This is where we have seen the AC75s exceed 50 knots of speed and get unstable and into trouble with flight control.

3. Light winds. The AC75s have sometimes struggled to foil in winds of under 8 knots. When they come off their foils they suddenly go from supersonic to super-slow. Comparatively huge distances can open up or disappear in a flash if one team finds a puff and gets flying while the other is floundering. On light days, everything can turn inside out in seconds.

4. Strong winds. The same is true in big winds. Mistakes in crewing and sailhandling can be punishing when these massively loaded boats are fully powered up. When the winds are up, the pre-starts and mark roundings are likely war zones.

5. Match race tactics. Some thought the equivalent of hand-to-hand combat could never happen in the AC75s, but they have turned out to be agile and the crews surprisingly willing to throw them into some very close quarter spots. They are also able to mark opponents tack for tack and gybe for gybe round the course to defend a lead and deny their opponent a passing lane. Watch for these clever displays of aggression and stealth. And do listen in the live audio feed from each of the boats that gives big clues as to what each skipper and tactician is doing, thinking and planning.

WHAT ARE THE AMERICA’S CUP YACHTS?

Teams are racing in the AC75 design, a radical 75ft long monohull with no keel that flies on foils at speeds of up to 50 knots.

Deciding the boat to be raced is one of the spoils of victory, and when Emirates Team New Zealand won the last America’s Cup in Bermuda in 2017 they decided to create something never seen before, and where their knowledge of foiling could be a winning advantage.

The AC75 design rule is a so-called ‘box’ rule, which sets some key parameters such as hull length and overall length with bowsprit (75ft, hence the name AC75). The 62-page rule specification defines draught, minimum hull volume, number of sails, number of foils, even the number of boats – the teams have been allowed to build two and will all be racing with iteration No. 2 – but leaves other areas such as hull shape and foil flaps open for teams to develop.

As these yachts do not have keels, they rely for stability on a mere three tonnes of total ballast, plus 960-990kg allowed for 11 crew. The ballast is spread across two swivelling foils that look like arms (some say insect legs) on each side.

To keep some design costs down, the teams have one-design elements, such as the components and arms that move the foils up and down. However, the shape of the foils, the flaps and the control systems that operate them are absolutely key, and unique to each team.

The rule has also kept hull shape relatively open so we see quite striking differences in shapes. This reflects different teams’ thinking about the best way to promote foiling as early as possible in the wind range and slip as smoothly as possible between displacement and flying modes.

The sails are unique, too. The mainsails are twin-skinned soft wings, a new hybrid between a conventional sail and hard wing.

HOW DO THE AMERICA’S CUP YACHTS WORK?

The AC75s are designed to be able to fly in as little wind as possible, and as consistently as possible across the wind range up to the maximum of 23 knots allowable for the America’s Cup match.

To do that, the yachts have a canting T-foil on each side that provides the lift to take the hull out of the water and fly.

The foils are ballasted to provide stability, and are set across a large beam, so the AC75s have a huge amount of righting moment. That means they can carry a very large and efficient sail area to drive the boat.

Once the leeward foil lifts the hull clear of the water, there is very little drag, with only one slender foil and the T-foil rudder in the water. That, in a nutshell, is how it is possible for these yachts to reach 50 knots of boat speed, and potentially more.

In the real world, there are lots of variables that will affect foiling. New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf sees a large wind range, often blustery conditions, and there are also waves to contend with. Keeping a large boat foiling efficiently and consistently on just two slender points is like juggling on a slackline, and the control systems for rapid adjustments will be a critical but largely invisible factor.

WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICA’S CUP?

Books could, and have, been written about the contentious history of the America’s Cup. It all began in 1851, when a syndicate of businessmen from New York sailed the schooner America across the Atlantic and beat a fleet of British yachts in a race around the Isle of Wight, winning the 100 Guinea Cup.

Famously, Queen Victoria, who had watching the race, asked who was second and the reply came: “Your Majesty, there is no second.”

The 100 Guinea Cup was donated to the New York Yacht Club, renamed in honour of the schooner and a Deed of Gift drawn up for ‘a perpetual challenge cup for friendly competition between nations’. The America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and arguably the most difficult (and expensive) to win.

For 160 years, Britain has been trying to win it back. Challengers have included the tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton, who challenged five times between 1899 and 1930.

After a golden era of racing in the J Class yachts, the Cup was raced for in the 12-metre design, then an evolving International America’s Cup Class. More recently it has been contested in much faster multihull designs.

The America’s Cup has always been defined by, and contested with, the backing of some of the world’s wealthiest businessmen. Winners have included Harold Vanderbilt (1930, 1934 and 1937) and Henry Sears (1958).

In the modern era, Ernesto Bertarelli’s team Alinghi won in 2003 and 2007 before losing to Larry Ellison’s Oracle Racing in 2010. Ellison’s US team successfully defended in 2013 before losing to New Zealand in 2017.

Both men retreated from the America’s Cup following their defeats, but Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of the Prada Group, is still trying to win it for Italy after five Cup campaigns with the Luna Rossa Challenge.

Since 1851, the US has defended or won the America’s Cup 30 times, New Zealand three times, Switzerland (Alinghi) twice, and Australia once (Alan Bond’s Australia II in 1983). Despite 16 challenges in a Cup match since 1870, Britain has never yet won back the trophy that left its shores in 1851.

WHAT IS THE AMERICA’S CUP TROPHY?

The America’s Cup , affectionately known as the ‘Auld Mug’ is an impressive piece of silverware. Including its pedestal, it stands 1.1m high and weighs over 14kg. It was made by London-based silver maker Robert Garrard & Co, the royal jeweller since 1735, and was originally a claret jug.

It was given an extra pedestal in 1958 to make room for more engraving, and when that ran out of space, another was added in 1992.

A little known fact (which says so much about America’s Cup rivalry) is that when Oracle won the trophy in 2010 the engraving marking rivals Alinghi’s victory was rotated round to the rear. A new base in carbon fibre was also made to replace the mahogany one.

When Louis Vuitton sponsored the challenger series, the America’s Cup was given its own large Vuitton trunk on its 150th birthday in 1998. With Oracle as the holder it was accompanied everywhere and closely guarded by white-gloved bodyguards.

On winning it in 2017, Emirates Team New Zealand took it to yacht clubs round its home country and let members and young sailors handle the famous silver trophy.

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Sail GP: how do supercharged racing yachts go so fast? An engineer explains

Head of Engineering, Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering, Solent University

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Jonathan Ridley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Sailing used to be considered as a rather sedate pastime. But in the past few years, the world of yacht racing has been revolutionised by the arrival of hydrofoil-supported catamarans, known as “foilers”. These vessels, more akin to high-performance aircraft than yachts, combine the laws of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics to create vessels capable of speeds of up to 50 knots, which is far faster than the wind propelling them.

An F50 catamaran preparing for the Sail GP series recently even broke this barrier, reaching an incredible speed of 50.22 knots (57.8mph) purely powered by the wind. This was achieved in a wind of just 19.3 knots (22.2mph). F50s are 15-metre-long, 8.8-metre-wide hydrofoil catamarans propelled by rigid sails and capable of such astounding speeds that Sail GP has been called the “ Formula One of sailing ”. How are these yachts able to go so fast? The answer lies in some simple fluid dynamics.

As a vessel’s hull moves through the water, there are two primary physical mechanisms that create drag and slow the vessel down. To build a faster boat you have to find ways to overcome the drag force.

The first mechanism is friction. As the water flows past the hull, a microscopic layer of water is effectively attached to the hull and is pulled along with the yacht. A second layer of water then attaches to the first layer, and the sliding or shearing between them creates friction.

On the outside of this is a third layer, which slides over the inner layers creating more friction, and so on. Together, these layers are known as the boundary layer – and it’s the shearing of the boundary layer’s molecules against each other that creates frictional drag.

A yacht also makes waves as it pushes the water around and under the hull from the bow (front) to the stern (back) of the boat. The waves form two distinctive patterns around the yacht (one at each end), known as Kelvin Wave patterns.

These waves, which move at the same speed as the yacht, are very energetic. This creates drag on the boat known as the wave-making drag, which is responsible for around 90% of the total drag. As the yacht accelerates to faster speeds (close to the “hull speed”, explained later), these waves get higher and longer.

These two effects combine to produce a phenomenon known as “ hull speed ”, which is the fastest the boat can travel – and in conventional single-hull yachts it is very slow. A single-hull yacht of the same size as the F50 has a hull speed of around 12 mph.

However, it’s possible to reduce both the frictional and wave-making drag and overcome this hull-speed limit by building a yacht with hydrofoils . Hydrofoils are small, underwater wings. These act in the same way as an aircraft wing, creating a lift force which acts against gravity, lifting our yacht upwards so that the hull is clear of the water.

While an aircraft’s wings are very large, the high density of water compared to air means that we only need very small hydrofoils to produce a lot of the important lift force. A hydrofoil just the size of three A3 sheets of paper, when moving at just 10 mph, can produce enough lift to pick up a large person.

This significantly reduces the surface area and the volume of the boat that is underwater, which cuts the frictional drag and the wave-making drag, respectively. The combined effect is a reduction in the overall drag to a fraction of its original amount, so that the yacht is capable of sailing much faster than it could without hydrofoils.

The other innovation that helps boost the speed of racing yachts is the use of rigid sails . The power available from traditional sails to drive the boat forward is relatively small, limited by the fact that the sail’s forces have to act in equilibrium with a range of other forces, and that fabric sails do not make an ideal shape for creating power. Rigid sails, which are very similar in design to an aircraft wing, form a much more efficient shape than traditional sails, effectively giving the yacht a larger engine and more power.

As the yacht accelerates from the driving force of these sails, it experiences what is known as “ apparent wind ”. Imagine a completely calm day, with no wind. As you walk, you experience a breeze in your face at the same speed that you are walking. If there was a wind blowing too, you would feel a mixture of the real (or “true” wind) and the breeze you have generated.

The two together form the apparent wind, which can be faster than the true wind. If there is enough true wind combined with this apparent wind, then significant force and power can be generated from the sail to propel the yacht, so it can easily sail faster than the wind speed itself.

The combined effect of reducing the drag and increasing the driving power results in a yacht that is far faster than those of even a few years ago. But all of this would not be possible without one further advance: materials. In order to be able to “fly”, the yacht must have a low mass, and the hydrofoil itself must be very strong. To achieve the required mass, strength and rigidity using traditional boat-building materials such as wood or aluminium would be very difficult.

This is where modern advanced composite materials such as carbon fibre come in. Production techniques optimising weight, rigidity and strength allow the production of structures that are strong and light enough to produce incredible yachts like the F50.

The engineers who design these high-performance boats (known as naval architects ) are always looking to use new materials and science to get an optimum design. In theory, the F50 should be able to go even faster.

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What you Need to Know About Yacht Racing

We talk to Cameron Davies about all things yacht racing.

Cameron runs a fantastic yacht called Expresso Martini, on behalf of First Class Sailing. He and his first mate will take you out on the water, to get a real taste of life at the cutting edge of the racing world, in a safe and fully supported environment.

Giving you an experience and adrenaline rush like no other, combined with the satisfaction of working in a team that’s being tested to its limits.

Tell us a little about yourself

I’m a Yachtmaster Offshore commercially endorsed skipper. That’s what I do for First Class Sailing – race a boat called Espresso Martini. I’ve been sailing for about 40 years. It started in dinghies, gone through sports boats into yachts, partly because dinghies is too physical for me these days. But partly also because you want to go further as your sailing career develops. I was lucky enough to have gone through the youth squad under the great Jim Saltonstall and his coaching experience, and it was absolutely fantastic, brilliant introduction to sailing.

