Class40s are 40-foot yachts grouped together under a common measurement, the Class40. Find here the latest news and investigations from Tip & Shaft.
Between July 2022 and September 2023 it seems like as many as five round the globe races could set off in just about every conceivable format solo, double or crewed, mainly intended for amateur or semi pro sailors. Tip & Shaft look at the budgets, the contexts and the risks.
Competing on the Vendée Globe, the America’s Cup with Emirates Team New Zealand, The Ocean Race with the new Imoca for 11th Hour Racing and a Class40 with a new Pogo built at Structures, clearly Guillaume Verdier’s collective is busy at the moment. The designer took time to answer questions from Tip & Shaft.
It is a topic that continues to have increased importance within the sailboat racing world: sustainable development. Under pressure from the public, some sponsors and its own constituent sailors competitive sailing continues to focus on sustainability as a fundamental topic….
Announcements during the past two weeks have confirmed the construction of four new Class40s, for Antoine Carpentier, Axel Tréhin, Jonas Gerckens and Aurélien Ducroz. This does seem to prove that Class40 continues to attract sailors and sponsoring partners even in times of crisis. More announcements are expected to follow including a new Pogo40 for Jean Galfione. How did these projects happen and how do they shape up. Has the crisis actually had an impact? Tip & Shaft investigated.
After almost a month of lockdown, the different ocean racing divisions are spending a lot of time working with race organizers on the possible reprogramming of their 2020 or even their 2021 calendar, while at the same time trying to reassure their members, affected to varying degrees by this new turbulent economic crisis. After Tip & Shaft spoke to IMOCA’s Antoine Mermod last week, this week we go round the houses, speaking to other key classes.
Over the past fortnight, the Covid-19 pandemic has led many race organisers to modify their plans. Among them, OC Sport Pen Duick which postponed (currently the situation) the Transat AG2R La Mondiale and is looking at various options for The Transat CIC, but remains confident about the Solitaire du Figaro. Tip & Shaft talked to the Managing Director, Hervé Favre.
The World Championships of the 470 class (March 16-21), the giant Trofeo Princesa Sofia Olympic regatta (March 27-April 4), the Sailing World Cup Genoa (11-19 April), the 44Cup Portoroz (22-26 April), the GC32 Racing Tour in Oman (25-29 March), the ACWS Cagliari (22-26 April), these events are all either cancelled or postponed. In France the list of events to be rescheduled include Easter’s Spi Ouest France, the Massila Cup, the SNIM, the Solo Maitre CoQ The coronavirus outbreak is affecting the whole of the competitive sailing world. Tip & Shaft takes a view.
2019 will be remembered for the arrival of the first Class40 scows and the victory of one of them, Crédit Mutuel, in the Transat Jacques Vabre, The 2020 Class40 season will see the launch of at least two new 40-foot boats, while many others have changed their name. Tip & Shaft looks at this lively market and the programme that lies ahead for this season.
Sam Manuard is no stranger to success in Class 40 with his Mach series of designs and in the Mini class in which he cut his teeth as a designer and sailor. Recently he has been pushing the design envelope with his rounded chunky bowed Class 40 Banque du Leman which debuted with fourth in the Transat Jacques Vabre just weeks after it was launched. Manuard was chosen by his long time Mini class adversary Armel Tripon to design L’Occitane. Seeking a more radical, clean sheet of paper approach the Multi 50 winner of the last Route du Rhum seems to have just that, according to the images released November 25th.
One year ago it was a disappointed Sam Goodchild who had, again, suffered a Transatlantic breakdown – losing the mast of his Class 40 whilst among the leaders of the Route du Rhum. So when he finished the Transat Jacques Vabre on his third attempt in Class 40, second place on Leyton with Fabien Delahaye felt particularly sweet for the sailor who turned 30 in November. Goodchild, whose career best on the Solitaire was 11th in 2013, confirms he will return to the Figaro for next year, racing in the Leyton colours.
As they are now along Brazilian coasts, Crédit Mutuel (Ian Lipinski / Adrien Hardy) is still leading the Transat Jacques Vabre in Class40. This is already a step change performance for the scow bowed 40 footer which was only launched on August 13, showing very well against Mach 40.3, the benchmark design in the class to date. Designer David Raison talks here of the new boat’s performances but also of Maximum Team BFR Marée Haute Jaune sailed by François Jambou, which at the same time is in the lead in the Protos in the 2nd leg of the Mini Transat while his new Series built Maxis are not having it quite as easy.
The Transat Jacques Vabre started on Sunday from Le Havre. After five days of racing by Friday, the leaders were Primonial (Sébastien Rogues/Matthieu Souben) in the Multi50s, Charal (Jérémie Beyou/Christopher Pratt) in the Imocas and Aïna Enfance & Avenir (Aymeric Chappellier/Pierre Leboucher) in Class40. Tip & Shaft looks at the weather strategies chosen by the sailors with three routers, Christian Dumard, Jean-Yves Bernot and Dominic Vittet.
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