Tango’s interior is by
Pininfarina, Wally’s first
collaboration with the
renowned Italian design
house best known for its work
with carmakers Ferrari and
Alfa Romeo. A suspended
staircase, below, gives access
to the main saloon and
blends seamlessly into
shelving either side too
“There was nothing organised 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 ,whooriginatedtheWallyboxrulewith
Wally founder and president Luca Bassani. “Who else is
racing 100-footers? There’sComancheand a couple of
others, but they end up doing records because there’s
no real class.”
In 2011, Bassani assembled a cast of naval architects and
designerstohammeroutthedetails–astraightforward
setofparametersnotunliketherulesforAmerica’sCup
or J Class yachts. “We knew from experience that you
can’tgetpeoplewhospendalotofmoneybuilding
customboatstobuyseries,”saysSirLindsay.“Whatyou
candoissaythere’sgoingtobeaseriesof100ftand
everybody chooses their own architect and design, but
the maximum height of the mast is this, the maximum
widthanddepthisthisandthis.”
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
createsa3Dpuzzleofpossibilitiesforapowered-up
package: it specifies that the living area must stretch at
least 54 per cent of the length overall, include three
en-suite guest cabins, crew quarters, a saloon with at
leasttwoportholes,agalleyandadiningtableandchairs
forallguests.Unliketruegrandprixracers,theboxrule
prohibitsaratingrule-beaterfrommakingtherestof
thefleetobsoleteinasingleseasonandinstitutesa
“playnice”approachtoacompetitivesport.Whatisa
Wallycento?The short answer is an exotic 100ft subspecies of
the already exclusive light and fast owner-driven
Wally Class sailing yachts