Why Race? What got you into it?

I think there’s a combination of things you know, on the one hand there is nothing else but the wind, right? You’ve got the wind driving you. We’re an island race, we’ve blown along every day one way or another harnessing that to make the boat go as fast as possible on every angle of sail in every possible condition with a crew that may or may not have experience of doing this before.

That’s the buzz, right? You layer on top of that. The need to start, countdown, you know, five minutes, four minutes, one minute. The heart races, the excitement’s up, the adrenaline’s there, the crew are sharp. There’s lots of people looking from the deck telling you what other boats are doing.

There’s a milling around of a lot of boats. The bigger the boats are, the more intimidating that can be. But you have to go in with a plan for your start. You have to know where you’re going to be. On the longer races, where it might be two days, one day might be two days, five days, whatever it might be, the start is less important.

But still, that’s one of the initial bits of the excitement, is to get there over the start line and get clear and get a good start.

What do people need to know or think about when it comes to yacht racing?

Yacht racing provides the opportunity to sharpen up all of those skills that sailors know they have. So We’re hoisting the mainsail, we’re hoisting the jib, we’re trimming the mainsail, we’re trimming the jib, we’re flying a spinnaker. A spinnaker could be a complicated thing, in waves, in breezy conditions, there’s a lot to manage. We may have to jibe the spinnaker, you’ve got to bring the pole down inside the forestay, trip the spinnaker before you do that, reconnect it after the jibe, on a boat that’s moving from side to side and fore and aft, on a narrow bow.

Because it’s a race boat, it’s quite a platform to encourage you to get your balance right and your coordination of all these various activities right. And when you then go back to perhaps cruising or another form of sailing that you might do, you take all of that with you as a sort of learning.

And it just makes you think, okay, I’ve been now used to pushing a fast boat hard at speed. At speeds that I’m not used to, we’ll get 14, 15, perhaps 18 knots surfing down a wave routinely, and we’ll go up, we’ll go up wind, we’ll go up wind in 8 knots, 10 knots of true wind, we’ll be going up wind at 6, 7 knots, so it’s immediate. You really get a sense of, okay, well, this is what I can do.

And one of the other great things when we’re going upwind is, our tacking angle is really small compared to cruising boats. So we’re tacking at 38 degrees, either side of the wind, it’s phenomenal. And so we make quick progress over the race course, over the ground. And that’s exciting, right? And you know, giving people the experience of that, is wonderful because they enjoy it. And when they then do step back to whatever it is is their normal form of sailing, I think they’ve just developed a confidence around sail handling, around boat trim, around sail trim, around spinnakers if they want to use them, that they wouldn’t have had.

Tell us about the team-building aspect.

I started in dinghy sailing, two man boats, single handed boats, you’re doing everything yourself. There comes a point where the boats get large enough for you not to be able to do that, and you need other people to be able to contribute. But the whole coordination say between helm and mainsheet, if the mainsheet person has not released the main at a time that I need to duck, if I’m helming, duck behind a boat, we’re not moving. We’re going to hit that boat. And if it’s a big drop down behind a boat, if we’re on port tack and we need to give way to a starboard boat and it’s a half a boat length or a full boat length, we need to duck down and it’s breezy, the main needs to come off, the jib needs to come off too.

So you need a main sheet trimmer, you need a jib sheet trimmer, all to be coordinated with the helm. And you don’t want to be doing this and losing speed. So, you drop down, keep the speed on, come back up, and try and get nice and tight to the stern of the starboard tacker. Come back up onto the wind again, all of that coordination that people need on a boat. That’s three or four people working together to develop ultimately some kind of intuition between you all.

And that comes with time, practice and experience?

Exactly. And again, when you take that back to your boat, you realise that it’s a very manageable thing – actually I can get closer to that vessel than I thought I ever could, and I can do some racing. An example, Round the Island Race – it’s a race for all. So you can do the IRC classes as we do. We’re an IRC one boat. Or you can enter in as a cruising class, cruising racing class, and you can do something at a different level. It’s still a race, right?

Perhaps it’s something you never thought of doing before, but now you can.

Tell us about the racing opportunities at First Class Sailing

First Class Sailing is a London and Southampton based sail training company. We charter Espresso Martini into First Class Sailing, we love working with them, they’re a fantastic set of people. And, they provide people for us to take out for this experience. So, it can be everything from The Fastnet to Round the Island. We can do inshore racing, and we can do smaller offshore races in the Fastnet. The calendar is a full calendar, there’s no end of weekends to take part in through the summer.

What is the racing like in the Solent?

It offers everything really. And it offers a ruggedness, and yet without it being too wild. So, you’ve got the protection of the Hearst Narrows, so the seas can’t quite get that big, but they can get big enough.

And you’ve got wind against tide, you’ve got quite a ferocious tide at times. The racing will start this year with the Knab Tower Race, 23rd of March, so it’s a 35 mile race from Cowes. Out to the east, round the Knab Tower and back. The following day is a race out to the west, slightly shorter, 25 miles.

And you’ve got the south west facing western Solent, and the kind of south east facing eastern Solent – and a lot of water between the two. So it covers a lot of wind directions that you can Well, basically there’s not a wind direction. that doesn’t allow you to set a course, if that makes sense.

Tell us about the process someone new to sailing might go through.

We start the season March, April, depending really where Easter lies. It will start with the Winter Series racing, that’s usually run by Warsash or one of the other clubs.

That will involve day sailing, Sunday racing, and two weekends, full weekends, Saturday and Sunday, which are within that programme, but also independent of it. So you could just do those four days over two weekends. It does not include racing over Easter. Easter’s something separate. That builds you in then to the, really the start of the offshore racing season.

So that takes us through April. That’s a great way of coming into it. So that’s inshore sailing. generally flatter waters, sharp responses are required, lots of boats around, shorter race courses, more upwind, downwind legs. So, you’re sailing upwind, set spinnaker, come downwind, get the spinnaker down, go upwind again.

They do mix it up. If the wind’s in a different direction or awkward at a direction for that, they will set courses Around the Cans can be entirely interesting. You’ve got tide to contend with, boats to contend with a lot going on. So people can come into that and it provides a great starting point to sort of really feel confidence, just moving on a boat that’s moving quickly. And quick tacks, tacking when other boats force you to tack, you hope you see them, right? 99 percent of the time you will, 1 percent of the time you might miss them and you’ll get a late time.

There’s different jobs to be done on the boat. There’s myself, skipper and first mate. So we will run the boat. We can cover a lot of the tasks, and be taking people on to shadow us so that we can step away from the jobs that we do at the start.

So, for example, My my first mate will probably do the foredeck. The bow work is quite an important bit of what we do, and I will probably do the helm. I’ll quickly hand over that as, I’ll hand over that as quickly as possible to anybody who wants to take the helm. It’s a big wheel, it’s a very responsive boat.

I might not give them the starting responsibility straight away, but they can come out of the dock in Southampton water or into the Solent, wherever it is, and we’ll hand over skills to people as quickly as we can and give them the confidence that they will only get by making a few mistakes.

Let’s talk a little bit about your boat, Espresso Martini.

She’s a Farr 40. You’ll find plenty of images online of the design. It was a boat designed in the 90s, continued to be built through the 90s and the early 2000s. It’s probably one of the best race boats that’s ever been built. Not now the fastest. Modern designs have got a little bit better. But it’s still one of the best and one of the most solid boats out there. So when you get a race boat, you have to be able to put on a lot of tension on the rig. What we’re trying to do, is get as much drive out of the wind on every angle of sail that we can. And in order to do that, we need the rig tensions to be tight. We need the wind to hit us and drive us, not spill out because the rig flexes. So we’re looking to get that drive all the way through what we’re doing. To support that, those kind of loads, inside the boat, it’s got an aluminium space frame. It gives us a lot of confidence for driving it hard in wind, in waves, upwind, downwind. It’s an eight bunk boat, so we can sleep eight people on it, so we will go offshore with eight people. We can take more than that when we’re racing, up to twelve. A nice number to sail with is about ten people on board. The extra numbers help with the work on the boat. We need to be able to balance the boat by sitting people on the rail. That weight matters. That helps us to go upwind and faster.

Why should somebody consider racing with First Class Sailing?

So I’ve mentioned the Warsash Spring Series and so forth. There’s the RORC, the Royal Ocean Racing Club offshore, and there’s the Junior Offshore Group as well. These are fantastic environments to get involved in sailing. There’s a lot of support and structure and a really good community that takes part in this. And it’s a really nice way to get your confidence up to get out there, to get out, get the early training in within the Solent and then stretch out a little bit further. We go into the Channel, we go to Alderney, we go to Cherbourg, we go to San Marlo, we go down the coast to Plymouth and back. We go to Weymouth. There’s a myriad of sailing events out there. And when we get there, we tie up with some mates, we have a beer. We have a bite to eat. It’s lovely.

The focus of First Class Sailing is first and foremost to have fun.

Yacht racing can be physically demanding. It can be lovely reaching along with a spinnaker up in a flat sea, but it can also be tough going upwind in a strong blow. You may be pleased to know that most of First Class Sailing’s racing is in the summer. Whatever the conditions and the experience, it’s always worth it and a sense of satisfaction and personal achievement is fantastic.

First Class Sailing yacht skippers are very experienced. They have many thousands of miles under their belts, and they love imparting their knowledge. They’re well used to sailing with both novices and experienced sailors alike.

Find out more about our upcoming race – Round the Island Yacht Race . Besides a Farr 40, we also have spaces on a Challenger 72.

Posted by: First Class Sailing

The History of Yacht Racing | Tracing the Evolution of the Sport

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Customer registration, the history of yacht racing.

Introduction

The Beginnings of Yacht Racing

The Evolution of Race Formats

Modern Yacht Racing

The Future of Yacht Racing

The Impact of Yacht Racing on Local Communities

The Impact of Environmental Awareness

Yacht racing is a sport that has been enjoyed by sailors and spectators alike for centuries. From the earliest forms of yacht racing to the modern-day sailing regattas, this thrilling sport has a rich history across the globe. In this article, we'll explore the origins of yacht racing, its evolution through the years, and Several notable events that have shaped the sport's history.

Yacht racing has its roots in the 17th century when the wealthy elite of Europe would race their luxury sailboats for sport. However, the first recorded yacht race occurred in England in 1661, organized by King Charles II. The race, which was held on the River Thames, was a competition between two of the king's yachts: the Catherine and the Mary. Catherine won, and the sport of yacht racing was born.

Yacht racing became popular among the European aristocracy in the following years. In 1720, the first recorded yacht club was founded in Cork, Ireland. The Water Club of the Harbour of Cork held its first regatta that same year, and yacht racing soon spread to other parts of the world, including the United States.

Over the years, yacht racing has seen many changes in the formats of races. In the sport's early days, races were often simple point-to-point events. However, as the sport grew in popularity and technology advanced, new formats were introduced to make races more challenging and exciting.

One of the most significant developments was the introduction of round-the-world races. The first of these was the Whitbread Round the World Race, which was first held in 1973. This grueling event covers over 30,000 nautical miles and takes competitors through some of the world's most challenging and unpredictable waters.

Another popular race format is America's Cup, the oldest international sporting trophy. The America's Cup is a match race between two yachts, and the event has a rich history dating back to 1851.

In the early 20th century, yacht racing began to evolve rapidly. Introducing new materials, such as aluminum and fiberglass, made building faster and more agile sailboats possible. In addition, the sport became more accessible to the general public, with new yacht clubs and sailing schools opening up worldwide.

