For owners dazzled by the electric performance of the Fast40+ fleet but who do not necessarily want to sign on for an escalating arms race – and who may also prefer to race on handicap with their regular non-pro crew – Acebal’s new 40-footer offers the impressive value for money for which this Argentinean designer is well known. However, since the boat also fits the Fast40+ rule very neatly there is no reason to miss out on the drama of the hottest new (almost) level rating fleet in the world when the mood takes you
heel plus the potential for exciting offwind sailing using a hull of minimum resistance and wetted surface when upright. Our possible variations in displacement (4,000-4,200kg) have been carefully accounted for, focusing on the treatment of overhang shapes in the stern and bow area as well as controlling the stem entry angle at different boatspeeds. Achieving flexibility here allows us to identify the optimal final trim under ORC while leaving enough capacity to re-mode to other systems. The standard draft is 2.7m. We are now seeing a steady trend to the less punitive rating of well-designed boats of lower displacement/length ratio than previously, particularly under IRC. This is encouraging. At the same time there has been a gentle but clear shift towards smaller boats also being able to enjoy the type of lighter-displacement sailing previ- ously only enjoyed by their larger cousins. Under IRC we are already seeing good results from the Fast40+ fleet, something we would not have witnessed three or four years ago, when of the lighter designs only the TP52s (and larger) regularly sailed to their IRC number.
However, still missing in my opinion is a similar move to accommodate asymmetrics, A-sails, tacked to a centreline sprit. IRC is working to accommodate today’s preferred rig configuration with a mixture of rating adjustments and the encouragement of a wider mix of courses; but the ORC’s complex aero model is not so kind. One day it will be nice to finally bury the symmetrical spinnaker for everybody.
In the case of pure upwind-downwind courses, in the medium wind ranges the rating equations all remain quite tough to solve. Heavier and usually older designs continue to be very hard to beat in these conditions, particularly under ORC. Having established the all-round hull type we ultimately wanted, for this case we tried hard to optimise upwind performance, the important variables here being appendage area and planforms, distribution of sail area and mast location. Downwind pace depends on simpler variables such as upright resistance. Eventually we decided to go for a relatively large foretriangle, moving the mast aft, with a higher-aspect ratio mainsail plus appendages that are relatively more conservative than if we were design- ing a modern one-design or a pure, no- compromise Fast40+. For handicap racing it is all about attempting to sensibly balance these types of boats while preserving the capacity for exciting high-speed sailing. On deck simplicity was the primary goal. The minimum of control systems pass below deck to minimise deck incur- sions and maximise watertightness. Below deck you will still find tackle systems for the traveller, outhaul, vang, cunningham and control of the jib tack, which seems a lot but is very little compared with, say, a current TP52 or the latest Fast40s. Initially the boat will not feature a
pedestal but this has been catered for as an easy retro-fit when required. Obviously for tight inshore racing the pedestal is a big aid to fast manoeuvres, particularly for hoists and drops.
The pit is offset to starboard with a single winch operating the halyards as well as the twin tack lines for the big A-sails – to allow proper peels. The deck layout also allows the halyards to be rerouted to the primary winches if a pedestal is installed. The emphasis on simplification extends to the rig, with no backstay deflectors or locks on the jib halyards – the only lock being for the mainsail. Cost is a driver here – while use of the very latest technologies is always tempting, it is also too easy to allow costs to spiral. For the same reason the boat is delivered as standard with rod standing rigging in lieu of PBO or carbon. We have also limited the range of mast rake and forestay/jib cunningham adjust- ment to avoid the need for complex and expensive hydraulic systems.
The bowsprit might be considered unusually long; however, in our latest studies we observed that beyond the normal length needed for the A-sail there is further advantage in performance vs rating in continuing to move the tack of the sail away from the mast. At the same time you enjoy better balance and control and there- fore higher average speeds when pressing the boat hard off the wind.
The interior is rather minimal, basically an open structure where the priority is on race functionality, sail handling and stowage and weight concentration. There are some concessions… a toilet, a sink, a two-burner stove but nothing more. The first boat will go afloat in February 2017. The ex-factory price is US$345,000. Javier Soto Acebal, Argentina
q SEAHORSE 57
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