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The Fleet The Clipper 70

The third generation of one-design Clipper Race yachts debuted in the Clipper 2013-14 Race, proving to be faster and more dynamic than previous Clipper Race yachts, breaking speed records of 35 knots [OneDLL, Leg 6].

The eleven 70-foot yachts make up world’s largest matched fleet of ocean racing yachts. Designed by renowned naval architect Tony Castro, they are the shining jewel in the Clipper Race crown, perfectly adapted to this gruelling sailing challenge.

As with all lean, mean ocean racing yachts, the Clipper 70s are not for the faint-hearted. They are by design stripped of all luxuries. Race Crew must become experts at living in a confined space, managing all their kit and belongings as they settle into their new home.

The Clipper 70s feature twin helms, twin rudders, and a six-foot bowsprit, which allows the inclusion of three large asymmetric spinnakers and a suite of Yankee headsails, which combine to increase performance and boat speed. The new hull design produces better performance and control, especially in the light winds encountered near the Equator or between weather systems when crossing oceans. The design provides total control in the heaviest of conditions, ensuring not only high speeds, but safety too.

Today’s fleet is in stark comparison to the one which began the very first Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 1996. Development ideas have been taken from both previous yacht designs: the Clipper 60s and Clipper 68s.

Hull & Exterior

The hull construction utilises lessons learnt from previous races, employing well-proven composite construction materials and methods. The hull and deck are of a sandwich construction using glass fibre, epoxy resins and structural foam. More commonly called Foam Reinforced Plastic (FRP), this construction method is light, stiff and proven to produce an incredibly strong and safe hull. Modern features have been included within the design of the hull which, along with the twin rudders, give improved directional stability when heeling, provide the helm with more control and achieve a faster ride.

The deck layout provides a well-designed environment for the crew to perform in. Eleven Harken winches, including the primaries controlled by twin three-speed coffee grinders, will swiftly bring the sails under control. Jammers and organisers have been located in easy-to-operate locations allowing crew to swiftly change settings. The mainsheet has been placed further aft in the cockpit, permitting a better level of communication between the crew as they undertake the various evolutions during tacks, gybes, hoists and drops. The aluminum mast towers 95-feet above the waterline and is rigged using tried and trusted materials and methods to further improve overall safety.

The boats are designed with a state-of-the-art HD fixed camera system to ensure that all the action on deck will be captured and used by media around the world to showcase the conditions faced by the crew during the race.

Interior Design

Below deck is a stripped-out interior with 24 bunks, a state-of-the-art navigation station and a simple galley. Watertight bulkheads and doors are strategically located to provide compartmentalisation in case of flooding.

The navigation station is placed towards the stern, providing a closer link between the navigator and helmsman. It is equipped with all the latest navigation electronics, navigation computers and cutting-edge satellite communications. This area of the yacht will provide the skipper and media crew member on board an ideal working space. GRIB weather files will be studied and courses mapped on the navigation computer while photos, diaries and videos will be edited and sent back to race headquarters using a powerful marine computer.

The engine and generator are mounted behind the companionway steps. Their mid-ship position brings increased stability and balance to the hull and also keeps all the ancillaries and electrical components in one maintenance-friendly area.

Centrally, just aft of the mast, sits a simple horseshoe-shaped galley, which feeds in to the communal area. This is where crew briefings and all-important meal times can take place. Crew accommodation runs from the stern forwards in a series of double bunks and stops short of a watertight bulkhead towards the front third of the boat. Ahead of this is a large compartment for storing sails, with the main hatch located directly above.

Bigger, Better, Faster

Why do the Ocean Race sailboats look so different? What to know about IMOCA vessels

The Ocean Race features two fleets of high-performance racing yachts, both capable of speeds high enough to travel 600 nautical miles or more in 24 hours under the right conditions.

For the first time in the history of The Ocean Race, the teams are racing 60-foot IMOCA class vessels in pursuit of the Ocean Race Trophy, crewed by teams of four sailors and one onboard reporter.

The 65-foot VO65 Class is racing for The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup over three legs: Leg 1 from Alicante, Spain to Cabo Verde, Leg 6 from Aarhus, Denmark to The Hague in the Netherlands, and Leg 7 from The Hague to Genova, Italy.

Aboard an IMOCA: Newport Daily News reporter takes the helm of 11th Hour Racing's boat Malāma

How are IMOCA 60 boats sailed?

The IMOCA Class uses a “development design” rule which allows the designers to experiment with hull and sail shapes within set parameters. However, masts, booms and standing rigging are one-design.

