Technology
The perfect label
In a still-growing field Mark Speirs’ team at Performance Classic Yachts are doing an exceptional job of delivering genuinely exciting sailing performance with the most elegant blend of aesthetic styles
To see Performance Classic Yachts’ PC66 as an elegant, sedate, traditionally styled cruiser may be an accurate first impression, but it would also be to seriously underestimate this yacht’s true capabilities. From the plumb bow and fixed bowsprit alone it is easy to see the design influence of traditional pilot cutters and the smacks of the 19th century. But as your eyes are drawn aft to the angular style of the superstructure, be it either the deckhouse or the flush deck version, along with the long sweeping overhang and the counter stern, each provides subtly different classic details to form an impressive and striking overall appearance that is greater than the sum of the parts. And yet this is a design that is about far more than just looks.
‘The exhilarating feeling one gets from helming a responsive yacht is the exception not the rule these days,’ says PC Yachts’ founder and CEO Mark Speirs. ‘And while we all enjoy charging along in a good stiff breeze, I think the sensation of perfect balance and trim, especially when sailing in light winds, is what separates the ordinary from the excellent. So for me, the ability of the yachts to be first and foremost terrific sailing boats is where we start with all of our models.’ In an era where internal volume
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and aggressive looks on the outside are two cornerstones of contemporary style and where performance and handling often get pushed further down the list of priorities, it is refreshing to hear of a cruising yacht builder that aligns its priorities in this way. Yet there is still no avoiding the fact that when you see any of their yachts, it is the distinctive looks that grab you first. Under the skin though, such details make their own contribution to a technical specification and performance that will take you by surprise. While the plumb bow helps to create a long waterline length, the bowsprit allows the genoa tack set at the extremity of the bow, maximising the foretriangle area. The result is a contribution to an impressive sail area -to-displacement (SA:D) ratio that is well in excess of some more modern- looking performance cruisers. When it comes to displacement, the PC66 weighs in at around 23,500kg, lower than several of her more modern- looking rivals. So, with a decent sailplan, a modest displacement and an impressive ballast figure of 8,500kg, it is clear that the basic data provides evidence that the C66 has the potential to deliver an impressive performance. The VPP data backs this up. Upwind in 10kts she slices along at
Above: classic but timeless, the distinctive Performance Classic
Yachts style combines the best features from many different types of
classic boat with modern touches like through-hull windows carefully
integrated so they donʼt look at all out of place. With 21st century construction and hydro- dynamics, the result is a
breathtakingly elegant and remarkably fast yacht
8kts which increases to 9kts in 20kts of true wind. Off the breeze she matches the true wind speed in 10kts at 110º true and peaks at just over 12kts in 20kts true. The PC66 is clearly no slouch.
The concept began after Speirs had been impressed by the distinctive style of the 37ft Wally Nano and commissioned Hoek Design to create a 66-footer in a similar style. After taking delivery and cruising it extensively for two years he received plenty of flattering compliments about his boat, convincing him that there was a market for this type and size of custom-built cruiser. But it was a call from someone he had met on his travels who said that they wanted to build a new 66 that drove the message home. So, as the lines of the next 66 took shape, so PC Yachts was born.
Launched in 2014, PC661 Mazu was built in wood-cored epoxy using West System, while the 2018 PC662 Sultana was built using carbon skins with Gurit Coracell M-foam inside the hull and deck, vacuum bagged and supported by a carbon-reinforced grid system.
Such different construction techniques are a clear indication of the versatility that is possible within the range.
RICHARD LANGDON
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