In the 1960s and 1970s, yacht racing grew in popularity due to several high-profile races. The inaugural Whitbread Round, the World Race, took place in 1973, swiftly establishing itself as one of the sport's most demanding and esteemed competitions. The race, which covered over 27,000 nautical miles, took sailors worldwide and tested their endurance and skill in some of the world's most challenging sailing conditions.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the America's Cup World Series, a series of races leading up to the main America's Cup event. The World Series allowed teams to compete against each other in a variety of different sailing conditions and helped to raise the profile of the sport.

Looking ahead, the future of yacht racing looks bright. Yacht racing maintains its allure for fans and competitors worldwide, and ongoing technological innovations create exciting opportunities for faster, more streamlined vessels.

Concurrently, there is an increasing recognition of the importance of making the sport more sustainable and eco-conscious. Consequently, racing teams actively search for novel solutions to minimize their environmental impact and foster sustainable initiatives.

As yacht racing continues to evolve and adapt, it will remain a thrilling and captivating sport that celebrates the beauty and power of the sea. Whether you're a skilled sailor or a spectator watching from the shore, there's nothing quite like the thrill of a yacht race.

Yacht racing can significantly impact the local communities where events are held. Major racing events often attract large crowds of spectators, which can boost the local economy.

For example, the America's Cup has a significant impact on the economy of the host city. The event can generate millions of dollars in revenue for local businesses, from hotels and restaurants to souvenir shops and tour operators.

However, yacht racing can also hurt the environment and local communities. Using motorized support vessels can cause noise pollution and disturb marine life. The large crowds of spectators can also strain local infrastructure and services.

Racing organizers are increasingly working with local communities to minimize the impact of events. This includes implementing measures to reduce noise pollution, promoting sustainable practices, and investing in local infrastructure.

The environmental impact of yacht racing has become increasingly evident in recent years, prompting a heightened awareness and urgency for sustainable practices within the sport. Burning fossil fuels can result in detrimental effects on both air and water quality, as well as contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.

Many racing teams are now exploring alternative forms of energy, such as solar and wind power. Some races have also introduced rules to encourage more sustainable practices, such as using biofuels and reducing plastic waste.

Yacht racing is a thrilling and dynamic sport that has evolved over the centuries. From simple point-to-point races to round-the-world events and match races, the sport has seen many changes in format and style. Technological advancements have played an important role in the evolution of yacht racing, from the development of faster and more agile boats to the use of virtual reality and live streaming to bring the excitement of the race to a broader audience.

With the sport's ongoing evolution, there is an increasing recognition of the imperative to enhance its sustainability and ecological consciousness. As a result, racing teams and organizers are exploring new ways to reduce their environmental footprint and promote more sustainable practices. Despite the challenges, yacht racing remains a sport that celebrates the beauty and power of the sea. Whether you're a sailor or a spectator, there's nothing quite like the thrill of a private yacht in Dubai .

Different Types of Sailing and Racing Explained

You can literally sail on any type of water: whatever floats your boat. I wanted to know exactly what it's called when crossing an ocean, so I did some research. Here's what I came up with.

What are the different types of sailing? Inland sailing is freshwater sailing, on rivers and lakes. River delta sailing, so in brackish water, is called estuary. Oceanic sailing is divided into coastal (in sight of land), offshore sailing (out of sight of land, but within range), and bluewater sailing (out of sight of land and out of range).

But it's not just your location or the sort of water you're in. Intention also plays a part in determining what kind of sailing you're doing. For example: when does it stop to be offshore, and start to be bluewater sailing? It's a bit of a grey area.

Apart from the type of sailing, you can also participate in all kinds of racing, which I'll go over below as well.

Birdseye view of beach and coastline with lots of small sailboats

Inland	Estuary	Coastal	Off Shore	Ocean
enclosed water	river deltas	in sight of land	out of sight of land	oceanic crossings
freshwater	brackish water	saltwater	saltwater	saltwater
all boat types	keel boats	keel boats	keel boats	keel boats
all hull lengths	all hull lengths	> 26 feet (8 m)	> 30 feet (9 m)	> 30 feet (9 m)
low maintenance	medium maintenance	medium mantenance	high maintenance	high maintenance
no tides	tides	tides	tides	tides
medium waves	medium waves	high waves	high waves	high waves
good support	good support	good support	medium support	no support

Inland sailing

The easiest sailing is on inland waters . All water that is enclosed by land is called inland water. These are lakes, rivers, canals, and so on. Freshwater rivers are pretty safe. In typical lake sailing you won't find yourself drifting for weeks on end because you got hit by a storm. Generally there are more people around that can help you out.

It's important to say that ponds and small lakes can be treacherous. The winds can be unpredictable coming from land (for example due to nearby hills). So these small and seemingly innocent waters may require some real seamanship.

Two sailboats sailing on al lake with lots of trees around

Inland sailing is definitely the best kind of sailing for beginners. You don't have to account for tides, the waves are not as high and you don't have to stock up on supplies since there's always a harbor nearby. It's also the easiest on your boat: inland waters are mostly freshwater, which means maintenance is low.

So great news for beginners on a budget: you can use any boat type: flat bottom, keel, aluminum, wood: whatever you like to sail most.

Estuary sailing

Estuary means the delta or tidal mouth of a river. It's partially enclosed water. Like inland sailing, estuary areas have a lot of oversight. With the Coast Guard keeping a close eye on everybody, the chance that something really bad happens is extremely small. You have to account for some tidal changes and the current can be strong.

There will typically will be good weather forecasts for river deltas, so there shouldn't be a lot of sudden surprises. However, you want to be prepared in case the weather changes. Maybe you want to have a keel for this type of water, and you should definitely wear a PFD. There are some boats that have a keel you can lower if needed; this way you won't permanently increase your draft, but you'll be able to sail coastal and estuary regions.

Because river delta water is brackish, there's more salt in the water. So it's a bit harder on your boat. You probably need to increase your maintenance. Maybe you want a fiberglass hull, but you probably won't need to convert your entire boat.

Coastal sailing

Coastal sailing is a form of oceanic sailing where you're still in sight of land, but also in partially protected waters. Protected waters are sheltered waters that have stable weather conditions and have Coast Guard support. Mostly, coastal sailing requires a bit more skill and better equipment.

You will need a keelboat to sail coastal waters, and the hull needs to be strong enough to deal with larger waves. The forces you have to deal with are just a level up compared to freshwater conditions. If you go overboard, the consequences can be quite severe, because there can be a strong current, so make sure to wear your PFD.

But, the water is quite shallow and there are reliable weather forecasts. If you don't go out in heavy weather, you'll have enough time to get back to safe harbor when the weather starts to change.

You can use smaller sailboats without problem, but make sure the boat is safe, and you have all necessary safety equipment on board. You may also need to convert your boats engine to help it deal with galvanic corrosion.

If you want to know everything about the systems used in saltwater boats, I really recommend you read my article on boat conversion (opens in new tab ).

Off Shore sailing

You're sailing off shore when you're out of sight of land, but you're not crossing an ocean. Anything under 15 miles of the coast is regarded as off shore, but if you're going out 20 miles and turning back to return for port afterwards, that's still off shore sailing and not bluewater.

Off shore sailing can be very challenging. Sea conditions can get very rough: the weather gets more unpredictable where land meets water, and the current can get very strong. Generally off shore is more rough than open seas (except for the hurricane season). If you plan on sailing off shore, you definitely need a good strong keel boat that's a bit longer, ideally over 24 - 30 feet (7 - 9 m).

A mistake can have huge consequences. Off shore is being watched pretty closely by the Coast Guard as well, so if something goes wrong, help will be on the way. But it really makes a huge difference whether you're 12 or 20 miles out. Response time for Coast Guard is about 8 minutes at 12 miles, but it's 20 minutes at 20 miles. Drifting around in cold water for 20 minutes can be dangerous. More importantly: they have to find you out there.

So please make sure you have the right safety equipment on board. If you're unsure what you need, check out my post about USCG safety requirements here (opens a new tab ).

Bluewater sailing

Blue water sailing is definitely one of the most advanced types of sailing.

Contrary to popular belief, the open seas aren't always rough. They can be, but it's mostly the off shore areas that suffer from heavy weather. Outside the hurricane season, they're mostly pretty calm. If you use the trade winds, wind conditions are pretty reliable.

It is recommend to use a mid-sized boat (most sailors go for 30' (9 m) or up), not just for comfort but also to be able to carry enough supplies to last for at least a couple of weeks. Typically you'll need to bring roughly 40 - 60 gallons (200 - 300 liters) of water per person and 60 gallons (250 liters) of fuel.

The hardest part of bluewater sailing is being completely self reliable.

You're out on the open ocean alone, sometimes for multiple weeks on end. The Atlantic crossing takes about three weeks, for example. The longest passage there is about 12 days. During that period, if anything breaks, you need to be able to fix it. If you don't, you won't be able to continue. If something goes wrong - you get injured, for example - you're the one that needs to put on a bandage.

Some people can handle this kind of stress pretty well. Others break down because of it. It's recommended to find out what kind of person you are before getting on that boat and using the trade winds to blast it to the middle of the ocean. Where you hit a dead zone. You're now helplessly floating around in the middle of nothingness on a 100 square foot (10 square meters) piece of plastic. It's just not the best of times to meet your true self.

If you want to learn more about what it takes to do ocean crossings, consider to read my article about bluewater sailing here (opens a new tab ).

Besides cruising, you can also participate in sailing races, which can be great fun. There are a lot of racing types, and you can invent your own rules and competition methods.

The type of race isn't just determined by the kind of water (like with cruising) but also the kind of event, the kind of course, and the competition method (which are the rules and requirements).

Here are the different types of racing styles:

windward/leeward - racing course with one windward and leeward leg
passage or course - maneuvering around multiple marks (for example buoys)
fleet racing - the most common race form where a fleet of sailboats go around a course
match racing - identical yachts trying to finish first in a single race
team racing - two sailing teams with multiple boats compete to win a series of races
one-design - competitive racing at high speeds, based on class requirements: identical models with same rigging and crew
offshore or oceanic racing - races of multiple days or weeks in open waters over a distance of 800 miles

And this are some different types of racing events:

twilight racing - social racing events in the summer organized by individual sailors
club racing - social racing events organized by the local yacht club
regatta - multiple day event with an overall event winner, typically organized by the class association
disabled or Para World sailing - official racing events that are organized for disabled people

Competition methods

There are four primary competition methods in sailboat racing: one design and handicap.

handicap racing - different boats, time gets corrected based on features
one-design racing - identical boats, real time wins
formula class - different boats with certain identical features (ie. hull speed)
development class - different boats that meet specific requirements (ie. length, hull type, etc.)

Three sailboats racing on lake with some hills in the background

In handicap racing , time is added or subtracted based on the hull type, materials used, and other design factors. The handicap gets calculated using standardized formulas. So the winner is determined by correcting the time mathematically after the race. In these races you'll see all kinds of boat models, rigging, crews, and so on. The difference between the individual boats makes the handicap.

There are different handicap rating systems. A popular system is PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet).

In one-design racing , identical boats race for the best time. The first boat to cross the finish line wins. All boats that take part must adhere to the class requirements. So you won't see any different models or hull types in one-design racing. The class requirements determine all kinds of stuff, like the number of crew allowed, the type of rigging, amount of sails, and boat requirements.

There are a couple of other approaches. The development class is a middle way that's right in between handicap and OD racing. The boats in this class are not identical, but typically have the same length. They are all built to meet certain requirements An example is the America's Cup 12-meter.

The formula class allows different boats to compete without using a handicap system. They keep a couple of specs the same (ie. hull speed) to ensure they all have a fair chance of winning.

