In the realm of competitive sailing, the prowess of sailors intertwines seamlessly with the capabilities of their equipment. We explored firsthand insights from the Musa40 project’s key players, revealing the meticulously planned factors behind their success.
Musa40 is the latest addition to the ocean racing world, belonging to the Class40, a popular, albeit niche, box rule class. The first specimen of this boat, named ‘Alla Grande – Pirelli,’ is skippered by Ambrogio Beccaria. Conceptualized, designed, and constructed in Italy, the Musa40 achieved an impressive second place during its debut race at the end of 2022 – the Route du Rhum, a solo transatlantic race. Subsequent triumphs followed, the latest being the Transat Jacques Vabre, a double-handed transatlantic race.
What a debut!
Making a debut at the Route du Rhum and securing second place, followed by a victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre a year later, are remarkable achievements, even for a sailor of esteemed caliber like Ambrogio ‘Bogi’ Beccaria, whose talent is widely acknowledged and respected. He honed his skills on the smallest of ocean-worthy boats, ultimately clinching victory in the Mini Transat.
As Beccaria ascended through the ranks towards the top classes, his relatively limited experience with the Class40 adds an intriguing dimension to his journey. This aspect is captivating not only from a sporting perspective but also in terms of design, given that his Musa40 ‘Alla Grande-Pirelli’ stands as a vital component of this endeavor. Opting for the safest route would have led many to choose a new boat crafted by a designer with extensive Class40 experience.
Therefore, it is surprising – particularly along the French Atlantic coast, renowned for its rich oceanic heritage – that a sailor making his Class40 debut with a boat designed by two relatively unknown young Italians (Gianluca Guelfi and Fabio D’Angeli) and built in Italy by the fledgling shipyard Sangiorgio Marine in Genoa, has achieved such remarkable success.
The ‘human capital’
Amidst his sailing endeavors, ‘Bogi’ Beccaria managed to carve out time to earn a degree in nautical engineering. This educational background equips him with the knowledge to effectively translate his sailing expertise into the design of a novel boat. The masterminds behind the design, Guelfi and D’Angeli, share an alma mater with Beccaria at the University of La Spezia, specializing in pleasure boating, albeit with a focus more on motor superyachts rather than sailing. This university also produced the CEO of the new shipyard, Edoardo Bianchi, a former Olympic sailor in the Tornado class.
Beccaria remarks, “I take immense pride in this entirely Italian project. When we initially conceived it with the architect and builder, many labeled me as imprudent, warning of substantial risk. However, the outcomes, a testament to team triumph, validate the endeavor’s merit!”
Investment in Innovation
What prompted your decision to invest in Gianluca and Fabio, whose rise to prominence is noteworthy?
Gianluca had focused his graduate thesis on a Class40, being the pioneer in theorizing a scow bow for this type of boats. His insights were even published in an Italian magazine, prompting the Class40 to implement a rule on the maximum width of the bow. Additionally, Gianluca and Fabio had previously collaborated with Marc Lombard’s studio through a company based in La Rochelle, dedicated to designing and constructing highly aerodynamic passenger catamarans with minimal power usage. What intrigued me most was their propensity for thinking innovatively and outside the box, as well as their development of sophisticated software for analyzing boat performance. Their dynamic VPP (Velocity Prediction Program) enabled them to simulate hulls and appendages within varying wave conditions, adding significant value to their design process.
Creative Synergy
Are there differences in the way they operate?
Fabio tends to lean towards more creative and daring concepts, while Gianluca adopts a more contemplative and experimental approach. For instance, I collaborated closely with Gianluca on the development of ten different versions of the cockpit, some of which were quite avant-garde and, although I hesitated to pursue them at the time, in hindsight, I recognize their potential value.
Notable Analysis
Was there a particular element in their work that struck you?
They possessed a remarkable ability to analyze the existing Class40 landscape. Their examination began with an assessment of four notable boats, each with its own strengths and weaknesses:
- The Max40, which served as my benchmark due to my prior sailing experience with it. Designed by Raison, it was the pioneering Class40 featuring a scow bow. The Max40 remains revolutionary, as its performance defies traditional computer analysis, instead exhibiting remarkable hydrodynamic capabilities.
- The Mach 4, a scow design by Sam Manuard.
- Verdier’s Pogo 4, though not yet sailed at the time of analysis, its design indicated promising speed potential, particularly in reaching conditions. As the most recent design by Verdier, it commands significant attention.
- The Lift V2, winner of the Route du Rhum 2022, designed by the Lombard studio, with whom the designers had frequent collaborations.
Selecting the Hull
After the analysis, what type of hull was ultimately selected for Musa40?
Among the multitude of hull designs considered, the one selected wasn’t necessarily the one with the lowest hydrodynamic resistance, as it may not have been the fastest in theory. However, it was chosen for its superior control capabilities. The aim was to create a boat that remained manageable in challenging conditions yet excelled in favorable ones, considering the predominantly solo or double-handed nature of the races. Once in the trade winds, it proved to be exceptionally competitive, demonstrating stable speeds during planing. Despite the inclusion of a substantial bulb, resulting in significant stability, the boat emerged from the shipyard remarkably lightweight. We even had to make some adjustments to add weight, as it was overly light and exhibited excessive stability. Thus, there is still considerable room for optimization. I must commend the invaluable collaboration with North Sails Italia in this regard. In my opinion, involving the sailmaker from the boat’s design phase, such as in defining the mast position and rake together, was an innovative approach within the Class40.
