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The previous Figaro 2s became very exciting racing downwind in a lot of breeze under symmetric spinnaker and pole… not always for the right reason. With their new toys the Figaro 3 skippers can enjoy going reaching again, as well as much faster – and much more predictable – downwind sailing at hotter angles. There is universal enthusiasm for the VPLP foiling design right across this year’s star-studded fleet and it’s easy to see why – this is Tom Laperche testing the limits of his drysuit back in March. Given how hard these boats can be pushed it’s a surprise that it was only the spreader bars that were found to need upgrading during a windy first event. Meanwhile, the market for Figaro 2s steams on with only one or two boats ever appearing on the market at the same time and boats changing hands for up to 65,000 euros after years of hard use – and often a steady stream of charter income for the owners


that class rules define some dimensions for the gennaker but not the area. In fact, the morning’s exercise was to compare two sails on the two Macifs and the difference… was not easy to estimate. There are no big observations to make about the ergonomics of


the cockpit except that the two winches mainly used for the halyards sit at the same level as the two others, I mean on the deck, which does not help with manoeuvres. There are more ropes than on the Figaro 2 plus the control lines for each 37kg foil. In light weather and flat water the inverted foil looks like an


obstacle dragging water and clutching at seaweed (a good weed- stick is important!). Including the keel, there are now five foils simultaneously in the water on quite a small boat, like a rake… The breeze gently picked up and immediately the new boat


accelerated faster than its heavier predecessor, pushed by a big black gennaker. Charlie Dalin is right away checking the setting of the foil which he says is critical. ‘The keel of the F3 is deeper than on the F2 but with a shorter section. A better profile and less drag… and more critical to sail with. ‘The foils provide the added resistance to leeway that is needed,


but they also increase the drag. However, by moving the foil fore and aft and modifying the incidence angle you can adjust the balance between resistance to leeway and righting moment. Some sailors are a bit upset by the drag sailing upwind. My approach is more positive. You can find some gains even in light to moderate con- ditions – and you always have the tip of the foils in the water so why not use them properly?’ Charlie tells us that the boat is more physical than the previous


one, because of the extra sail area but also because the big down- wind headsail can be set easily and so more often (without having to go on a dead run for hoists and drops as before). But with the tricky location of the halyard winches, combined with the bigger


asymmetrical spinnakers, he is obviously worried not to let the nylon drag in the water where it can be easily ripped by the foils. Also, Charlie says it is much better to steer this boat by hand


(actually the feeling at the helm is very neutral) when sailing upwind in choppy water because of the beamy and flat bow; the Figaro 2 was quite gentle on the pilot and moved more easily through steep waves. Whereas on the Figaro 2 the sailors were used to sailing with maximum rake, on the new boat it is a different story, because the foils are forward of the keel and finding the right mast rake for a good feeling at the helm is proving quite difficult… The Figaro 3 will reward the sailors with a good technical understanding.


Martin Le Pape: ‘We had everything’ As a demonstration of the huge success of the Figaro Circuit, there were no fewer than 34 new Figaro 3s at the Sardinha Cup, first event of 2019, sailed two-handed off the coast of Vendée. The first of the three legs, named the ‘warm-up’, was a light to moderate affair and so an easy start for the 68 sailors, including many of the big names of the Figaro circuit, plus ocean stars such as Loïck Peyron, Mike Golding, Samantha Davies (racing with Yann Eliès), Charles Caudrelier, Paul Meilhat, Pascal Bidégorry, Jérémie Beyou… In contrast, the 400-mile second leg was tough. Martin said: ‘We


had every condition from light to 45kt. A very demanding, wet, cold navigation, but very interesting from a competition point of view.’ The stage opened with a heavy beat where the light Figaro 3


showed an average upwind speed of 7kt, which is fast for a 9.75m hull. Then came a nice run with speeds exceeding 15kt. Then the final stage was a surfing reach which was even faster. ‘We regularly went over 20kt under one reef and the heavy spinnaker. It was very exciting but also very, very wet on deck. I wonder how it will be in those conditions sailing singlehanded.’


SEAHORSE 21





JEAN-MARIE LIOT


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