What are protected waters? Protected waters are sheltered waters that meet certain stability criteria, such as stable water conditions and emergency support by the Coast Guard. These water bodies pose no special hazards to the people sailing them. Most inland waters, like rivers and lakes, are protected waters, but also harbors and most coastal waters.

What are the most common types of racing sailboats? The most-used sailboats for racing are keel boats, centerboard boats (dinghy), multi-hulls (catamaran or trimaran), and tower ship (also called tall ships). Most keel boats are racing yachts between 24' and 50' (7 - 15 m). One of the most well-known sailboat races is the America's Cup 12-meter, which is a 40' class.

You may also like, the ultimate guide to sail types and rigs (with pictures).

What's that sail for? Generally, I don't know. So I've come up with a system. I'll explain you everything there is to know about sails and rigs in this article.

Sailboat in coastal waters with desert hill in the background

The Difference Between Freshwater and Saltwater Boats

17 Sailboat Types Explained: How To Recognize Them

The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay

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Heed the call of the ocean and join the YRA for exciting and competitive offshore racing.

A YRA spring/summer series offering short-course style racing for One-Design fleets and boats racing under PHRF.

More and more popular, the YRA is the home to two separate series just for doublehanded crews.

The YRA’s marquee regattas, with epic celebrations at the finish line.

NEWS & EVENTS

2024 master calendar is now available.

The complete 2024 Master Calendar for Bay Area Racing has been uploaded to the YRA Google Calendar. You can ac...

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We’re celebrating the end of the 2023 YRA Racing Year at Richmond Yacht Club on Saturday, November 18th....

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Types of Racing Sailboats

Sailboats come in many different shapes and sizes depending on a variety of factors. This means there are a variety of sailboat racing boat types on the market.

When you look specifically at racing sailboats, you will notice several different aspects that separate them from other sailboats. You might be wondering, what are the types of racing sailboats?

There are many types of racing sailboats that range from one-man dinghies all the way to 100-foot yachts. Some racing sailboats are classified as keel boats, multi-hull, and even a tower ship. These boats are built primarily for speed, so comfort is usually an afterthought depending on the brand.

For racing sailboats, each one is going to fit within a specific race category. So depending on the type of race will dictate the types of sailboats you will see.

According to sailboat data, racing boats have slightly different designs that stand out compared to bluewater sailboats. Looking at the Olympics is another example of what other racing sailboats are out there.

Table of contents

‍ Characteristics of Racing Sailboats

There are quite a few sailboats made today that are geared specifically towards racing. They have one purpose, which is to go as fast as possible.

Some racing sailboats are advanced far more than the average ones, which is completely up to the buyer. For example, America’s Cup race showcases “foiling boats” that run on foils under the hulls. These allow the sailboats to go faster than 50 MPH.

If you are searching for boats that have characteristics to fit within a specific race type, you will find that many boats can enter different races depending on the rules. The most popular sailboat races are:

Offshore/Oceanic

There are key features that separate racing boats from other sailboats and allow them to enter specific races. These can be narrowed down to the hull design, the type of keel, how many masts it has, and what type of sails are used.

Size of Racing Sailboats

As mentioned, these boats range from smaller dinghies to 100-foot yachts. Depending on the type of race will determine the type of boat that is being used.

The size of certain boats might prevent them from entering races where only smaller ones are allowed. There are exceptions in some races, like a handicapped fleet race, that will adjust the rating to allow their final time to be adjusted. The reason some races are handicapped to a certain extent is so a captain and his crew can determine the outcome and not a boat that is at an advantage.

Overall Design

With racing sailboats, they are subject to racing against the wind about half of the time. The angles of the boats are still similar to cruisers but greatly differ in the size of the sails to allow the sheets to have a better shape.

As racing boats are typically trying to sheet the sails hard, they are trying to keep them within the centerline. This allows the sails to be flatter and change them as needed.

Over time, the sails will typically wear out faster than the ones being used on regular sailboats. Since they are aggressively being used to stretch in the wind, they are subject to more use than regular sailboats.

Similar Looking Sailboats

There are races that only accept sailboats called one-design. These sailboats are built to exact specifications and are nearly identical to one another.

The reason that these boats are designed is to help combat any potential advantages from one boat to the next. It does not really set itself apart from other boats, but it is a good start to get into racing.

Lack of Interior Accommodations

Racing sailboats typically lack anything special on the inside to help save weight and go faster. Since a lot of features are not available, this means it would be nearly impossible to liveaboard full time.

In most scenarios, a true racing sailboat strictly has one purpose: to go fast. This does not mean that all racing sailboats cannot have luxury or comfort, since boat racing has been in existence since boats were first invented for water.

You would need to find boats that have a great balance between using them on weekends and racing. There are plenty of options to consider for what you want to accomplish in racing and comfort.

Types of Sails Being Used

Another characteristic that separates racing boats from cruisers is the types of sails that are being used. Both are designed for performance but are measured a bit differently. Racing sails are meant for speed, as regular sails are meant for cruising.

Depending on the goal of sailing, such as racing, you could look into purchasing sails that are specific to racing. Would you rather take off an extra minute or two of your time with a long upwind leg during a race or have the same durable sail for another five years out?

This opens up the door to endless possibilities of sail-making materials to get the job done. Most cruisers use Dacron or laminates that use a high-stretch fiber. With racing boats, light laminate sails have proven to be more durable and last longer than previous racing sails.

Popular Types of Racing Sailboats

Since the goal is to be around 50 MPH and have the best handling, many options have to be considered for the type of boat to possess both. Since comfort is not a deciding factor, it is somewhat easier to narrow down a racing boat over a bluewater or cruiser boat.

The types of racing sailboats that cater to you will all depend on your budget and your main goal of use. Each series of boats has its main purpose, with some having a little bit of comfort with racing.

Yachts and Super-Sized Sailboats

Yachts that specialize in racing tend to have a solid mix between speed and comfort. With a fiberglass hull and roughly 50 feet or so in length, these boats are not easily handled by just one or two people like others or there.

With that being said, they are also the most expensive out of the group. Even with exceptionally older models, you are still easily looking at $100,000.

You can expect to see racing yacht sailboats to reach about 17 MPH. Depending on the size, they can go faster or slower.

High-Performance Cruisers

Some boats can do it all when it comes to all-around performance . If you are looking for a boat that you can race for fun but still want to take it out offshore and live on, then you need to look at high-performance cruisers that can do both.

These boats generally range between 25 to 40 feet and are similar to yachts. However, they do not have as much luxury in comparison but the price tag is not nearly as heavy.

Trailerable Sailboats

Trailerable sailboats fall into similar categories like the dinghy and small racing boats. These boats can range in length up to 27 feet but are limited in their height and weight.

These serve a purpose for just about anything to do with sailing, but the racing ones are strictly for racing. Their design is meant for speed, not the comfort of heavy-duty performance offshore.

Small Racing Sailboats

Smaller racing sailboats are built to be lighter and have practically nothing on board compared to cruisers or dinghies. Due to their smaller size, they often get mistaken for larger dinghies even though they typically range between 20 and 70 feet.

These smaller racing sailboats are related to cruising sailboats but are a bit smaller. They are cousins to sailing dinghy boats that are used for racing. They also have fin keels and utilize laminate sails.

Sailing Dinghies

Dinghies are a category of small boats that have a wide variety of uses. If you are new to boating, it is a great place to start learning due to its size and simplicity.

These typically only need one or two people at most and are no longer than 15 feet in length at max. Many of these boats are competitively raced and will also result in a wet ride no matter what you do. You will see these types of boats used in certain Olympic events.

Racing Cruising Sailboats

Cruisers have a wide range in size and length, as they range between 16 and 50 feet or more. They feature cabins for extended cruising and have standing headroom below deck if over 26 feet.

Popular brands on the market have introduced models that are fit for racing. These are great for fleet races or for boats that are associated with cruising. With that being said, it is a great compromise for boaters that enjoy racing but also want to cruise whenever they want.

The cutter features a single mast and mainsail, which is very similar to common sailboats like a sloop. A cutter sailboat has the mast further aft which allows the attachment of the jib and staysail.

In high winds, a smaller staysail can still be flown from the inner stay. This used to be a traditional racing design back in the day.

Cutters are great for both offshore and coastal cruising. In addition, they can still be utilized as a racing boat depending on the conditions.

Fractional Rig Sloop

Fractional rig sloop sailboats were popular in the 60s and 70s, but have steadily made a comeback in today's market. This sloop’s forestay will not cross at the highest point of the mast, meaning it attaches at a lower position.

On fairly windy days when you do not have to utilize full power, the fractional rig allows the crew to slightly bend the tops of the mast and flatten out sails. This greatly affects performance and is a great option for cruising, one-design races, and even handicap sailing.

Schooner Sailboats

These particular sailboats have multiple sails which are protected by two masts. These are known as the mainmast and foremast, with the foremast being close to the ship’s foredeck and a lot shorter than the mainmast.

Depending on the size of the schooner, additional masts can be added to allow more sails. These are great for offshore cruising and sailing but can be an effective racing boat.

Trimarans and Catamarans

Trimarans have three of their hulls side by side and “cats” only have two. In comparison, they both share very similar characteristics for racing and overall performance.

Trimarans are quicker and easier to build than catamarans, so, therefore, they are more common. They both have similar restrictions on space and can be used for day sailing.

In addition, they are not as stable as compared to other sailboats out there. There are still various ways to use them and they make for great racing boats since they can reach up to 10 MPH.

How Can These Boats Go Faster?

Each person will select a racing boat that fits their needs accordingly. If you enjoy racing, but continue to lose against boats that are the same, you might want to consider either your team, the technique behind it all, or the boat itself. Routine maintenance is going to be the best thing you can do when checking to see if your racing sailboat can go any faster.

The hull has to be in top shape and needs to be able to hold tension. The sails also need to be checked to make sure they are not overly stretched or worn out.

The masts also need to be of the right stiffness, as they are bending with tension from the rigging. This one might have to be professionally calibrated if you do not know how to do it, especially since every boat with its mast is going to measure differently based on size and shape.

Finally, the weight of the boat could be the determining factor in winning or losing. Make sure the weight is appropriate and the maximum amount for the boat is not exceeded.

Types of Sailboats: A Complete Guide

Jacob Collier

Born into a family of sailing enthusiasts, words like “ballast” and “jibing” were often a part of dinner conversations. These days Jacob sails a Hallberg-Rassy 44, having covered almost 6000 NM. While he’s made several voyages, his favorite one is the trip from California to Hawaii as it was his first fully independent voyage.

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024: A Legendary Challenge Awaits

As the 79th edition of the Sydney Hobart approaches, the excitement is palpable. Whether you're a seasoned sailor, an offshore racing enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys the spectacle of high-level competition, the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race promises to deliver thrilling moments, testing the limits of both yachts and crews.

Less than 100 days to go until Sydney to Hobart Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, one of the world’s most iconic and challenging offshore races, is gearing up for its 79th edition, set to begin in less than 100 days on Thursday, 26 December 2024 . This 628-nautical-mile event, known for its unforgiving conditions and competitive spirit, will once again capture the attention of sailors and spectators worldwide. Starting from Sydney Harbour and finishing in Hobart , Tasmania, this annual race represents the pinnacle of blue water sailing and is a testament to endurance, strategy, and seamanship.

The Route: A Grueling Offshore Odyssey

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is renowned not just for its length but for the treacherous nature of the journey. The race begins with a spectacular start on Sydney Harbour at 1300 hrs AEDT , where hundreds of boats jostle for position in front of a cheering crowd. From there, the fleet heads south, navigating the unpredictable conditions of the Bass Strait —a body of water known for its challenging weather, including strong winds, heavy seas, and rapidly changing conditions.

