FIRST IMAGES OF AN OPEN 60 SAILING WITH THE NEW FOILS

An the honor comes to Banque Populaire Le Cleac'h's boat that seems very fast even running with a small amount of sail in demanding conditions (for a first test).

The foils are much more discreet than the previous ones (due to being very rounded) and you really have to look hard to see that they are there, doing their work that is now not only to contribute to have a better performance upwind, increasing the pointing ability as lifting part of the boat weight out of allowing for more efficient sail use since apparently the boat will be "lighter" than if it was not on foils. A mixed blessing these new foils: the boat will lose in upwind potential but will gain in all other points of sail that are by far the ones more used on a circumnavigation following the predominant winds.

POGO 36: DESIGNER COMMENTS

Another hot boat for 2016 is going to be the Pogo 36. I had already posted about it:
http://interestingsailboats.blogspot.gr/2014/12/more-about-pogo-36.html

While we wait for having it on the water some new pictures and some interesting comments by the designers (Finot/Conq):

"To create a successor to the Pogo 10.50 and its huge success, we have designed the Pogo 36, using all the experience gathered from the latest models in the range.

This boat is slightly longer and wider, providing more space for the crew. The philosophy of a simple, light, fast and easy to handle sailing boat has been retained. The deck is simple and ergonomic, all winches are installed on the coachroof to be at the ideal working height. Composite coachroof coamings replace the fabric backrests. Again, there are two tillers at the back, that can be used both from the aft of the cockpit seats or from the sidedeck.

One of the new features is the bathroom located forward of the saloon, thereby providing space for two large aft cabins and a cabin in the front triangle.

A more visible novelty resides in the exterior design : The shipyard required a view to the front from the saloon, which, combined with the new position of the bathroom, led us to design coachroof windows bending towards the centerline.

Like all recent models of the range, the hull features a hard chine. It has been positionned as low as possible, the provide stability and power. The front volumes are quite full, to help the boat reach a nose-up attitude while planning.

Several versions of the hull were tested in CFD (computational fluid dynamics) using the FINE/Marine software package, to choose the final hull shape.

The backstay-less rig has only one set of spreaders and a square-top mainsail.

The carbon fiber mast is stepped quite far aft for a better balance of genoa and mainsail areas. This also increses the mainsail's aspect ratio for better performance. The composite, 1090kg keel is lifting (rotating), like all the other boats of the range. A fixed keel version will also be offered."

Just a comment to the last image (CFC study): I know that those beamy transoms are very misleading in what regards the waterplane of the boat but it is always very instructive to see how misleading they are. We can see also what was referred by the designers: a huge buoyancy on the forward sections of the boat that as they say will keep the bow up at planing speeds.

NEW SALONA 380

Yes, it is a beauty isn'it? In November last year I posted the first images of the drawings and some very scarce information about the boat:

http://interestingsailboats.blogspot.gr/2014/11/new-salona-38pc-and-38pr.html

 Now some more pictures and information about one of the hottest boats of 2016, probably presented at Dusseldorf boat show in january 2016, after having made the first sea trials at the end of this year.

The designer, as was already said on the previous post, is Maurizio Cossutti an Italian NA that will be unknown to many but that has an excellent record in what regards racing results with cruiser racers of this size: two of his designs, the M37 and the NM38 won 6 ORCI world titles between 2007 and 2014.

The previous Salona 38 was already a very fast boat, particularly in ORC, with some podiums on ORCI world championships and several national titles but I bet this one will be even faster: the boat is lighter (5900kg to 6500kg) beamier (3.72m to 3.62m) with only more 10cm of LOA but certainly a considerably bigger LWL.

But most of all, like the previous Salona 38  this will be a great performance cruiser with lots of storage and a good cruising interior at a relatively low price, with an vinylester infusion hull, carbon reinforcements and a steel structure to support the keel and the shrouds.

A boat for the ones that like to sail while cruising and depending on the specs (that can be very different) a boat to compete not only at club racing but at highest level even at the world ORCI championship.

SOLARIS 50 BOAT TEST: A GREAT SAILING BOAT

First of all a word of thanks to the ones that have sent me personal messages asking if I had some problem and when the blog would be continued. It will be continued in October since I am sailing and with no time for it right now, except that I had a problem on the saildrive of my boat and while I am at Corfu waiting for it to be fixed,  I will have some time available. So in between some posts and the first one about a favorite, the Solaris 50.