Since 2015, the class rules have also allowed the use of retractable underwater foils which further boost performance by lifting the boat partially out of the water, at times allowing the boat to move faster than the recorded wind speed.

While some teams are using pre-existing vessels for the race, Newport-based 11 th Hour Racing took advantage of the development design condition to build a custom IMOCA designed specifically for a crew of four – a huge departure from rigging and control configurations geared towards solo racers, and one that allows the team to maximize performance and speed.

Their custom-built boat Malama features 22-foot retractable underwater foils, a three-ton canting keel, a 95-foot mast and has eight sails on board. So far, it has reached a top speed of 38 knots, or about 43 miles per hour.

The other four teams crewing IMOCAs are Team Malizia, GUYOT environnement-Team Europe, Biotherm Racing and Holcim PRB.

What it 11th Hour?: How a Google co-founder is tied to the Newport organization leading The Ocean Race

VO65s are racing over three legs for The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup

The V065 fleet is built to a strict one-design rule, meaning the boats are identical in every way and evenly matched in terms of performance capability.

These boats are single-hull carbon construction yachts, raced by mixed-sex crews with a minimum of seven sailors, and are capable of racing up to 600 miles in a single day.

VO65 teams participating in The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup are competing in the VO65 class in the in-port races scheduled in each city in addition to three stages of offshore racing from point to point:  Alicante, Spain to Cabo Verde; Aarhus, Denmark to The Hague, the Netherlands; and The Hague to Genova, Italy.

The Ocean Race is back: How busy will Newport be and what does that mean

The teams competing in the VO65 Sprint Cup are Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team, Ambersail 2, Team JAJO, WindWhisper Racing Team, Viva Mexico and Austrian Ocean Racing powered by Team Genova.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Extraordinary boats: the new radical PRB IMOCA 60

• Helen Fretter
• August 11, 2022

The new PRB IMOCA 60 is one of the latest to launch in a flurry of new launches. Originally designed for The Ocean Race, it will be Kevin Escoffier's boat for the next Vendée Globe

As if the new PRB IMOCA 60 were not eye-catching enough, the story behind it is truly remarkable. The reason Kevin Escoffier needed a new IMOCA in a hurry is well documented: in early December 2020 Escoffier was racing in the Vendée Globe around the world race, 800 miles south of Cape Town, when his previous PRB suddenly and catastrophically broke up.

The previous PRB IMOCA 60, a 2009 Verdier-VPLP design that had been retrofitted with foils , sank without trace, leaving Escoffier not only without a boat, but also without answers as to why his yacht had broken up.

One thing not in doubt, however, was his determination to start the 2024 Vendée Globe . His sponsors were quick to affirm their support – pledging new backing even before Escoffier had landed ashore after his rescue.

Immediately after the 2020/21 Vendée Globe, however, the IMOCA 60 market was white-hot, thanks partly to the strong performance of previous generation designs driving a rush to buy competitive existing boats. Meanwhile a number of skippers preparing a 2024 campaign had already secured build slots for new IMOCAs.

However, there was one boat which was available – a Verdier-design that had originally been created as a fully crewed boat for The Ocean Race . It was in build at Carrington Boats in the UK, before a change of circumstances saw the project paused. Escoffier’s team bought the hull, finishing the build in the UK before shipping it to Lorient for final fit out and launching.

PRB has the latest evolution Verdier foils for improved stability at speed. Photo: Yann Riou/polaRYSE

Rebirth of a new PRB IMOCA 60

Perhaps surprisingly given the fate of his previous boat, the first change Escoffier made to the partially-built PRB was to saw off around 4.5m of bow. But this was a pure performance decision, Escoffier explains: “The hull was designed for The Ocean Race. [Originally] in The Ocean Race a few legs were going north up to China, so it was quite a deep bow in order to also be efficient upwind. Whereas for me most of the races – like the Route du Rhum , Vendée Globe – are more downwind races and single-handed.”

The bow was cut 50cm forward of the bulkhead where the J3 furler is fitted, and replaced with a new, shallower section that is designed for more downwind and all-round performance.

“It will be a bit slower upwind in light winds, but much better for downwind, and much better also for reaching because as soon as the foil is working the bow won’t be touching the water as often. So we were looking for more average speed instead of top speeds.

Racing these boats single-handed , you’ve already got top speed much more often than you want it.”

Buying an existing competitive IMOCA would have cost €4-4.5m, with another €1-1.5m in modifications and new foils

The team also changed the angle of the forward chine, making it more pronounced, and moving the forefoot aft. “That’s in order to build some lift on the bow and not to nose dive again, the idea is definitely to stay above the waves. So the hull is not the latest design, but the bow is.”