The final stretch down the east coast of Tasmania can be just as tricky, often offering complex tactical decisions as yachts negotiate the Derwent River, where the wind can die down or shift abruptly, impacting the final standings. The combination of distance, weather, and tactical nuances makes the Sydney Hobart race one of the most demanding in the world.

A Legendary Race with Global Prestige

First held in 1945, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has grown to become one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized sailing events. Each year, it draws competitors from around the globe, from professional sailors aboard cutting-edge maxis to passionate amateur crews in smaller vessels. The event has a storied history of drama, triumphs, and challenges, which has cemented its place as a must-do race for sailors seeking adventure and achievement.

Many yachts in the 2024 race will vie for the coveted Tattersall Cup , awarded to the overall winner on corrected time under the IRC rating system. Meanwhile, line honors, which go to the first yacht to cross the finish line, are another fiercely contested prize. The battle between supermaxis—60-foot-plus yachts designed for speed—always provides a thrilling spectacle.

The 2024 Fleet: A Diverse and Competitive Lineup

Entries for the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race have already opened, and sailors from around the world are eager to test their skills in this renowned event. The fleet will feature a diverse mix of yachts, from high-tech racing machines to seasoned offshore cruisers, each bringing their own strengths and strategies to the table. As of now, several prominent yachts have registered, and anticipation is building for a competitive race to Hobart.

Supermaxis like Comanche , Wild Oats XI , and Black Jack are expected to be among the top contenders for line honors, while a host of smaller and older boats, racing with experienced crews, will be in contention for overall victory on corrected time. These boats face the same course and conditions as the supermaxis, making for exciting and unpredictable results.

Key Challenges: Weather and Strategy

While the Sydney Hobart race has seen technological advancements in yacht design and navigation, the one constant challenge remains the weather. The Bass Strait is notorious for delivering fierce winds and rough seas, and many past editions of the race have been marked by storms that push yachts and crews to their limits. Strategic decisions—such as where to place the boat relative to wind shifts, when to change sails, and how to approach the unpredictable Derwent River in the race’s final stages—can make or break a campaign.

The 2024 edition is likely to be no different, with weather playing a pivotal role in determining both the speed of the race and the eventual winner. Sailors will be closely watching the forecasts, making real-time decisions on everything from sail selection to positioning.

A Spectacle for Spectators

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is not just a challenge for those on the water—it’s also a major event for spectators. The dramatic start on Sydney Harbour draws large crowds, both onshore and on the water, as hundreds of boats vie for the best positions to watch the action unfold. The sight of yachts racing out through the Sydney Heads , with spinnakers flying, is an unforgettable moment for those watching.

As the race progresses, many will follow the fleet’s progress through live tracking , as yachts make their way towards Hobart. For those in Hobart , the atmosphere is electric, as crowds gather at Constitution Dock to welcome the first boats in, often amid jubilant celebrations.

Looking Ahead: The 79th Edition and Beyond

As the 79th edition of the Sydney Hobart approaches, the excitement is palpable. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor, an offshore racing enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys the spectacle of high-level competition, the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race promises to deliver thrilling moments, testing the limits of both yachts and crews.

In the face of challenges like tough weather, strategic gambles, and tight competition, this year’s race is sure to add another chapter to the legend of one of the world’s greatest offshore challenges. Will the current record-breaking times fall? Can a new boat or crew rise to the occasion and claim victory? Only time—and the Bass Strait—will tell.

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New Yachts on the Market: Latest Racing & Cruising Designs

In the market for a racing or cruising yacht? It’s been another bumper year for the boatbuilding industry… Sam Jefferson casts his eye over the latest launches.

New yachts: cruising, wauquiez 55.

Wauquiez is a marque that has been much revered in cruising circles since they first started building elegant cruisers back in the 1960s. Their new 55 boat is definitely intriguing and one of the striking features is the centre cockpit with the helm offset to port under a well protected solid plexiglass sprayhood. Another interesting feature is the option of a swing keel which gives you an almighty 4.2m of draft when lowered and 1.6m when raised. Aside from that, the boat dares to be different by supplying two Volvo D2 engines as standard. The interior looks extremely spacious and Lombard has capitalised on full forward sections and plenty of beam to ensure that there is a huge interior space. In addition, the centre cockpit allows for a huge aft owner’s cabin.

wauquiez.com

Moody 48 DS

Moody has been under German ownership as part of the Hanse group for many years now and offers a different sort of cruiser in quality deck saloon cruisers which are designed by Judel/Vrolijk. The new 48 is the first new launch they have made since their 41 2017 and fits between the Moody 45 and 54 in their range. As you’d expect, this is a boat that is big on space and comfort, featuring a big, beamy hull with twin rudders. Performance has not been neglected, however, because she sports a generous rig to push her 21,000kg displacement through the water.

Inspirationmarine.co.uk

Hanse Yachts broke with go to designer of many years Judel/Vrolijk a couple of years back and this was the catalyst behind the launch of a new generation of Hanses designed by the French team of Berret/Racoupeau. In addition to a marked change in styling, with inverted ‘dreadnought bow and hard chines aft giving the boats a more angular look, the main drive seemed to be to up the quality of the boats down below – which was certainly achieved. The new 590 is their biggest boat yet of this new generation and offers easy sailing on a big scale. The new boat features an optional hard top bimini, a tender garage and acres of space down below. The boat will be officially unveiled at Cannes Boat show and promises to be a head turner.

New Cruising Yacht: Maxus 35

Maxus Yachts is a Polish company that made its name. building small trailerable yachts to sail on the Masurian lakes not far from the Russian border. Now the company has moved up a size bracket and their new 35 is bigger and aimed more at offshore sailing than previous designs. The result is a spacious yacht with striking styling and a semi deck saloon arrangement that bathes the saloon with natural light. It all points to promises decent performance and accommodation at a highly competitive price.

northman.pl

French manufacturer Dufour has really pumped up the volume with its latest generation of yachts. The new Umberto Felci designed 44 follows on from the 37 and 41 which have already drawn plaudits thanks to their remarkable ability to create internal volume without looking overly dumpy. The 44 continues in this vein boasting plentiful beam aft and full sections at the bow above the waterline. The interior is positively palatial and there is a choice of three or four cabin layouts.

dufour-yachts.com

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350 is the successor to the 349 which was actually launched way back in 2013. At 34’1” excluding the bowsprit she is the starter boat in the range and viewed by the French manufacturer as offering a gateway into sailing for young families.

The boat is designed by Marc Lombard and Piaton Yacht design and, as you’d expect the lines are bang up to date, offering plenty of internal volume via fuller forward sections. Like its predecessor the 349, the new boat is available with a swing keel – a real boon in UK waters. The interior is really quite large and there is the option of twin doubles aft plus a double forward.

jeanneau.com

Elan GT6 Explorer

The Elan GT6 was a very stylish fast cruiser from drawing board of rob Humphreys that has been very well received since its launch. The GT6 Explorer is, as you can imagine a variation on this theme but the manufacturers have identified rthe potential of the boat as a fast blue water cruiser and built on that. As such, the boat fuel and water tankage has been boosted as has battery power. There is also the option of an all electric version utilising Oceanvolt’s pioneering technology.

elan-yachts.com

It has been some years since Danish manufacturers X Yachts realised that if they offered a de tuned Xc cruising range alongside its out and out performance yachts, it would massively enlarge its customer base. The project was a huge success and the Xc range is now into its second generation with the launch of the Xc47. The new launch is one of the first since X Yachts divorce from founder and chief designer Niels Jeppesen and the result is a yacht that leans heavily towards the cruising market, featuring something not far from a deck saloon. The hull lines feature plenty of beam aft and there has obviously been a very conscious effort to up the cruising ante. That said, the boat retains a powerful rig and weight has been kept reasonably modest.

x-yachts.com

New Yachts: Racing

Cf 580 ran 8.

Ran 8 is one of the latest launches from the drawing board of Shaun Carkeek and is a boat that has already cut a dash by taking overall and line honours in the RORC Channel Race. This is a boat that comes from the same mould as Oystercatcher XXXV, launched to much fanfare in 2021. The new boat boasts an uprated water ballast system which is designed to reduce the number of crew required from eight to seven. In addition to this, electric propulsion has been introduced.

The boat is not designed to one particular set of rules and the main aim is simply to design a boat that will go as fast as possible in a range of conditions. The result is a boat optimised for offshore conditions, in which she will be somewhat quicker than a TP52.

carkeekdesignpartners.com

Jeanneau Sun Fast 30

The Sun Fast 30 is a VPLP project who have teamed up with Multiplast to produce a strict one design yacht at what Jeanneau feels is a competitive price. The new boat features full forward sections married to light (2,700kg) displacement, twin rudders and flat aft sections to provide a boat that planes easily and early. The boat is available in two versions: One Design and Club. The one design version features a carbon mast mainsheet track and uprated electronics pack. The Club version has an aluminium mast and a bridle for the mainsheet. The aim is to make it more affordable to club racers.

Clubswan 28: Racing

The Clubswan 28 is a something of a break from tradition for Nautor Swan who have never produced a yacht this small. She rounds off their ClubSwan range and is a pure one design racer set up for four crew. At 1000kg, this Juan Kouyoumdijan design is going to be fast but she appears to be much less technical than boats higher up the range, eschewing foils and keeping things as simple as possible. There is no accommodation.

nautorswan.com

Reichel/Pugh 56 Vasara

The design house of Reichel/Pugh has produced some memorable yachts over the years and the design brief here was for a fast, competitive yacht that was also comfortable and luxuriously appointed down below. There are a number of interesting touches. Most notably, a split backstay and square topped mainsail can be switched out for a single backstay and standard main when cruising. The keel has a substantial 4.1m depth but this can be raised to 2.4m for entering port. The interior is constructed almost exclusively out of carbon but a thin veneer of wood is placed over this to soften things up. The result is a sleek and versatile racer/cruiser.

reichel-pugh.com

New Yachts: Bluewater Cruisers

Bestavaer 36.

Bestavaer Yachts is a Dutch boatbuilder specialising in steel construction. They are reputed for building handsome steel ‘go anywhere’ yachts, generally in the 50-70’ bracket. The announcement of an all new 36 footer is therefore something of a surprise and not an unwelcome one. The new boat marries a big rig with a decent displacement ot provide a boat that is both seaworthy but none too slow. As with her bigger sisters, the 36 is designed to be a very practical ctuiser and is therefore equipped with a swing keel which will allow her to take the ground when required and the draft is a mere 0.7m with the board up and a substantial 2.4m with the board down.

bestavaer.com

Boreal Yachts sit in that very French cadre of utilitarian aluminium ‘go anywhere’ yachts much loved by soul sailors who idolise Moitessier and dream of communing with the albatross. Yet these soul sailors seem to have developed a taste for a spot of luxury too and the Boreal 70 is typical of the latest iteration of these hardy swing keel boats in that she is huge and surprisingly well appointed, boating such luxuries as a dishwasher should you so wish to choose that option. Sacre bleu! Nevertheless, this is a tough go anywhere cruiser which is at home in the tropics or the high latitudes.

boreal-yachts.com

Hallberg Rassy 69

Swedish manufacturer Hallberg Rassy is an institution in the world of blue water cruising. Yet it’s an institution that isn’t afraid to evolve and many were shocked when the boatbuilder started to introduce twin rudders and broader aft sections to its designs. The 69 is another step forward, being the largest boat ever built by the Swedes and nudging towards the cadre of pocket superyacht. The boat is designed by German Frers and features a big rig and contemporary lines familiar to those who are familiar with the most recent launches from the yard. The difference with the 69 is she is just a lot bigger and more luxurious. Far not though, the trademark Hallberg Rassy armchairs are still an option.

hallberg-rassy.com

Contest 63CS

Dutch boatbuilder Contest is famed for building high quality blue water cruisers and their all new 63CS looks straight out of that playbook. Designed by their go to nabal architects Judel/Vrolijk, this is a big, luxurious cruising yacht that will boat good performance particularly for those who love a spot of tradewind sailing. This is a centre cockpit yacht with a relatively modest 31,900kg displacement and a decent sail area pointing to a very versatile long distance cruiser.

contestyachts.com

New Yachts: Performance Cruisers

Grand soleil blue.