I had already talked about this boat that impressed me on the last Dusseldorf boat show and I had posted already about it: http://interestingsailboats.blogspot.it/2015/03/solaris-50-i-love-it.html

I will not repeat myself regarding the above post just will post some new pictures and refer what Yachting World and Toby Hodges (that tested the boat) say about it:

"This new 50-footer follows the fiendishly cool Solaris 58, which launched in early 2014 – including the pièce-de-resistance dreadnought bow and subtle aft chines. But, at nearly half the price of her larger sister, the Solaris 50 should prove a popular choice.

As the latest Acebal-designed range of Solaris yachts become increasingly sleeker, one thing hasn’t changed: their build quality remains top-drawer.

Javier Soto Acebal has drawn a hull that promises strong performance with a soft motion. It will have an integrated bowsprit for flying Code 0s and gennakers, and a self-tacking jib as standard for easy short-handed sailing.

Stowage has been well-considered throughout. The large sail locker can be converted to a crew cabin and a longitudinal garage will facilitate the launch and recovery of a tender. There is dedicated liferaft stowage and a wet-hanging locker inside, with drip tray and drainage."

 http://www.yachtingworld.com/yachts-and-gear/solaris-50-new-yacht-62492#2WZLoGYwJfbr1gSC.99

On the video talking about how it sails Toby says "Fantastic", regarding the boat "the sexiest 50 ft around" with a "smartly finished interior" "built and finished very well".
 I would say a cruising boat for the ones that really like sailing as much as cruising and  also for the ones for whom beauty is an important matter in a sailingboat.

Just a final word about something you don't see but it is there: First the cockpit table, hidden under the cockpit floor, very easy to deploy and the Spray-hood also completely hidden and also easy to rise or store away. Another thing you don't see is the price that I would say it is surprisingly low at 480 000 euros, much less than what would cost a Halberg Rassy that I would say has a similar quality. Maybe that's one of the reasons why they have already sold several of these beauties.

http://solarisyachts.com/yacht-en-50-1-10.html#descrizione

GUNBOAT G4 WIPE-OUT

When I posted the first video I sent it to some friends, including my daughter, a sailor too, with the comment that I would like one of those. My daughter commented that it would not take much time before I turned that cat upside down. I guess she would be right :-) but what a boat!!!!

Wipe Out from Gunboat on Vimeo.

BOREAL 52: 2015 EUROPEAN BLUEWATER CRUISER

I have to say I was not surprised with its victory oven the much acclaimed Garcia 45.: The Boreal looks so much nicer and well balanced that I bet it sails better. They promote it as an exploration boat but I don't see it that way: I see it as a boat that will suit those that want to voyage long or live permanently aboard the boat in any latitude.
 A very practical and strong one, not properly fast but not slow either, with a cutter rig, for increased safety and lots of storage. Given the quality of the boat and size the 685 000 euros it costs don't seem exaggerated to me.  Yacht.de had tested the boat and made a nice video that you can see here:
http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy322/Paulo_Carvalho/725308_zpsudl15tyb.jpg

Yachting World has also tested it and Matthew Sheahan concludes this way:

"There cannot be many brochures that describe a boat’s accommodation as having ‘a desk in every cabin where bluewater children can do their homework’. But this is just one of many examples of what this boat is all about: live aboard, go anywhere.

Solidly built above and below decks, the Boréal 52 is the concept of a designer with many miles at sea sailing with a family. While the chined alloy hull won’t appeal to everyone, the rugged style will instil confidence in many.

As for performance, at 18 tonnes she was surprisingly nimble, even in the light airs of our test, and was a very easy boat to handle with well thought-out control line runs.

The Boreal 52 brings home what a real deepwater cruiser needs to be like. A go-anywhere boat, with a lifting keel, that is full of clever and innovative details, especially the doghouse-navstation that is based on the experience of many hard-fought miles. All this for a custom-built boat with a price tag that is still considerably less than some popular alternatives even when you’ve added all the listed options. Impressed."
Read more at http://www.yachtingworld.com/yachts-and-gear/boreal-52-boat-test-62368#mY0iD6qWfqthj7KM.99

What can I say more? I like it and it seems to me close to perfect for living aboard permanently. Maybe I would have liked it a bit prettier but I am a hard man to satisfy. Anyway it looks a lot better then the Garcia 45 and better then the Boreal 44 (being longer helps it a lot).

TWO GREAT SAILING MOVIES: MINI AND VOR

A teaser from the Mini transat and some of the best images from the VOR: Enjoy ;-)