Confidence in the Project
You had enough confidence in the project to invest in the ownership of the molds…
Indeed, I was confident that there would be demand for additional boats. As evidence, Andrea Fornaro’s number 2 and Alberto Riva’s number 3 participated in the Transat Jacques Vabre, and the fourth is currently under construction.
GIANLUCA GUELFI: THE BRETON ‘BOAT VALLEY’
Ambrogio Beccaria emphasizes his pride in the Italian project, stating, “When we conceived it, many considered it risky. However, the results validate our efforts.”
Investment in Innovation
Beccaria chose to invest in Gianluca Guelfi and Fabio D’Angeli due to their unique approach and innovative thinking. Gianluca’s graduate thesis on a Class40 and their collaboration with Marc Lombard’s studio on aerodynamic catamarans highlighted their expertise. Their VPP (Velocity Prediction Program) allowed precise simulation of hull performance, adding significant value to their designs.
Creative Synergy Fabio is known for his creative ideas, while Gianluca is more experimental. Their collaborative efforts led to the development of innovative cockpit designs, showcasing their ability to push boundaries in boat design.
Notable Analysis
They analyzed existing Class40 designs, including:
- Max40 by Raison, pioneering the scow bow.
- Mach 4 by Sam Manuard.
- Verdier’s Pogo 4.
- Lift V2 by Lombard studio.
Their analysis aimed to create a hull with superior control, resulting in a boat that excelled in both challenging and favorable conditions. North Sails Italia played a crucial role in optimizing the design.
Confidence in the Project
Beccaria’s confidence in the project led him to invest in the ownership of the molds, anticipating demand for additional boats. Andrea Fornaro and Alberto Riva participated in the Transat Jacques Vabre with subsequent models, validating this foresight.
Personal Connections
Ambrogio’s relationship with Guelfi and D’Angeli dates back to their university days and was strengthened in Brittany. Gianluca recalls offering Ambrogio a place to stay in La Rochelle before his first MiniTransat.
Professional Background
Guelfi and D’Angeli were involved with A2V, a startup focused on aerodynamic passenger catamarans, which provided significant fuel savings. Their passion for fluid dynamics and the ability to develop new software were key elements of their success. They eventually returned to sailing yacht design after seven years with A2V.
Project Development
The Musa40 project required commercial viability. Despite their lack of renown, their innovative approach attracted interest. The project’s development involved correlating Ambrogio’s sailing experiences with numerical data, ensuring a meticulous design process.
Innovative Ideas
Their design philosophy centered on balanced integration rather than a single groundbreaking concept. They optimized aero-hydrodynamics from the start and ensured structural integrity through collaborative efforts. The boat’s performance during its debut race demonstrated its robustness and potential for further enhancements.
Italian Construction Expertise
The Italian construction site’s expertise in lightweight boat building was instrumental. Their flexibility and commitment to quality allowed for potential enhancements and ensured a seamless, collaborative process.
This summary emphasizes the innovative, collaborative, and Italian-centric aspects of the Musa40 project, highlighting the key figures and their contributions to its success.
Class40 was born as a result of the distillation of excellent yet simple ideas. Designers, sailors and boat builders had been working on the idea of a dedicated offshore race boat for some years prior to the creation of the Class in 2004. A boat somewhere in between a Mini 650 and an IMOCA 60, a true race boat sufficiently seaworthy to safely sail across the Atlantic. In 2004, at the request of many people in the marine industry, skipper-journalist Patrice Carpentier took the initiative to draft the Rules for Class40. The brief contained three points: design a simple, reliable and fast boat. “We set ourselves the goal of making the rules fit onto two pages!” recalled Patrice Carpentier.
Then came success
At the Paris Boat Show in 2005, the Class40 Rules and the broad outlines of this new offshore class were officially unveiled, and a race programme in which the 2006 Route du Rhum was to be the highlight. The success of the Class was rapidly confirmed in the following months. The Pogo 40, the Jumbo 40 and then the Akilaria came out of their respective yards. Many designers took to the drawing board and the first prototypes appeared. Only ten months later in October 2006, the Class already had 54 members, and 25 Class40s lined up for the start of the Route du Rhum. These 40 footers made up a third of the fleet in this mythical transatlantic race…
Attractive is its diversity
Since then, Class40s systematically make up the largest fleet in the offshore races they take part in. Since its creation, Class40 has found its place in the world of offshore racing and quickly expanded internationally. Today Class40 is made up of sailors from 22 different countries. Patrice Carpentier sees this is a strength: “The mix of different types of people and the internationalization of the Class are very good attributes. What makes Class40 so attractive is its diversity, and that makes me optimistic for the future.” This diversity can also be seen in the lines of the Class40 boats themselves. Designers have had a ball finding ways to optimise the Class Rules. Inevitably, boats have steadily become more powerful.