Italian manufacturer Grand Soleil seems to have been producing ever larger cruiser/racers so news of the launch of the Grand soleil Blue, a 30’ weekender is welcome. The boat is very interesting as it is the first fully recyclable production yacht built in Italy and features biodegradable resins in construction meaning that the boat ban be separated out and re used at the end of the boats life. The boat also features and electric motor and sails made of recycled materiels. The design is clearly performance oriented but there is pleasant and stylish weekend accommodation.

grandsoleil.net

Saffier SL 46

Dutch manufacturer Saffier Yachts has specialised in turning out fast, stylish weekend sailers with an emphasis on performance and ease of use. That is, until now. By launching the new SL 46 the boatbuilders has moved into an altogether new realm as this boat is unquestionably a cruiser/racer capable of offshore passages. This is an intriguing move, as it pitches Saffier against a plethora of established operators such as Grand Soleil, Italia Yachts, even Beneteau and Jeanneau. Anyway, the SL 46 looks the part, featuring modern aggressive styling couple to a big rig, light displacement and a deep, T-shaped keel. The interior looks stylish and luxurious and the boat is available with the option of a tender garage – something of an oddity in a 46 footer.

saffieryachts.com

Tofinou 7.9

The new Tofinou 7.9 follows in the vein of other yachts in their range in that she is a performance oriented modern classic day sailer. As the name suggests, the boat is 7.9m making her the smallest boat in the range and she is available with a swing keel or fixed T shaped keel. The boat is available with an electric outboard or a diesel inboard and offers a blend of lustrous woods and light carbon laminates which gives the boat a classy air while also promising exhilarating sailing. There is also a small double berth forward if you do want to spend a night afloat.

tofinou.com

La Rochelle based RM Yachts has made a name for itself by being the last company standing when it comes to the mass production of epoxy/ply yachts. This is partly because it’s hideously complicated to put together an epoxy/ply yacht. The result, however, is a lightweight yacht that is stiff and strong. RM has made a name for building sporty cruiser/racers with the option of lift, fixed or bilge keels. The 1080 is a welcome mid sized addition to their range. Designed by Marc Lombard, the 1080 features plenty of beam aft, fullish forward sections and generous sail area. The looks are distinctive and the cockpit layout is innovative plus interior space is impressive.

rm-yachts.com

New Yachts on Show

Cannes Boat Show 2024: Top Six New Boats
Southampton Boat Show 2024: Top 6 New Boats

INEOS Britannia Win: Ben Ainslie’s Team in Louis Vuitton Cup Final

Sailing La Vagabonde: Digital Nomads at Sea & New Boating App

Yacht Sharing Guide: Best Ownership Options & Schemes

Offering a wealth of practical advice and a dynamic mix of in-depth boat, gear and equipment news, Sailing Today is written cover to cover by sailors, for sailors. Since its launch in 1997, the magazine has sealed its reputation for essential sailing information and advice.

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I Loved Tudor’s Sailing Watch Even More While Aboard an Actual Racing Yacht

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The weather report in Barcelona wasn’t looking particularly promising last month as I boarded a vessel on the Mediterranean. Leaving the Spanish coast behind me, storm clouds gathered overhead as the Swiss and French teams geared up to face off in the 37th edition of the America’s Cup. Then again, I was reminded, a bit of wind was a welcome sensation—without it, this regatta couldn’t get underway.

If you’ve never been buzzed by an AC75, the class of racing yacht used during the current America’s Cup , it can be difficult to imagine the sensation. I no longer had to imagine as the Alinghi Red Bull team’s AC75 reached its top speed of 50 knots (58 mph) and seemed to be nearly levitating as it lifted out of the water. And if it’s flying in anything resembling your general direction, this can be quite unnerving.

Even if you’re not a sailor, you’re likely familiar with America’s Cup anyway because of how frequently it intersects with the watch world. Tudor , Omega , and Panerai have all gotten in on the action, the logos of their storied brands featured prominently on mainsheets attached to each vessel’s 26.5-meter mast. For each edition of the Cup in which one of these maisons is sponsoring a team, said company will often debut a special watch, sometimes with a dedicated sailing complication such as a regatta timer. Two of the most compelling of these watches were introduced just last year: Tudor’s Pelagos FXD and FXD Chrono Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition . As I discovered earlier this month, they become even more compelling aboard the actual yacht they’re inspired by.

Image may contain Clothing Hat Person Transportation Vehicle Yacht Adult Helmet Accessories Glasses and People

The racing yacht wasn't the only thing that made me feel like a member of team Alinghi that day. I also got a chance to wear the FXD from Tudor's Pelagos line. The Pelagos collection comprises the brand's most professional diving watch, complete with heavy-duty specs, some military influence, and perhaps a bit more character than the brand’s flagship Black Bay collection. Introduced in 2012, the Pelagos line has seen continuous improvement, culminating in the recent “ FXD .” (The “FXD” is for “fixed,” a design with military provenance that secures a strap to the wrist without possibility of spring bar failure.) The black-dialed FXD immediately stole my heart upon its release late in 2023, when I dove with it in Florida.

I wasn’t the only one wearing this purpose-made FXD. The entire Alinghi Red Bull racing team—from team owner to engineer—was kitted out with them. For me, it’s a cool watch; for the sailing team, it’s essential gear. Timing is everything out on the open water. “We use a watch [the Pelagos FXD] that’s in complete sync with what we do here,” says Jaume Triay, a young engineer on the Alinghi Red Bull team who’s spent the past two years living in Barcelona to prepare for the competition. “It’s a low-weight, high-performance watch, and it’s made out of the same materials [as the AC75]; I think there’s a nice synergy.”

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Everything about the Alinghi FXD is made with yacht racing in mind. The watch is made from carbon fiber to mirror the carbon-hulled AC75 yachts, with matte blue-purple dials to match the Alinghi Red Bull livery. The numbers on the bezel are arranged in the reverse orientation from those on a dive watch. Why? On a yacht, one needs to quickly calculate countdowns, which is why the numbers go from 60-0 in a counterclockwise direction, rather than the more common 0-60. I had never spent much time with either of the new FXD watches before, but had the opportunity to wear the time-only version during my time in Barcelona for the 37th edition of the America’s Cup. I’m officially a fan.

Everywhere You Can Buy the Omega MoonSwatch Online

The dial is a classic Tudor affair: Done up in matte Alinghi Red Bull blue, it features a snowflake handset and matching white indices, all of which are nicely lumed with plenty of Super-LumiNova. (The indices, hands, and all bezel hashmarks glow ice blue in low light.) A red second hand matches up with red “Pelagos” text—no doubt in a reference to vintage Rolex models and in keeping with other Pelagos watches—and the rehaut, which contains the outer minute track, features the words “ALINGHI RED BULL RACING” in the upper quadrant.

“Timing is important in many aspects [of what the team does],” Triay says. “It’s important in planning, such as how much time we need to train before competing, and how much time we have to design the boat. But then also, you can think about maneuvers: Are we going to do a slow, nicely controlled maneuver, or a sharp turn executed as quickly as possible? What is best, and how do you find replicable timing in order to analyze different strategies?”

Indeed, timing was everything as we sailed out into the open ocean outside Barcelona aboard the yacht in order to watch Alinghi compete against the French team. The Swiss needed to win this particular race, lest it be forced to win three in a row in the double-round robin of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Section Series—or face elimination. I was eager to try aligning my bezel to properly time the race countdown as announced aboard the ship’s television, where the race was being broadcast live.

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Stepping out onto the deck in the rain (we picked a poor day for sailing) Alinghi’s AC75 was visible in the distance, tacking hard in the driving wind and water. Its complement of ultra-skilled sailors, however, proved their competence and seamanship, crossing the starting line just as the countdown ended and gaining a significant start on the French team. Roughly 20 minutes of hard sailing later, up and down a course established by remote-controlled buoys to align with the direction of the wind, the Swiss team captured its much-needed victory.

After the win, high-fives were swapped, congratulations were offered, audible sighs of relief were exhaled. As we sailed back into harbor, we passed the AC75 furling its sails, yelling our collective “mazel tov” at the team and chase boat crews. I glanced down at the FXD and thought back to my childhood summer camp experience and the activity I most enjoyed: Sailing small Sunfish dinghies on Plunkett Reservoir. I haven’t sailed in over 20 years, but the thought suddenly crossed my mind: Maybe it’s time to sail again—Pelagos fixed firmly on wrist.

Bayesian yacht sinking: Horror of those trapped in bedrooms described by former captain

LIVE – Updated at 11:14

A former captain of the Bayesian has described the terrifying obstacles facing those trapped in the cabins as the Bayesian superyacht overturned killing seven.

Stephen Edwards, who captained the Bayesian for five years until 2020, told The Telegraph : “Those who stayed curled up in bed were in the worst situation.

“The storm hit hard, placing them in the melee of flying furniture, glass and other items,” he said adding he had spoken to traumatised crew members.

“Inside the cabins, the only way to think of this is that people were lying in their beds one minute, and the next the room was on its side, totally dark, with the door now either in the floor or in the ceiling above.”

It came as divers race to retrieve Mike Lynch’s personal hard drives locked in a safe on the ocean floor, according to reports.

Italian newspaper la Repubblica reported that the tech billionaire, whose clients included MI5, the NSA and the Israeli secret service, didn’t trust confidential documents on the cloud and kept two encrypted hard drives in a safe which now lies 49 metres below sea level.

Italian navy recover video equipment

Two encrypted hard drives of Mike Lynch remain 49m underwater locked in safe - report

Professor fears more deaths by ‘medicanes’ after Bayesian tragedy

Mike lynch’s yacht was ‘unsinkable’, says boss of company who built boat.

Seven key unanswered questions around the sinking of the Bayesian

Mike Lynch net worth: How the billionaire made his money

Mike Lynch was frequently described as the Bill Gates of Britain for founding Autonomy – one of the biggest software firms on the planet

Former captain describes horror of those trapped in cabins

Stephen Edwards, who captained the Bayesian for five years until 2020, told the Telegraph that he had spoken to crew members onboard during the sinking who recounted the horrors facing those onboard.

He said: “The storm hit hard, placing them in the melee of flying furniture, glass and other items.

“Some had made it to the saloon at this point and they are the ones who survived, as their route outside would have been a little clearer.

“Cabinets crashed open as the catches were weak, resulting in glassware and crockery falling out. I’m told almost all the furniture broke loose inside the boat.”

Mike Lynch’s wife, along with 14 others, survived and were rescued by a nearby vessel that was unscathed.

Italian Navy divers have recovered video surveillance equipment from the wreckage of billionaire Mike Lynch’s Bayesian superyacht that could explain how it sank.

The British tech tycoon’s boat had been moored near the port of Porticello on 19 August when it sank during the early hours of the morning. It is now lying 50m below the surface.

Among those killed were Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, who had been due to begin studying at Oxford University in September, as well as four other family friends and associates.

Divers hunting for clues on how Mike Lynch’s superyacht sank make discovery

What happens now weeks after tragic sinking?

Prosecutors are investigating the captain , New Zealander James Cutfield, and two crew members for possible responsibility in connection with the sinking.

