A lot was anticipated of the wallyrocket51, Wally’s first ‘pure racing yacht’. Up to now, a lot has been delivered. Conceived as an owner-driver one-class design however optimised to be aggressive underneath IRC/ORC guidelines, the wallyrocket51 made its racing debut at this 12 months’s Tre Golfi Crusing Week within the Gulf of Naples, which in 2027 will host the thirty eighth America’s Cup.
Owned by Giovanni Lombardi Stronati and racing as Workforce Django, the wallyrocket51 received three out of 4 races to safe the Nationwide Championship for Central and Southern Tyrrhenian to the delight of Argentine strategist Guillermo Parada and Italian tactician Vasco Vascotto – a 28-time world champion – who’ve each consulted on the growth of the wallyrocket51 since its inception.
“It’s a improbable feeling as a result of it has been an extended journey from the primary idea of this boat – designing it, constructing it, launching it, and making positive each element was proper,” stated Parada, who has raced with Vascotto for 15 years on the TP52 circuit – notably with Azzurra – and on maxis.
“Seeing the idea work and the boat carry out as anticipated, and feeling it enhance every single day was vastly rewarding. It was an ideal regatta for us.”
BIG AMBITIONS
Summer season occasions for Workforce Django embody the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race, Admiral’s Cup and Rolex Fastnet Race, all organised by the UK-based Royal Ocean Racing Membership. It’s an imposing programme, however the pace, effectivity and racing capabilities proven by the wallyrocket51 in Sorrento revealed a ship that has to date lived as much as expectations.
Luca Bassani, Wally’s founder and Chief Designer, and Ferretti Group introduced the wallyrocket51 idea again in 2023, as they aimed to create a 50ft race boat appropriate for each one-design and fleet racing. Conceived to modify between manual-powered fleet and electric-powered one-design racing modes, the 15.5m racer was additionally designed to be raced with diminished crew of 11.
“After I based Wally [in 1994], I wished to create sailboats that may very well be each very comfy and straightforward for cruising but additionally very quick for racing. Over the previous 30 years, we’ve actually achieved this. Nevertheless, immediately, in our opinion, the market is altering, splitting between homeowners who need to cruise and those that need to race – and race in a extra skilled method,” Bassani stated.
“That’s why we determined to construct a one-design boat, and for that there’s no higher dimension than round 50ft. We predict the one-design thought shall be very interesting to a variety of householders as not solely will the boat be lightning quick but additionally the lifetime of the boat is for much longer – you don’t have a brand new, sooner boat coming yearly.”
HULL TECHNOLOGY
For the hull design, Wally turned to racing maestros Botin Companions Naval Structure, primarily based in Santander on Spain’s north coast.
Even with Botin’s in depth expertise growing TP52s and different 50ft race boats, Wally pushed them to innovate. Botin responded with a yacht that weighs simply 6.25 tonnes, with the ultra-low displacement boosting downwind pace and resulting in a full rethink of sail plan, hull form and keel-bulb design.
The hull incorporates a state-of-the-art water ballast system offering 640 litres per aspect throughout fore and aft tanks, permitting for fore-aft trim variations. The system can fill the tanks in a minute, and it solely takes six or seven seconds to switch the water from one aspect to the opposite when tacking.
The collaboration with Botin Companions additionally formed the deck format and built-in options, which embody a power-operated hydraulic system and a battery pack that may probably be used for the one-design class racing, to make it as accessible as attainable for homeowners.
Making the hydraulic winches and battery pack detachable – with ‘espresso grinders’ delivering guide energy to the Harken Air winches – ensures the wallyrocket51 may be raced in IRC and ORC fleets with out ranking penalty.
Adolfo Carrau, Accomplice and Designer at Botin Companions, stated: “We designed this boat to be an excellent all-rounder that must be aggressive in most situations. The boat can be meant to be aggressive in any a part of the world. Structurally it has been engineered since day one for offshore races. Having stated that, like most gentle displacement racers, it will likely be numerous enjoyable sending it downwind in huge breeze.”
