Technology
All in a day’s work
Every time Reckmann supplies a new superyacht sailing system they surprise us by going one step further. With the Judel/Vrolijk 146-footer Path and 196-foot Sarissa II from McKeon they are doing it again...
The demand for giant sloop rigs continues apace in the superyacht sector and the need for reliable, failsafe sail furling systems becomes ever more crucial. Reckmann remains the go-to supplier for headsail, code sail and mainsail reefing hardware, thanks to its rock-solid reputation and the steady stream of incremental refinements that stem from the Hamburg-based company’s long-term strategy of continuous R&D. Two of its latest projects – both high- performance superyachts, but with completely different design values and sailing programmes – demonstrate the versatility of the Reckmann product range. Path is a remarkably spacious 146ft (44.5m) cutter-rigged sloop with a Panamax carbon rig and integrated sailing system from Rondal. Designed by Judel/Vrolijk specifically for fast-paced round-the- world voyaging and built in foam- cored carbon composites by Baltic Yachts, it’s the third-largest yacht by volume that Baltic has built to date. Delivered in July and due to be on display at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, Path puts a very strong (and sensible) emphasis on reliability, autonomy and fully proven technologies. Genuine all-weather sailing capability and the ability to
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go off grid in remote cruising grounds for long periods of time were key aspects of the design brief. Even larger at 196ft (59.7m) overall and much less conservative in concept, Sarissa II is a sleek and striking Malcolm McKeon design due for delivery in 2022. Described as a no-compromise performance sloop with exceptional sail power, it’s intended to be one of the most iconic superyachts afloat. Currently in build at Royal Huisman under a strict veil of secrecy and codenamed Project 404, it’s constructed in Alustar 5059 aluminium with a low-profile carbon fibre deckhouse, hi-tech operating systems and a towering Southern Spars rig with some new innovations in integrated rig control. Unusually for a sailing yacht, its key features include a large, wide-opening beach club astern and fold-down boarding platforms amidships on both sides. While primarily a cruiser, racing is definitely on the agenda. One thing that these two very different yachts have in common is a full set of Reckmann headsail, staysail and code sail furlers, with lightweight carbon headfoils. Path’s Rondal Performance Furling Boom – one of the stand-out innovations in the highly regarded Rondal Integrated Sailing System – is also
Above left: the new
Judel/Vrolijk designed Baltic 146 performance cruiser Path is cutter rigged with Reckmann furlers for all four foresails: code, blade, staysail and storm jib. The three larger sails are furled on
carbon head- foils (also supplied by Reckmann) which save a huge amount of weight aloft. Pathʼs Rondal
boom also employs Reckmann furling gear
fitted with a Reckmann in-boom mainsail reefing gear. For Path, durability, reliability and a minimal maintenance schedule were key selection criteria, so Reckmann was the obvious choice. ‘The most important maintenance is to keep the gears as clean as possible and to wash the salt water off,’ says Reckmann managing director Marcus Schuldt. ‘A standard maintenance procedure usually happens after around five years when the rig gets pulled for inspection. In most cases, the opportunity is taken to send the furler back to us for a proper factory service. During this type of service, the furler will be taken apart and checked. Bearings and seals will be replaced and we do a performance test on our testing rig before we send the furler back to the boat.’ The brief from Path’s owner called for relatively simple sailing systems but the rig design team still managed to achieve a notably smooth sequence of sail reductions. The sailplan follows Judel/Vrolijk’s well-proven ocean cruising configuration of blade jib and staysail on the bow, quite closely spaced but carefully optimised to ensure a smooth laminar flow when the outer sail is furled, and a
GUN-MARIE WILS
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