Mr Cutfield is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges. Tim Parker Eaton — the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room — and sailor Matthew Griffith — who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster — are now under investigation for the same possible charges, their lawyer said.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is heading the investigation, has said his team will consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

Investigators are focusing on how a sailing vessel deemed “unsinkable” by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed. They added raising the Bayesian and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key elements to the investigation.

Maritime director of western Sicily, Rear Admiral Raffaele Macauda of the coastguard, could not confirm how long it would take to retrieve the shipwreck of the sunken yacht, adding recovering the fuel tanks was a “priority for us because it has environmental knock-on effects”.

Special forces divers and robots search Mike Lynch’s sunken Bayesian yacht for clues

Specialist military divers are currently searching the sunken Bayesian yacht for clues as to why it sunk in a freak storm off the coast of Siciliy, killing seven passengers.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s boat had been moored near the port of Porticello on 19 August when it sank during the early hours of the morning, and is now lying 50 metres below the surface of the water.

About six divers from the Italian navy ’s Comsubin unit are investigating the superyacht for electronic equipment, which includes data storage and CCTV and to see if doors were left open during the storm.

Holly Evans reports:

Chris Morvillo and wife drowned aboard Bayesian

Italian authorities said the first post-mortem examinations on the victims had been carried out on US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda . The results confirmed that the pair had drowned.

Morvillo was a partner at Clifford Chance, a white-collar law firm. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor who investigated the September 11 terror attacks, according to the New York Post .

Investigators hope to recover data on sinking of Bayesian

Navy divers recovered hard drives of the video surveillance system on board the Bayesian hopefully revealing the final moments before the tragic sinking of the superyacht.

In the engine room there were the hard disks that catalogued the parameters regarding the electric and thermal propulsion.

“We hope to be able to read something from the media”, an investigator told La Repubblica. They added “Unfortunately they are standard models that are not resistant to water and pressure”.

There was no black box on board the 700-tonne sailing vessel that sank in minutes. It was not required to have one, as it was not a commercial cruise ship.

'Mike Lynch files may be target for hostile spy agencies’

Divers are searching the sea floor for Mike Lynch’s high-tech hard drives before they can fall into enemy hands reports La Repubblica - Italy’s second-biggest newspaper.

Sources told the paper the disks held: “the great digital archive of the IT entrepreneur whose clients included the British MI5, the American NSA and the Israeli services”.

The Italian newspaper said the “super drives” are protected by “cutting-edge encryption”.

The Sun reported the drives now could be a target for the hostile spy agencies of Russia, China, and Iran as they seek to steal valuable secrets.

Autopsies reveal cause of death of US lawyer and wife onboard Mike Lynch’s superyacht

Autopsies have been carried out on a couple who drowned on Mike Lynch’s superyacht when it sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

Seven lives were lost when the British-flagged boat, called the Bayesian, went down in a freak storm while anchored near the Sicilian capital of Palermo on 19 August.

Darktrace to be taken over after Mike Lynch’s death

Darktrace shares are set to stop trading publicly at the end of September, after the company set a timetable for its blockbuster private equity takeover to be completed.

The private equity group Thoma Bravo struck an almost 5.31 billion dollar (£4.3 billion) deal to buy Darktrace in April.

Darktrace AI interrupts in-progress cyber-attacks in seconds, including ransomware, email phishing, and threats to cloud environments.

It marks one of the biggest take-private deals for a London-listed company in recent years, and will see Darktrace leave the FTSE 100 on October 1.

Poppy Gustafsson helped to set up the Cambridge-based company in 2013 alongside Autonomy founder Mike Lynch.

Mr Lynch, and his daughter Hannah, were among seven people to die after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

Bodies flown back to UK on private planes - report

The bodies of Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, 18, and the other victims of the Bayesian disaster have been flown back to their families after their post-mortems, according to reports.

They were repatriated on private planes, with their private funerals expected to be held over the coming days, Italian media reports.

The British tech tycoon ’s boat had been moored near the port of Porticello on 19 August when it sank during the early hours of the morning . It is now lying 50m below the surface.

Among those killed were Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, who had been due to begin studying at Oxford University in September, as well as four other family friends and associates .

Jonathan Bloomer, the international chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank; his wife Judith, a psychotherapist; Christopher Morvillo, a US lawyer; and his wife Neda, a jewellery designer also died in the sinking.

Also killed was the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, whose body was recovered floating near the wreckage.

Four victims found with carbon dioxide in lungs

Tech billionaire Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, 18, and five other people died when the Bayesian went down in a downburst, which is similar to a small tornado.

Chef Recaldo Thomas, Jonathan Bloomer, the Morgan Stanley International bank chairman, his wife Judy, and Chris Morvillo, a Clifford Chance lawyer, and his wife Neda, were the other victims of the August 19 tragedy.

Four of the victims are feared to have suffocated to death in air bubbles that filled with carbon dioxide, according to their autopsies raising the frightening possibility that they may have been conscious after the yacht sank, according to Italian news outlet La Republica.

Fifteen people, including Angela Bacares, Lynch’s wife, survived when they were rescued by a nearby yacht.

Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, said there are no flaws with the design and construction of the Bayesian and it is “one of the safest boats in the world”.

The Bayesian, a 184-ft superyacht carrying 22 passengers and crew, was anchored off the port of Porticello, near Palermo, when it disappeared beneath the waves in a matter of minutes after a freak tornado struck.

“The ship sank because it took on water, from where investigators will have to say,” Mr Costantino told television news programme TG1.

He suggested that the sinking was down to a series of human errors.

The CEO said that had the crew shut all doors and hatches, turned on the engine, lifted the anchor, lowered the keel and turned the yacht to face the wind, they would have suffered “zero damage”.

He added that data showed it took 16 minutes from when the wind began for it to sink.

Cartoisio said the tragedy will be even more painful if the sinking was caused by “behaviours that were not aligned to the responsibilities that everyone needs to take in shipping”.

Bodies of Mike Lynch and daughter Hannah flown back to families after Bayesian superyacht sinking

The bodies of those who died after the billionaire Mike Lynch’s Bayesian superyacht sunk off the coast of Sicily have been flown back to their families by private jet.

Italian publication Giornale di Sicilia reported post-mortem examinations were completed at a Palermo hospital and the bodies have now been returned.

My colleague Tom Watling reports:

Bodies of Mike Lynch and daughter flown back to UK after Bayesian tragedy

Captain gives his account of tragic sinking

Captain James Cutfield previously gave his terrifying account before invoking his right to remain silent.

According to Correire, he told prosecutors: “Seaman Griffiths came to wake me up and told me that there were 20 knots of wind.

“I looked at the instruments and indeed that was the case. I went out immediately and asked them to warn everyone because I didn’t like the situation.”

He said the Bayesian tilted 45 degrees “and remained like that for a bit and then suddenly fell to the right.

“We were catapulted into the sea”.

Seaman Matthew Griffiths, 22, said: “We somehow climbed back up to the bridge and tried to form a human chain to save those who managed to reach that gap from the accommodation deck ... they were struggling on the walls because the boat was lying in the water.

“The first in the chain was the captain who stretched down. He helped everyone, the ladies, the mother with the little girl ... But we were sinking and unfortunately some didn’t make it .”

Mr Griffiths joins fellow Brit Tim Parker-Eaton, 56, and Kiwi skipper James Cutfield, 51, on the official list of those being formally investigated for shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.

Being investigated does not equate to being charged and is a procedural step.

Professor Yoav Yair, Dean of the School of Sustainability at Reichman University in Israel, told the Mirror that storms dubbed ‘medicanes’ - Mediterranean hurricanes - could cause similar sinkings like the Bayesian superyacht.

He said: “It is not a matter of if this (the Bayesian disaster) will happen again, but rather it’s when and where.

“In the last couple of years we have seen medicanes - which are a new phenomena. These are hurricane-like storms that pack a lot of energy, and create flash flooding, torrential rains, lightning, hail and severe sustained winds. The 2023 “Daniel” medicane destroyed Libya and caused over 30,000 deaths there.

“The sea surface temperature has risen globally and in the Med as well, charging the atmosphere with increased fluxes of water vapor, which means a higher potential for massive storms.”

Yachting World

Digital Edition

Best performance yachts: Our pick of the top options

Toby Hodges
March 10, 2023

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the performance yachts 2022 category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year . As such the boats nominated by the jury in the performance yachts category can be considered the best of the best.

This year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional definitive style of performance cruiser to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight planing cruiser – and even a new brand of sports catamarans for the thrill seekers.

Three Italian pure performance yachts and two very different yachts built in Slovenia made for a varied and exciting Performance Yachts category.

Best performance yachts

Winner best performance yachts 2023 – beneteau first 36.

Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it’s been much more the sexy, perormance yachts the Italian yards specialise in. But as French yards like Pogo and JPK have proven, there’s growing enthusiasm for lightweight planing yachts – and the First 36 is the first real production yacht in that spirit.

Here’s a yacht that puts the focus firmly back into sailing. The First 36 has been kept inviting and approachable – unlike many yachts that can plane, the look is modest, not aggressive. It’s uncomplicated, unfussy and the result is a pleasure for all to sail. It’s more about what you can’t see, the design and engineering, which should ensure longterm demand.

The small, fiddly heads compartment and lack of tiller options are perhaps the only real detraction from an otherwise brilliant collaboration by Seascape and Beneteau, from concept to build quality.

It was their goal to keep this area of the market relevant and prove a mainstream brand can do it, rather than only niche specialist yards. To create a mass produced yacht at this weight and to this foam-cored quality and one that can bring so much fun is a feather in the cap of the First brand.

Grand Soleil 40

The Grand Soleil 40 is an archetypal Med cruiser-racer, and an absolute delight to sail – a feature I’ve learned that Matteo Polli designs tend to share (he also drew the Ecoracer). We sailed the race set up with ORC keel (an IRC version is available too) and six winches, an extended bowsprit and a taller mast. It was one of my most memorable trials of the season in 10-12 knots, with the deep and forward positioned rudder giving plenty of control and lovely direct steering.

The three cabin interior can have one or two heads and different galley options, the cabins are a good size with modest stowage, and it’s all tastefully styled by masters Nauta.

Italia yachts 12.98

At 5ft longer and from the board of Cossutti (who Polli once worked under), the Italia Yachts 12.98 is another cruiser-racer in the same grain as the GS40, but with a markedly different looking white interior. We sailed the ‘Bellissima’ cruising version, which 80% of customers have opted for.

Italia’s yard is now in Fano and its one-shot infused vinylester build looks impressive. However, the deck lacks some refinement and practical stowage, while the three cabin interior isn’t voluminous by today’s standards.

This is a slippery yacht that has a lovely, light feel on the single rudder – the interior styling will be the deal breaker for most.

Solaris Yachts on the other hand has perfected its recipe, tripling its yard size to cater to demand for its sexy Acebal-designed performance yachts.

The Solaris 50 we tested in 2015 and which won this award was arguably the turning point that propelled the brand’s popularity. The owner of the new 50 we tested previously had the original 50 and a 58 and confirms this replacement has nearly the same space as the 58, yet is faster, more powerful and stable than its predecessor (we easily matched 7-8 knot winds under gennaker).

It heels onto its chine and accelerates well, while twin rudders provide ample control. The design prioritises helming experience but the yard needs to come up with a better helm seat option. The interior is well executed, especially the spacious forward owner’s cabin.

The Elan E6 is a big 47-footer, high and beamy and one that leans more towards spirited cruising with generous accommodation over racing. That said, extensive options allow you to tailor it either way, including foam cored furniture and a taller carbon mast for those looking for extra oomph.