The foils were designed especially for Escoffier’s boat. “We changed their position a bit, and we used the last six sections designed by Verdier,” says Escoffier, who says they are an evolution of the foils on the 11th Hour Racing IMOCA 60 Malãma . “The idea of these foils was, again, for more average speed. Since we don’t have any T-rudders at the back, these boats are quite complicated to keep (from) pitching or flying too high.

“The idea of having a foil that is a bit more curved was to have something that was ‘auto stable’. Same thing for the shaft – to have a short radius on the shaft to be able to adjust the stability and the depth of the foil whether you want to fly high or not, to go above the waves or be in skimming mode.”

Flying high for the cameras, but PRB is designed for high average speeds and stability rather than outright top speed

Another distinctive feature of the new PRB IMOCA 60 is its scooped foredeck. This achieves two aims, Escoffier explains: it reduces weight by reducing the amount of material in the bulkheads, and it helps lower the boat’s centre of gravity.

“The idea is to have the mast as low down as possible to lower the centre of gravity. On these new boats, since we’ve got foils, we need less sail area. But if you’ve got the centre of gravity and the centre of pressure of the sails lower, you heel less, and you go faster.”

Article continues below…

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In a bubble

As the mast is one-design within the IMOCA class, there is no option to lower the gooseneck fitting, but by lowering the foredeck and mast position the boom sweeps close to the coachroof. Escoffier may use soft panels to create an end-plate effect here, but he says extra mods are only added after they’ve thoroughly tested the boat and know how many kilos of weight they have to work with.

The coachroof itself tapers down rapidly towards the transom – you have to crouch when climbing aboard over the rudders. Inside the mostly enclosed space Escoffier has dual helming positions with custom-fit windows to create full-height working zones. “We’ve got bubbles over the pedestals,” he explains, “for me to be able to see around for safety, to trim the sails and also to stand up because everywhere else, you don’t have the height.”

The concave foredeck is evident here as crew move around the deck. Photo: Photos: Yann Riou/polaRYSE

There are three reasons for the closed cockpit: aerodynamic performance; reducing the amount of water on deck – and in the boat in general; and to protect the skipper from wind and waves.

The revised PRB IMOCA 60 has kept the twin pedestals that were originally specified for The Ocean Race, but the result is that solo skipper Escoffier can trim with a clear view of the sails on either tack. He will add cameras, particularly to view furlers and the bowsprit, but says he doesn’t want to have to rely on them for general visibility.

“You can see everywhere. I will have my autopilot here. I can ease or trim and I have the helm. It was very important for me to be able to do everything from here – on other boats they need to move to see, then go back to the helm. You’ve seen the issue with SVR-Lazartigue, the Ultime [François Gabart’s maxi trimaran is currently in a legal dispute about whether it meets class rules due to lookout visibility]. We have to be careful I think, not to open the class to mistakes where we could be criticised. Not to do anything that might make people say stop single-handed racing, as that would be very sad.”

On a training sail with Pascal Bidégorry. Line tails run from the mast base through carbon tunnels to exit at the pedestal positions on each side. Photo: Kevin Escoffier/PRB

Cockpit seats will be added later – along with a beanbag for sleeping below – and canting instrument screens. Escoffier says he always carries an iPad onboard as a back up. “So that if you’ve got nothing at all – you can charge an iPad with the solar panel and then you’ve got maps, GPS, you can do routing, you can go back home even if you’ve got a full blackout on the boat.”

The cockpit has also been designed to allow Escoffier to stack sails as far outboard as possible, and to move internal weight depending on which ‘flight’ mode he is sailing in. “I think that the centre of gravity is a big fight we’ve got on these boats. We want everything forward upwind, because with the foil we are flying, then downwind we want to delay the moment you put the [water] ballast in. The idea is to be able to move everything inside the boat first, to delay the moment you put in the ballast because then you’ve made the boat heavier.

Additional solar panels will be added to the hard cockpit top as Escoffier plans to race without carrying diesel. Photos: Yann Riou/polaRYSE

“By the rule we can only have four [ballast] tanks. Before it was two at the back, two in the middle. Now with the foils, it’s more like one at the back, one in the front, two in the middle. We use the ones in the middle upwind and reaching, at the back for downwind, and in the front for close reaching.”

Clever structures

Down below the build quality is evident – the boat is a web of perfect carbon and clean edges. Escoffier’s engineering background shows in a centralised systems housing that includes electronics, keel and hydraulic control boxes.

