mainsail can be a big performance booster in some conditions but running backstays are not really a feature that most of the cruising market would accept,’ Polli explains. ‘Nevertheless, the rig has been designed with quite a long crane to allow a pretty wide mainsail head. And it is still possible to convert to running backstays and square top mainsail.’
Two things worth noting are the single rudder and lack of chines in the boat’s aft quarters. ‘That decision has many reasons behind it,’ Polli says. ‘And it’s not really true that a single rudder blade configuration makes a boat more difficult to steer provided it is designed correctly.’ The twin rudders and chined hull combination works well at high heel angles and high speeds, he says, but that only happens when power reaching in strong winds. ’On all other points of sail and also when mooring, a well-designed single rudder can be more efficient. For the GS44 I have designed a fairly big rudder blade and positioned it quite far forward to avoid ventilation at high heel angles. This created some problems with the boat’s interiors, which the yard staff solved brilliantly and the result when sailing is remarkable. Pushing the boat hard at true wind angles of even less than 90° under a big Code 0 in 12-14kts and with 25° to 30° of heel, I never managed to lose control at the helm which is surely reassuring.’
The GS44’s big foretriangle is another key design feature. ‘Large headsails help in acceleration not only out of tacks but also during starts, and it is particularly evident in light wind situations,’ Polli says. ‘This is due to the aerodynamics of this kind of sailplan and not about boat handling.’ With a non-overlapping headsail the amount of sheet to be pulled when tacking is very small, he explains. ‘And the Race deck layout, having jib tracks on the coachroof, allows really narrow sheeting angles and in most cases just two metres of rope is sufficient to tack the jib.’ By contrast, the Cruising deck layout has a self-tacking jib as standard. Naval architecture is clearly crucial but there’s more to the GS44’s design than that. To win regattas – and to work well as a cruiser – the deck plan and cockpit design must be as efficient as possible with perfect ergonomics. This is a pivotal part of Grand Soleil’s design DNA and that’s largely down to Nauta Design. While the GS44 shares many key features with the rest of the Grand Soleil fleet, the emphasis on racing has produced some new ones, as Nauta founding partner Massimo Gino explains: ‘It
Above: the Grand Soleil 44 Performance logging 15.5 knots on a beam reach with a cruising Code 0 and its designer Matteo Polli at the helm. Not bad at all for a boat with teak decks and a full cruising interior, and in just 12-14 knots of wind. The fully optimised race version will go even faster – and that’s before you add a square-top mainsail and runners. Right: one of the go-faster options on this boat is a pair of transverse jib tracks mounted on the coachroof just aft of the mast, which enable the boat to point very high on the wind and allow precise trimming adjustments
has a modern deck layout that racing sailors will appreciate for features that keep it very clean and functional,’ he says. ‘For example, the genoa sheet is concealed in a lead that runs under the coachroof all the way up to its winch.’ ‘Racers will also appreciate the fact that on request, the longitudinal genoa tracks can be replaced by two transverse tracks placed just aft and at the side of the mast base on the coachroof,’ he says. ‘This innovative layout is typical of pure racers and allows for finer genoa tuning and very close-hauled sailing for better upwind performance. Better boat performance and better sailing sensations are the result of this race-friendly deck layout.’ One of Nauta’s key strengths is their ability to work collaboratively with naval architects. ‘Early in the project we received a project brief that included a long J dimension,’ Gino says. ‘We managed to do an excellent job of reconciling the elements imposed by the powerful sailplan with the interior design and arrangement. We met the J length requirements and also designed a saloon that feels large and is
comfortable, bright, luxurious and perfect for a yacht this size. We also managed to lengthen the cockpit a bit and to widen it so that it’s almost as large as the one on the Grand Soleil 48.’
‘Thanks to this increased size, the two halyard winches beside the companionway, the two primary winches on the coamings and the winches for the mainsheet further aft are far enough away from each other. This is a big advantage for racing because an increase in distance between crew makes for better efficiency and safety while manoeuvring. This is one of the most innovative aspects of the GS44 Race cockpit layout.’ The cruiser-racer version has a four-winch layout. Also at Portofino to test the new model was Enrico Zennaro, a highly regarded professional sailor, who also gave it a double thumbs-up. ‘The hull with its narrow waterline performs very well in light airs, a feature also confirmed by the upwind angles and acceleration coming out of tacks,’ he says ‘After the first few manoeuvres, you realise that everything is very well balanced.’
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q SEAHORSE 77
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