Farr Yacht Design’s one-design yachts for new Super 12 Cup

Super 12 RegattaFarr Yacht Design has released 3D renderings of the new Super 12 yachts specifically designed for the Super 12 Cup of San Francisco Yacht Racing Challenge, expected to be run in July 2017 on San Francisco Bay.
The Super 12s are a modernized, one-design version of the venerable 12 Meters that were used in the America’s Cup from 1958-1987. A one-design will allow all racing yachts to sail at similar speeds, so that all that matters in the race is how well crews are able to sail. Tackling and gybing duels will be much more frequent, as teams will start at exactly the same sailing conditions. Only better maneuvers, true sailing ability and crew efficiency will be rewarded.
The design challenge is to create a durable and affordable sailing boat which would be match-raceable with an heterogeneous crew aging from teenagers to 65-years-olds. Such vision is appealing for a lot of people who have memories of exciting boat races and would wish to watch –or even sail in- more of them. Being true to it, Farr Yacht Design is bringing modern technology into materials and deck hardware to make the classical sailing yachts easier to handle and more reliable.
The boats will in fact be built of modern composite materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber, which will make them about 6-7 tons lighter and stronger than the original 12 Meters, even though they will be slightly bigger with an 11ft draft (vs the 8 and ½ ft of the 12s). A more efficient keel and a deeper center of gravity is the result of state-of-the-art construction materials, which will improve performances and maneuverability. Moreover, a modern appendage package with a deep lead bulb with wings and a trim tab to provide exceptional upwind performance.
The yachts will be built at Westerly Marine in Santa Ana.
The renderings just released, according to Britton Ward, the lead designer of the Super 12s, are a big step in the process leading to the final design: the entire staff in Annapolis, Maryland, is working on the project so tooling production can begin in May. Bruce Farr himself has come out of retirement to consult on the Super 12 project.
Farr Yacht Design is completing the conceptual stage and will then be moving into the preliminary design stage. The builder Westerly is expecting to complete and test the first boat in water by this upcoming autumn.