It’s a fine collaboration between Humphreys Yacht Design, Gurit, Pininfarina and Elan, while an impressive standard spec includes a carbon sprit and six winches.

The E6 is fun to sail at various angles and gives a nice, sporty feel on the helm – it likes to heel but has plenty of grip and tracks well.

The cockpit is deep and comfortable, with good optional protection and there’s ample deck stowage. A really smart three (or four) cabin interior shows a high standard of construction, finish and styling. It is bulky and you pay for the size in weight, but it looks good and Elan knows how to build a great boat for the price.

Best performance yachts 2022

Winner best performance yachts 2022 – jpk 39fc.

Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined the modern performance cruiser: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39 is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infused construction and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed had plenty of stowage too.

It looks different, behaves beautifully and stands up to its canvas, is designed to sail efficiently with a loaded displacement, and has a deck set-up to encourage you to trim it to your heart’s content. My only slight negative is the unnerving mess the cockpit can become as there are so many control lines.

This lightweight blast will best suit experienced sailors and those comfortable with short-handed sailing. And it guarantees smiles.

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One such sports catamaran is the IC36, an exciting first offering from a new Czech brand that’s packed with fresh thinking. The first turbo version of this cruising catamaran (Independence) is built using a carbon fibre crossbeam, bowsprit, boards and rudders, epoxy hulls, plus a custom Pauger rotating mast, which all serve to keep weight below three tonnes.

It provided some spirited sailing, particularly when fetching at a measured pace of 10-13.5 knots with the code 0. The direct feel of tiller steering while seated in the low rotating bucket seats was a highlight.

The finish quality in the hulls is first class and there is somehow space for up to eight berths. The coachroof features a retractable bimini and removable vinyl side panels and solar panels, while the cockpit table, which includes an exterior galley, is also removable.

In fact the IC36 can be dismantled to 2.55m beam to make it legally trailable. It has so many options and ideas – too many perhaps – all reflected in the price.

Monohull enthusiasts will share our congratulations to J-Boats for its elegant new flagship. The J/45 won the hearts of the jury and made for a long drawn out decision against the JPK. In the end the two yachts will appeal to different sailors and tastes.

J has stayed true to its roots, yet still managed to bring a current, classy new offering. The unmistakable Alan Johnstone lines have been paired with a contemporary, warm European interior designed by Isabelle Racopeau, while much focus has been paid to the joinerwork and the invisible quality. We saw the two cabin version, which has an excellent technical cabin in place of the second aft cabin.

The J/45 is designed to still perform when loaded with cruising gear. True to J’s reputation, it was a witch upwind and could outpoint anything else during our trials. The compromise is that it won’t plane easily like a JPK or Pogo.

The Solaris 40 is another looker from Soto Acebal and the blue steel metallic hull colour of the test boat made the powerful hull shape really stand out.

We liked the recessed traveller, direct steering to the twin rudders, neat folding helm seats, clutches integrated into the coamings and the easy access to the side decks. However, the jury found the cockpit with its short benches and deck design a little too flat and minimalist.

The interior is smart and contemporary, again offered with two or three cabins with two heads it makes good use of the space.

One of the yachts I was looking forward to sailing most was the Pogo 44, and the only one shortlisted that I didn’t manage to! A collision with the photographer’s RIB shortly before my scheduled trial put it out of action.

However, my colleague Rupert Holmes did a full Pogo 44 test and report on it for Yachting World and describes the 44 as designed to thrill and unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size. The stability from the beamy hull and deep lifting keel combines brilliantly with the ability to sail fast easily and in comfort. However some jury members didn’t like having to rely on an autopilot to use winches.

The interior is like a loft apartment, with so much natural light – it’s minimalist yet comfortable, spacious and practical for cruising.

If you enjoyed this….

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IMAGES

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Four 100ft Super Maxi Yachts head to the Gold Coast in the 33rd Noakes
Sailing Yacht Whitehawk racing in the first day of the Shipyard Cup
PHOTOS: Start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014 >> Scuttlebutt
Inside The Wild World Of Super-Maxi Yacht Racing
Inside The Wild World Of Super-Maxi Yacht Racing

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Dogfight to Cross The Equator
Stockmaritime 3X1 Carbon Racer: TPE001 Maiden
Hodgdon Yachts launched 100 ft. Sailing Yacht "Comanche"
RACE REPORT
Stockmaritime 3x1 Carbon Racing Yacht: Light-Wind Sail Performance
Racing Yacht "Comanche"

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Yacht racing
Yacht racing is a sailing sport involving sailing yachts and larger sailboats, as distinguished from dinghy racing, which involves open boats. It is composed of multiple yachts, in direct competition, racing around a course marked by buoys or other fixed navigational devices or racing longer distances across open water from point-to-point. It ...
What is Yacht Racing? (Here's All You Need To Know)
Yacht racing is an exciting and popular sport with events and races held all over the world. From the world-famous Americas Cup to local regattas, there are races and events of all sizes and skill levels. The Americas Cup is the oldest and most prestigious yacht race in the world, with the first race held in 1851.
The America's Cup: Everything you need to know about the sailing
The America's Cup is considered the pinnacle of yacht racing. Every four years, teams compete for the oldest trophy in international sport in yachts that represent the cutting edge of yacht design and technology. This is a magnet for the world's most talented sailors. It is notoriously difficult to win, and the opportunity comes only once ...
Everything you need to know about the 37th America's Cup
The America's Cup will be held in 2024 in Barcelona. Racing in the 37th America's Cup Match itself, which is a best of 13 (first to seven) format will start on Saturday 12th October 2024 and ...
Yacht racing, sailing news, events and blogs
Swan 65 test: The triumphant return of a true sailing icon. Read more. Yacht racing, sailing news, events and blogs from Yachting World, covering the world's biggest yacht races.
Sail GP: how do supercharged racing yachts go so fast? An engineer explains
The other innovation that helps boost the speed of racing yachts is the use of rigid sails. The power available from traditional sails to drive the boat forward is relatively small, limited by the ...
SailGP
In SailGP, five-member crews representing six countries race identical F50 foiling catamarans in the world's most famous harbours. Complex control systems an...
What you Need to Know About Yacht Racing
Yacht racing provides the opportunity to sharpen up all of those skills that sailors know they have. So We're hoisting the mainsail, we're hoisting the jib, we're trimming the mainsail, we're trimming the jib, we're flying a spinnaker. A spinnaker could be a complicated thing, in waves, in breezy conditions, there's a lot to manage. ...
The boom in around the world racing for all
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede 's winning yacht in 2019 was a Rustler 36, of which secondhand models change hands for around £80-100,000. "You can't win the race with money, as boats and equipment ...
World Sailing
The official website of World Sailing with information about sailors, international regattas, events, boat classes, member federations and rankings across fleet racing, match racing, para sailing and e-sailing.
The History of Yacht Racing
The race, which was held on the River Thames, was a competition between two of the king's yachts: the Catherine and the Mary. Catherine won, and the sport of yacht racing was born. Yacht racing became popular among the European aristocracy in the following years. In 1720, the first recorded yacht club was founded in Cork, Ireland.
Different Types of Sailing and Racing Explained
windward/leeward - racing course with one windward and leeward leg. passage or course - maneuvering around multiple marks (for example buoys) fleet racing - the most common race form where a fleet of sailboats go around a course. match racing - identical yachts trying to finish first in a single race.
Boat racing
Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water.Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, [1] and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other water-borne craft for as long as such watercraft have existed. [2]A regatta is a series of boat races. [3] The term comes from the Venetian language, with ...
Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay
Join us for the YRA Year-End Trophy Party! We're celebrating the end of the 2023 YRA Racing Year at Richmond Yacht Club on Saturday, November 18th.... September 1, 2023.
The Engineering and Design Behind Modern Racing Yachts
What is the "America's Cup" boat race? In 1851, a schooner called America won a novel sailing race around the Isle of Wight, England, against a fleet of British yachts. For this achievement ...
Racing Rules
Explore the official Racing Rules of Sailing, governing sailboat and sailboard racing, revised every four years by World Sailing.
Types of Racing Sailboats
There are many types of racing sailboats that range from one-man dinghies all the way to 100-foot yachts. Some racing sailboats are classified as keel boats, multi-hull, and even a tower ship. These boats are built primarily for speed, so comfort is usually an afterthought depending on the brand. For racing sailboats, each one is going to fit ...
World's Most Advanced Hydrofoil Boats Fly Above Water
With razor-sharp hydrofoil catamarans that help them hit speeds of 60 miles an hour, the athletes of SailGP are pushing the limits of physics and human endur...
Yacht
A 45-foot cruising yacht in 2010 The superyacht Azzam, the longest private yacht, as of 2018. [1]A yacht (/ j ɒ t /) is a sail- or motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. [2] [3] [4] There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use.To be termed a yacht, as opposed to a boat, such a pleasure vessel ...
America's Cup boats: 8 facts about the AC75 and why they're unique
2 A storm onboard the AC75. Related to the speeds the boats are sailing through the water, particularly upwind, is the wind speeds the sailors will feel on deck. When sailing, the forward motion ...
Racing Rules of Sailing
Rules; Racing Rules of Sailing for 2013-2016; Version 6: December 2015: Racing Rules of Sailing for 2017-2020: August 2017: Racing Rules of Sailing for 2021-2024
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024: A Legendary Challenge Awaits
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, one of the world's most iconic and challenging offshore races, is gearing up for its 79th edition, set to begin in less than 100 days on Thursday, 26 December 2024.This 628-nautical-mile event, known for its unforgiving conditions and competitive spirit, will once again capture the attention of sailors and spectators worldwide.
New Yachts on the Market: Latest Racing & Cruising Designs
x-yachts.com. New Yachts: Racing CF 580 Ran 8. Ran 8 is one of the latest launches from the drawing board of Shaun Carkeek and is a boat that has already cut a dash by taking overall and line honours in the RORC Channel Race. This is a boat that comes from the same mould as Oystercatcher XXXV, launched to much fanfare in 2021.
Britannia advances in America's Cup while American Magic stays alive
INEOS Britannia has advanced to the final of the America's Cup playoffs while NYYC American Magic took advantage of a mid-race failure on the boat of Italy's Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli to keep alive its hopes of pulling off an unexpected comeback in the semifinals.
I Loved Tudor's Sailing Watch Even More While Aboard an Actual Racing Yacht
The racing yacht wasn't the only thing that made me feel like a member of team Alinghi that day. I also got a chance to wear the FXD from Tudor's Pelagos line.
Bayesian yacht sinking: Horror of those trapped in bedrooms described
Also killed was the yacht's chef, Recaldo Thomas, whose body was recovered floating near the wreckage. Four victims found with carbon dioxide in lungs Tuesday 17 September 2024 14:44 , Barney Davis
Best performance yachts: Our pick of the top options
Italia yachts 12.98. At 5ft longer and from the board of Cossutti (who Polli once worked under), the Italia Yachts 12.98 is another cruiser-racer in the same grain as the GS40, but with a markedly ...
Guernsey rowers aiming for top 10 in Loch Ness race
In 2023, 100 crews and 420 competitors from all over the World took part in the race. The current record for the 21-mile course is held by the Great British 8s who clocked a time of two hours and ...
The Sailors Hoping to Win the America's Cup—by Pedaling Bikes
The Sailors Hoping to Win the America's Cup—by Pedaling Bikes A change in this year's rules has given rise to a special class of sailors known as "cyclors," who generate enormous power ...
LIVE: Mannar Mahatma Boat Race 2024
Watch the thrilling Mannar Mahatma Boat Race LIVE, exclusively streamed by Group NTBR! Join us for an adrenaline-packed experience as the best boat teams com...