WALLY STYLE, PURE BUILD
Whereas Botin Companions’ work underpins the wallyrocket51’s efficiency and race performance, Wally wished to make sure the design was unmistakeably Wally. That accountability fell partially to the Milan-based Santa Maria Magnolfi studio, which labored with Botin Companions and Wally to include type parts with out compromising any side of her racing capacity.
On this context, design performed an important function not simply by way of magnificence however as totally built-in performance. Each stylistic selection needed to meet particular crusing necessities, like weight discount and floor optimisation.
Key parts just like the inverted sheerline, the strict design impressed by Wally’s signature air intakes, and a sportier tackle the steering wheel utilized in bigger fashions just like the wallywind110 all reinforce the wallyrocket51’s connection to the Wally household.
Constructing such an excessive and light-weight racer calls for precision, with extraordinarily tight building tolerances, so Wally turned to Pure Design & Engineering in New Zealand to supervise the challenge and make sure the highest engineering requirements.
The hull was constructed utilizing pre-preg carbon with Corecell and Nomex cores – superior supplies that guarantee lightness and power. On a yacht so compact and lightweight, even a 3 per cent margin within the weight of the hull’s composite supplies can translate right into a important distinction of round 36kg.
Parada and Vascotto had been additionally firmly behind the collaboration with Pure Engineering. “We’ve had an extended, open relationship with Botin and the design crew, which makes collaboration easy and sincere, essential when the aim is to make the boat sooner and higher,” Parada stated.
TALL RIG, HIGH SPEEDS
By way of rigging, a 94sqm square-top mainsail off the Southern Spars rig – held up with Future Fibres’ AEROsix hybrid carbon rigging – contributes to 160sqm of upwind sail space, whereas a 265sqm gennaker helps give 360sqm of downwind sail space. It’s a tall rig relative to its dimension and incorporates many inventions from current years.
Sail trials confirmed it to be ‘lightning quick’ and a sensational yacht to helm, gentle on the wheel however responsive sufficient to present that immediately participating, fingertip really feel. Upwind, the wallyrocket51 has proven distinctive pointing capacity whereas crusing quick. Downwind, the ‘rocketship’ is already residing as much as its title, delivering a scintillating journey even in lighter airs with the uneven flying.
In contrast to some area of interest race boat designs, the wallyrocket51 doesn’t solely excel on windward-leeward however has been conceived to tackle every part an proprietor may throw at it.
Vascotto has been delighted with the boat’s performances, having been a part of the event crew exploring the yacht’s capabilities by crusing towards goal boat pace numbers set by different 50ft racers.
“We wished to create a ship that might make homeowners and sailors comfortable,” the Italian stated. “We wished to include all of the issues they are saying they need when you may have a beer with them after racing. These embody a yacht that holds its worth, is as trendy as a Wally, is quicker than anything on the market, and nonetheless has a controllable price range. And every single day that we sail the boat, in numerous situations, confirms we received the challenge proper.”
Though solely the primary hull is on the water so far, Parada is assured of the wallyrocket51’s enchantment inside the crusing group. “I consider it may enchantment to a variety of householders of equal courses, and even maxi yacht homeowners on the lookout for one thing nimbler and enjoyable to race with pals,” he stated.
Parada, Vascotto and co at the moment are hoping the primary wallyrocket51 will proceed to impress in a summer time programme that features numerous racing out of Cowes on the Isle of Wight. A spotlight is the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, now a 695nm route from Cowes, round Fastnet Rock off Eire’s south coast, and ending in Cherbourg, France.
“As a crew, and by mindset, we love challenges, and maybe essentially the most troublesome and essential ones are the Admiral’s Cup and Rolex Fastnet Race,” Vascotto stated.
“Although the wallyrocket51 was created as a one-design, we’ve all the time wished to show it may compete anyplace – in ORC, IRC and long-distance races. It’s not a ship constructed for these occasions, however we’ll do every part we will to show that it may be aggressive there, too.”
wally.comferrettigroupasiapacific.com
This text was first seen on YachtStyle.com.
For extra on the most recent in luxurious yachting reads, click on right here.
Source link
