A hallmark of Matteo Polli’s designs is the very strong emphasis on maintaining the hull’s balance of volume through a wide range of heel angles – and they look rather elegant, too


I


f it looks right, it probably is right. Generations of sailors, boatbuilders and yacht designers used to swear by that simple rule of thumb. Even today,


when the science of CFD modelling has completely replaced the instinct of the designer’s eye, the shape that looks best is still sometimes the fastest. Witness the graceful, swooping curves in the topsides and aft quarters of Matteo Polli’s Grand Soleil 40. Two of the great 20th century designers, Kim Holman and Olin Stephens, would no doubt approve. The naval architecture of Polli’s


contemporary racer-cruisers, like the GS 40 and GS 44, has very little in common


with the hull shapes drawn 60 years ago by Holman and Stephens, but they share the same very strong focus – unlike many other sailing yachts back then and also right now – on maintaining the hull’s balance of volume through a wide range of heel angles. That’s why they handle so well and often win races despite being less aggressively endowed with sail area and form stability than some of their rivals. Less rudder action means less drag as well as a more controllable and enjoyable boat to steer.


Polli extends that principle significantly


‘In race mode the GS 40’s interior layout gives the crew more elbow room’


further than the shape of the hull in his designs for Grand Soleil. The sailplan is also precisely balanced, with the mast moved aft to give the foretriangle more area relative to the mainsail. The results


speak for themselves. The GS 44 scored a


convincing win at last year’s ORC World Championships and it’s a strong contender again this year. The GS 40, which makes its début at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, is an


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It is rare to find this level of comfort inside a high-performance hull. Massimo Gino put every last millimetre to best use 84 SEAHORSE


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