Cape Cod 767 is 25ft of fresh thinking

Granted, it’s a novel-looking form, however why all of the fuss I puzzled as a crowd fashioned across the transom of the Cape Cod 767 in La Rochelle? After which as I took within the quite a few intelligent options being demonstrated on deck I started to grasp the curiosity. The 767 packs loads of new concepts right into a 25ft daysailer and is actually price a more in-depth look – or a sail in the event you can.

Unearthing a genuinely totally different design is a spotlight of being longterm members of the European Yacht of the Yr scheme. A fellow jury member nominates a design we’ve by no means heard of (sometimes French) and we get to sail a yacht we’d by no means in any other case stumble throughout.

Given its notably fashionable and quirky design, together with the pronounced reverse sheer and chines, you might also discover it stunning to be taught that the Cape Cod 767 hails from a yard extra used to constructing classical-style boats.

Hervé Nollet is the Rosewest yard’s founder and designer. Following design college in Paris and 25 years operating an industrial design company, Nollet drew a neo-classic daysailer for himself 20 years in the past. Demand from buddies grew this right into a small collection manufacturing, the Cape Cod 896, of which 30 have now launched. One look at this daysailer, with its beautiful conventional sheer, elegant counter and huge oval cockpit, helps clarify the place the model identify comes from – it befits that New England crusing life-style.

The hyperlink with that yacht and the starkly totally different, up to date Cape Cod 767 is that they’re each shoal draught daysailers which can be straightforward to handle, with massive cockpits, fashionable appendages and rigs. The Cape Cod 767 ramps up the convenience issue: it’s simpler to sail quick, with an integral centreboard that makes it straightforward to seashore or path, and you may rig it single-handedly.

An concepts boat

The idea is a sporty daysailer, but a enjoyable, spacious boat that may be trailed (it weighs simply over a tonne).

It’s clearly a design that fits fair-weather crusing and has a cockpit to entertain lots for its measurement, whereas its raft of intelligent options has impressed many optimistic feedback on Yachting World’s YouTube channel.

For starters, there’s the convenience with which it may well take to the shallows. The kick-up rudder pivots on a single level on its casing head. At first look I believed this was some type of wind vane, till I obtained nearer and noticed it was the blade in its absolutely vertical ‘docked’ place.

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The 350kg swing keel makes use of hydraulic energy to lift it from 1.8m to simply 22cm on the push of a button by the throttle management. It takes 20 seconds to raise, and it has an inbuilt fuse so will mechanically elevate in the event you hit the seashore too shortly.

If you find yourself beaching, you need to have the ability to each raise the outboard and use most cockpit area. The retractable outboard – an electrical Torqeedo or 5hp petrol – is offset to at least one aspect to keep away from the rudder and mounted on a hingeing bracket. This lifts and rotates inboard straight right into a cockpit locker. A field then seals the transom slot for when crusing.

Hulls and decks are infused polyester, with composites all designed and constructed in-house. Photograph: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

Telescopic swim steps additionally retract neatly into the transom, whereas one other massive cockpit locker within the sole swallows fenders and kit.

The way to embody a desk massive sufficient for the quite a few friends the cockpit can host? The answer on the Cape Cod 767 is recessed into the cockpit sole and raises up on X-legs (like an ironing board). Equally, cockpit cushions with folding backrests are constructed into the benches, so you may select to have these raised for help or flush to the aspect decks.

The swing keel weighs 350kg and raises hydraulically on the push of button. It’ll additionally raise mechanically if beached. Photograph: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

After I arrived for a sail on the Cape Cod 767, the rep was having a siesta on the foredeck sunpad, the hatch raised to behave as a reclining place. However the true shock lies beneath right here in a forepeak space that’s spacious sufficient to accommodate two single berths and a chemical heads. Admittedly there’s no pure mild and it’s extra an area meant for stowage (Nollet says his shoppers are as more likely to sleep on their boat as of their automobile), but it surely exhibits how the total bow has been put to good use.Neat options abound, together with the Seasmart recessed fittings on deck for attaching blocks simply or clipping on fenders one-handed and the cup holders within the tiller.

The Cape Cod 767 could be launched and rigged with no need a crane and comes with an aluminium mast with an possibility for carbon. A single Torqeedo battery supplies two hours motoring at max velocity (9.7km/h) and powers the keel. It may be recharged from the dock or taken dwelling.

The massive desk is recessed into – and types a part of – the cockpit sole. It raises up on X-legs. Photograph: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

Reactive crusing

The Cape Cod is not only an concepts platform, it provides straightforward, enjoyable crusing too. It’s designed to be slim and flat sufficient to trailer, but Rosewest has stored the composite construct mild and slippery. The one rudder proved good and responsive, permitting you to really feel every small improve in wind energy (we clocked 5-5.5 knots upwind and seven+ knots offwind).

The jib is on a curved monitor and could be sheeted inboard utilizing the windward block, which is helpful contemplating the full-bodied form of her ahead ends. The bought mainsheet is managed utilizing a central ratchet block. It’s also possible to connect a block and deal with to this to help high quality trim and sheeting to windward.

The forepeak space under comprises two berths, a considerable amount of stowage and a chemical heads. Photograph: Ludovic Fruchaud/imacis.fr/EYOTY

Unfurling the gennaker is fuss-free with the furler line led underdeck and managed from the pit. This reaching sail helped the Cape Cod 767 come alive and show reactive to sail. You’ll be able to cross sheet simply to trim all sails from the windward aspect. I’d have a look at becoming a easy tiller clamp so you may depart it locked off centrally whereas crusing solo and attending to the sails.

The helmsman has sturdy foot chocks and the pure place to take a seat at heel is up on the windward deck. However in heavier seas or winds you’d need extra safety in increased backrests. As it’s there aren’t any rails, an open transom, and little to maintain you within the cockpit (or on the foredeck). And it may get a bit moist in a seaway, which is why I think about it a design for calm climate (it’s RCD Cat C/4 folks).

However for a enjoyable sail throughout to a seashore or island to anchor up with buddies for lunch and a swim, the Cape Cod provides a relishing prospect. Extraordinary? Maybe not, but it surely’s actually totally different and stuffed with unique options, which actually obtained our consideration!

Cape Cod 767 specs

LOA: 7.67m / 25ft 2inBeam: 2.54m / 8ft 4inDraught: 0.22-1.8m / 0ft 9in-5ft 11inLight displacement: 1,100kg / 2,425lb

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