Out of the water, designer Verdier’s latest thinking in bow shape shows pronounced chines, designed for lift and fast average speeds offwind. Photos: Yann Riou/polaRYSE

“Instead of having single parts everywhere, it’s all here. Also it’s low down for a low centre of gravity, and you can access everything. Usually this is all right at the back – but here I don’t need hatches so that means that it’s lighter and if I have to work on something I can see directly which connection is not working – I don’t have to follow a wire around the boat. Everything is here, so it’s very easy.”

However, much of the engineering is hidden, such as the anti-collision system for the foils. Besides hydraulic rams to push and pull the foils to adjust their angle of attack, there is a large diameter hydraulic ram designed as a shock absorber. “It’s like a vang, very quick. You have to have a big cylinder of oil to absorb all the energy of the impact. Then at the back of the foil I’ve got a bumper, and on the forward part of the upper bearing I’ve got a 200mm titanium plate.”

The ‘bubbles’ over each helm/pedestal position allow Escoffier to trim facing forward and look directly at the sails with standing headroom. Photo: Kevin Escoffier/PRB

Overall, Escoffier seems delighted with his new boat. There were a few supply chain delays – and Brexit added extra complications – but from the worst possible situation he has found himself with a unique new IMOCA, ahead of many of his rivals awaiting next generation launches. He estimates using a pre-existing hull saved around €1.5 million compared to buying a new boat.

“Also nowadays we’re working on sustainability,” he adds, “So for me it would have been crazy to have a hull sitting there not being used. This was a perfect opportunity, so I’m very happy. I think we’ve got a beautiful boat.”

PRB IMOCA 60 specifications

LOA: 20.12m / 66ft 1in LWL: 18.28m / 60ft 0in Beam: 5.50m / 18ft 0in Draught: 4.50m / 14ft 9in Sail area (max): 565m2 / 6,081ft2 Displacement: 8.2 tonnes

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• Custom Racing Yachts
• Elliott Design Fleet

We specialise in custom racing yacht design. Our clients' design  briefs and race aspirations determine the types of racing yacht they require.  Our successful track record in high performance yacht design is proven by the podium results achieved by our clients. Following are a few of our custom designed racing yachts.

Mari Cha IV

The design brief for the Mari Cha IV was to create the world’s fastest offshore racing monohull capable of breaking ocean racing records. Greg Elliott was a member of the design team. The yacht is built of carbon fibre and has twin masts 45m high and a canting keel Mari Cha IV is capable of speeds of over 40 knots.Mari Cha IV is the undefeated fastest monohull in the world. First monohull to sail over 500 nautical miles in 24 hours.

Elliott 100 Maximus

Maximus is a light displacement carbon fibre construction 100m yacht. Features include carbon fibre wing mast special and canting keel. Launched 2005. Podium Results Include Round the Island Cowes Race   Line Honours. Race Record Auckland to Tauranga   Line Honours Rolex Fastnet   Line Honours. 1st Handicap Rolex Trans Atlantic Challenge 1st handicap. 2nd Line

Elliott 100 Investec Loyal

Elliott 100 Investec Loyal  took Line Honours in the 2011 Rolex Sydney to Hobart.

Elliott 100 Ragamuffin 100

The Elliott 100 renamed Ragamuffin 100 in 2013 took Line Honours in the Transpac 2013.  Rolex Sydney to Hobart 3rd Line 2014.

Elliott 52 SuperSport Outsider

"Outsider" is a high tech 52 ft offshore and inshore racing yacht. Construction is carbon fibre. The hull form is well balanced, low drag moderate beam. Stability is enhanced with a canting keel. Highly competitive in IRC, the rig is optimised to incur no penalties whilst racing IRC.  Podium Results include:

Newport to Hamburg Trans Atlantic Race  Line Honours Kiel to Copenhagen  Line Honours Round North Island, New Zealand 1st Elapsed Time Baltic Sprint Cup  1st Line Overall Trans Atlantic Challenge 2015  1st IRC Div 2, 2nd IRC Overall

Elliott Open 50 - A Southern Man

A Southern Man was commissioned by New Zealand yachtsman Graham Dalton to compete in the Open 50 Class. Built in New Zealand and shipped to the USA before sailing across the Atlantic for the start of the Velux 5 Oceans Single Handed Race. A Southern Man proved to be very competitive against older generation Open 60s. Undoubtedly one of the fastest open 50 yachts in the world.

Elliott Open 50 - Venture II

The Elliott Open 50 was renamed Venture 11 when purchased by an Australian yachtsman for campaigning in local racing.  Competed in the 2013 Rolex Sydney to Hobart.

