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It had to happen
San Diego-based maxi and superyacht design maestros Reichel/Pugh have entered the fast-growing world of the large performance multihull
For 33 years designs from the Reichel/Pugh studio have produced unparalleled results for their owners and made a distinctive mark on the sailing industry. With an average age of 38, the Reichel/Pugh team has a strong passion for design, naval architecture and engi- neering as well as sailing whether in monohulls, multihulls or kite- boarding. The company’s impressive portfolio ranges from the 1992 America’s Cup winner, America3
, to groundbreaking one- designs
for Melges Boats (the 32, 24, 17, 20 and the Melges 14). The Reichel/Pugh portfolio also boasts purpose-built offshore record hunters including Transpac record breakers Pyewacket(76ft, 1999) and Alfa Romeo(100ft, 2012), as well as the 100-footer Wild Oats XIwith eight line honour wins in the Sydney Hobart and record setting trifecta (line honours, race record and overall hand- icap) wins in 2005 and 2012. The studio has also produced break- through Superyachts including the 45m Visione, the 34m Nilaya, the 67m Hetairosand two Wallycento designs; Magic Carpet3
and
Galateia. Now Reichel/Pugh is looking to a new market, one which is quietly exploding in popularity: performance multihulls. The motivation to design this 45ft offshore performance catamaran started with a question from a prospective client. The client wanted a fast yacht for shorthanded offshore racing that also featured genuine cruising capacity; he initially asked us to offer a recommendation in choosing between a Class40 monohull and a custom multihull design. There may have been an expected response from a design firm with such long and successful pedigree in monohulls, but recent hires by the company have tipped the
32 SEAHORSE
balance somewhat and, with nearly half of the design team owning performance catamarans themselves, the discussion was spirited and the conclusions divided. To explore the trade-offs in proper depth it was decided to develop a new multihull design. The design process begins with the market research. After evaluating possible layouts and reviewing market trends, it was determined that a catamaran design would provide more living space than an equivalent trimaran by splitting the interior accommodation between two hulls instead of one centre hull. Furthermore, given the performance goals the design would focus on an open bridgedeck layout to help achieve a light displacement. The team found a few designs in this market space, however most were by now several years old. The research indicated an opportunity for a unique performance catamaran design capable of racing and cruising that would be quite different from the existing options available today. On deck the space gained from eliminating the voluminous but typically bulbous bridgedeck cabin allows for a more efficient sailing layout as well as a generous social area for guests aft of the mast; the bridge deck itself is also designed to keep the working and social areas dry even at high speeds. A low sheerline and cabin profile ensure a clear line of sight from the helm (an issue on many current catamaran designs). The winches and working areas of the boat are carefully laid out to facilitate both fully crewed as well as shorthanded sailing. Additionally, all control lines are lead below deck to further enhance the open feel, safety and efficiency. Compared with a comparably sized monohull or trimaran the
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