Boat International - June 2018

http://www.boatinternational.com | June 2018

We have

lift-off

FoilshaverevolutionisedAmerica’sCupracers–nowthey’re

about to shake up sailing superyachts, saysRoger Lean-Vercoe

straight white wake stretches out for

400 metres behind the Infiniti 46

Maverick, a 14 metre, carbon-hulled,

canting keel, IRC race boat. She’s arrowing

across a lumpy Bay of Palma at an astounding

25 knots, reaching under jib and main. In just

22 knots of true wind this is an extraordinary

performance for a boat of her size, and it’s giving

Trevor Silver – an experienced sailing boat racer

and the owner of a 20 metre Oyster cruising

yacht – goosebumps while being doused by solid

waves of cold spray.

But his excitement is tinged with concern.

“This was like dinghy sailing at its riskiest best,”

he says afterwards. “All my instincts were

screaming to brace myself for a broach, but

a quick glance at the helmsman revealed that

he was totally relaxed, in complete control and

thoroughly enjoying the experience. For me, this

was enlightening – quite extraordinary.”

It’s not just on reaching legs that this little

racer seems to shine. I had noticed earlier that,

when sailing to windward, the boat’s motion

had a gentler character, more akin to a much

larger yacht. It was still wet on deck, but not as

wet as it could have been as the bows were

riding over the bay’s short, steep waves
much more easily than I thought possible.
So what was diferent about this yacht?
Her secret weapon is that she is fitted
with a Dynamic Stability Systems (DSS)
foil, a wing-shaped hydrofoil that extends
horizontally from her hull just below the
waterline on her leeward side, providing
lift which, in turn, allows a combination of lighter
keel and larger sails. This system is the brainchild
of naval architect Hugh Welbourn, who has
been developing the idea (and protecting it
with patents) since dreaming it up on a
PHOTOGRAPHY: QUIN BISSET; SHUTTERSTOCK

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