What is a
Wallycento?
The short answer is an exotic
100f subspecies of the light
and fast, owner-driven
Wally Class sailing yachts“There was nothing organized
for somebody who wanted to
race a 100ft sailing boat against
another 100ft sailing boat,” says
Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, owner
of Wallycento Magic Carpet^3 ,
who originated the Wally box
rule with Wally founder and
president Luca Bassani.
In 2011, Bassani assembled
a cast of naval architects and
designers to hammer out a set
of parameters not unlike the
rules for America’s Cup or
J Class yachts. “We knew from
experience that you can’t getpeople who spend a lot of money
building custom boats to buy
series,” says Sir Lindsay. “What
you can do is say there’s going
to be a series of 100ft and
everybody chooses their own
architect and design, but the
maximum height of the mast
is this, the maximum width
and depth is this and this.”
The box rule also limits the sail
area and specifies a self-tacking
jib system. Lifting keels, one or
two rudders and retractable
propellers are permitted but no
canting keels or water ballast.
Rather than retard innovation,
it creates a 3D puzzle of
possibilities and, unlike true
grand prix racers, the box rule
prohibits a rating rule-beater
from making the rest of the fleet
obsolete in a single season and
institutes a “play nice” approach
to a competitive sport.