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 below IRC/ORC guidelines, the wallyrocket51 made its racing debut at this yr’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 improvement of the wallyrocket51 since its inception.
“It’s a incredible feeling as a result of it has been a protracted journey from the primary idea of this boat – designing it, constructing it, launching it, and making certain each element was proper,” stated Parada, who has raced with Vascotto for 15 years on the TP52 circuit – notably with Blue – and on maxis.
“Seeing the idea work and the boat carry out as anticipated, and feeling it enhance on daily basis was vastly rewarding. It was an incredible regatta for us.”
BIG AMBITIONS
Summer time 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 up to now 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 change between manual-powered fleet and electric-powered one-design racing modes, the 15.5m racer was additionally designed to be raced with lowered crew of 11.
“Once I based Wally (in 1994), I needed to create sailboats that may very well be each very comfy and straightforward for cruising but in addition very quick for racing. Over the previous 30 years, we’ve definitely achieved this. Nevertheless, as we speak, in our opinion, the market is altering, splitting between house owners who need to cruise and those that need to race – and race in a extra skilled approach,” 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 expect the one-design thought will likely be very interesting to a variety of homeowners as not solely will the boat be lightning quick but in addition the lifetime of the boat is for much longer – you don’t have a brand new, quicker boat coming yearly.”
HULL TECHNOLOGY
For the hull design, Wally turned to racing maestros Botin Companions Naval Structure, based mostly in Santander on Spain’s north coast.
Even with Botin’s in depth expertise creating 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 facet 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 facet to the opposite when tacking.
The collaboration with Botin Companions additionally formed the deck structure and built-in options, which embody a power-operated hydraulic system and a battery pack that may possible be used for the one-design class racing, to make it as accessible as doable for house owners.
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, Companion and Designer at Botin Companions, stated: “We designed this boat to be a very good all-rounder that must be aggressive in most circumstances. The boat can also 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 large breeze.”
WALLY STYLE, PURE BUILD
Whereas Botin Companions’ work underpins the wallyrocket51’s efficiency and race performance, Wally needed to make sure the design was unmistakeably Wally. That duty fell partially to the Milan-based Santa Maria Magnolfi studio, which labored with Botin Companions and Wally to include model parts with out compromising any facet of her racing skill.
On this context, design performed an important position 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 development tolerances, so Wally turned to Pure Design & Engineering in New Zealand to supervise the mission 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 energy. On a yacht so compact and light-weight, even a 3 per cent margin within the weight of the hull’s composite supplies can translate right into a vital distinction of round 36kg.
Parada and Vascotto had been additionally firmly behind the collaboration with Pure Engineering. “We’ve had a protracted, open relationship with Botin and the design staff, which makes collaboration clean and sincere, essential when the aim is to make the boat quicker 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 offer that immediately participating, fingertip really feel. Upwind, the wallyrocket51 has proven distinctive pointing skill whereas crusing quick. Downwind, the ‘rocketship’ is already residing as much as its title, delivering a scintillating experience even in lighter airs with the uneven flying.
Not like 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 might throw at it.
Vascotto has been delighted with the boat’s performances, having been a part of the event staff exploring the yacht’s capabilities by crusing towards goal boat pace numbers set by different 50ft racers.
“We needed to create a ship that would make house owners and sailors completely satisfied,” the Italian stated. “We needed to include all of the issues they are saying they need when you will have a beer with them after racing. These embody a yacht that holds its worth, is as fashionable as a Wally, is quicker than the rest on the market, and nonetheless has a controllable finances. And on daily basis that we sail the boat, in numerous circumstances, confirms we acquired the mission proper.”
Though solely the primary hull is on the water to this point, Parada is assured of the wallyrocket51’s enchantment throughout the crusing neighborhood. “I consider it might enchantment to a variety of homeowners of equal courses, and even maxi yacht house owners in search of one thing nimbler and enjoyable to race with mates,” he stated.
Parada, Vascotto and co at the moment are hoping the primary wallyrocket51 will proceed to impress in a summer season 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 tough and necessary ones are the Admiral’s Cup and Rolex Fastnet Race,” Vascotto stated.
“Though the wallyrocket51 was created as a one-design, we’ve at all times needed to show it might compete wherever – 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.”
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This text was first seen on YachtStyle.com.
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