VIRGIN MOJITO 650

On a small cruising boat, more than on a bigger one, it makes sense to maximize hull form stability and interior living space and that's what Mojito 650 is about. But its hull is not only designed to maximize space but also to offer maximum performance downwind. It is the one of the Maxi 650, the mini-racer that is a winner in the mini-class races.

There are differences, starting on the displacement, 950kg on the racer, 1200kg on the Mojito and on the sail area that is (upwind) respectively 44sqm and 38sqm. The keels are different too, a torpedo one on the racer and a swing one, with all the ballast on the keel, on the cruising boat even if this one can also have the racing keel.

It has a 1.60m draft on the fixed keel and 0.80/1.85m on the swing one. The superior area upwind on the racing boat, on a lighter boat, indicates a bigger B/D but both boats are certified as class C boats. That is not a good reference in what regards final and safety stability. Unfortunately, neither IDB neither David Raison, the designer, disclose the ballast in any of the boats.

It is very difficult to reunite on such a small boat the qualifications to have it certified as a class A boat, but not impossible as the Mini-racer Pogo3 demonstrates. I find odd the Virgin Mojito 650 not to be certified on at least Class B and certainly if I was interested in buying one I would certainly want to know more about the boat stability, particularly about RM at 90º, final stability, AVS and downflooding angle.

I have no doubt that the overall stability, due to the huge beam (3.0m) and the shape of the hull, with its rounded bow, will be a good one for a hull with 6.50m length, and I have no doubt that it will have an excellent performance downwind, a  very good one while beam reaching and even a satisfactory one upwind with the deep swinging keel (1.85m) help, at least on a flat sea.

The relatively good performance upwind may sound strange but the truth is that the racer, on a flat sea has an upwind performance as good as the one of a racer with a normal bow, or even slightly better due to more stability and the ability to carry more sail.

Of course, due to a lesser B/D the cruiser will not have such a good performance but I believe that even so, it would not be a bad one if we take into account the boat's large beam and understand that performance will degrade rapidly if waves are to be met, especially short-period waves, like the ones that are common on the Med or on the Baltic.

On such a small boat I find these trade-offs perfectly acceptable (with a reserve for the final stability) and the Virgin Mojito 650 has the potential to have a surprisingly good cruising interior, the layout showing an innovative galley solution and lots of storage. 

We will see if they manage to materialize that potential on the prototype that has already the hull and the cabin built, and it looks good!

About the way it is built, that at the IDB shipyard is normally a good one, I cannot say much because they don't use the habitual core material but they say this boat is"eco-innovative" and use a core made with linen, PET and cork. 

I know about cores made of cork but I have no idea about what they are talking about mixing linen, PET (plastic used on water bottles) and cork.

The rest seems pretty much the usual building techniques they use, for instance on the 650 racer, infusion, a polyester resin, with a boat structure made of contremouled frames, bonded, and stratified to the hull.

The IDB boats are not cheap, quality having a price, and this one is not an exception at 64 723 euros for a boat on the shipyard, without taxes, without an engine, without sails, without salon table, mini-galley, chemical toilet or interior lights. 

All those items are options as well as the engine that can be an interior one or an outboard. You can download here the list of options that is substantial:

https://idbmarine.com/fr/mojito/650/virginmojito650.php

Here you can see the racing version at speed. The cruising one will not sail as fast but on the right conditions, I am sure it will sail at double-digit speeds downwind.