Elliott 11 Cruiser Racer

A custom designed cruiser racer capable of both offshore and inshore racing. The yacht is of composite construction. Simple handling systems enable the yacht to be sailed short handed. Bulb keel enhances stability and allows for a generous sail area. The interior layout is simplistic but functional. Launched in 2006, Mrs Jones has completed over 2000 ocean miles, including two circumnavigations of the North Island of New Zealand in short handed mode.

Elliott 50 Super Sport Sportivo

The Elliott 50 SuperSport design is a 50 foot canting keel yacht built of carbon fibre and sporting a  carbon fibre rotating wing mast. The first Elliott 50ss design was commissioned by a well known New Zealand yachtsman as a state of the art racing yacht for local and offshore racing. Sportivo showed impressive speed in her first race, winning the hotly contested RNZYS Night Race to Kawau and has gone on to achieve numerous impressive race wins since.

Elliott 50 Ran Tan 11

Elliott 50 ft, high performance, offshore racing yacht design. Some of the Elliott 50 RanTan 11s  podium Results Include: Wellington to Nelson  Line Honours  Race Record Record Kapiti Island to Ships Cove Line Honours Ships Cove to Wellington  Line Honours Mana to Picton  Line Honours Race Record SSANZ Round North Island Race Line Honours All 4 Legs Whangarei to Vanuatu Race Line Honours Race Record

Elliott 52 Primo

LAUNCHED: 1994 "ELLIOTT MARINE"  RENAMED: 1996 "PRIMO"  Since her debut race in late 1994 this awesome racing machine has: sailed some 60,000 miles, raced in events in New Zealand, Australia. USA, Hong Kong and Japan, slashed several records and thrilled and inspired numerous people throughout the world of yachting.

Elliott 52 Cocorin V

Cocorin V is now based in Tokyo.  Since her debut race in late 1994 this awesome racing machine has: sailed some 60,000 miles, raced in events in New Zealand, Australia. USA, Hong Kong and Japan, slashed several records and thrilled and inspired numerous people throughout the world of yachting. 

Elliott 45 Maverick

Elliott 45 Maverick. Built by Elliott Marine Ltd.Launched June 2000 as Kiwi Coyote. The concept and driving force of the Elliott 45 is to reduce the drag associated with sailing fast. To achieve this, the very latest in technology was used throughout construction. The result being the production of a lightweight, strong structure, which has highly efficient foils attached. Initial testing produced some very exciting results and the yacht continues to excel. This Elliott 45 was sold to Europe in 2006.

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Want to See America’s Cup Racing Up Close? These 9 Yacht Charters Let You Watch From the Water

Options range from 200-foot-plus superyachts with side trips to ibiza to intimate sailing vessels catered by michelin-starred chefs. let the races begin., jemima sissons, jemima sissons's most recent stories.

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Next week, when the 37 th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup kicks off in Barcelona with its opening ceremony, the contest that began in 1851 with a race around the Isle of Wight between the fastest British and American sloops (the yacht America won handily) will come back to Europe for the first time in 14 years.

The move to the Catalan capital from the 2021 event in New Zealand will make it more accessible to sailing fans in Europe, and even North Americans who want to view the fast, technical AC75 foiling boats in person. Barcelona has been preparing itself for a surge of spectators for the “return” of the Cup, which was held twice in Valencia, Spain, in the aughts.

The America’s Cup may be billed as “the race with no second place,” but it takes three months of racing and four events for one of five Challenger teams to win the Louis Vuitton Cup, and that winner will race Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup final. The racing runs from August through October, and this year includes a first-time all-women’s America’s Cup as well as an event for the world’s best youth sailors.

Having Barcelona as a venue was a smart move, partly for the gorgeous beaches fronting the race course on the Med. But there is also the city’s magnificent architecture and sense of history as well as vibrant arts, culture and, of course, no shortage of Michelin-starred restaurants.

There are many five-star hotels in the area, but the smartest and most thrilling way to see racing is by water. The vessel options are wide-ranging—from weeklong superyacht charters to luxury suites on a cruise ships to day trips on sailboats with Michelin-starred cuisine. Many can be combined with on-land stays and even cruises to other parts of Spain as part of the itineraries.

One important note: Four zones adjoining the race course allow spectator boats. Before chartering a vessel, be sure to find out which zone the boat will operate in, because that impacts how close you are to the racing.

Here are 9 options to suit the most avid Cup aficionados or those visiting Barcelona who want to sip champagne and watch the AC75 foiling boats battle it out.

Superyacht ‘Resilience’

Edmiston is offering charters aboard the 212-foot Resilience during the America’s Cup. The ISA-built superyacht, designed by Enrico Gobbi, features a mosaic-tiled pool, circular fire pit and a BBQ for a ringside lunch. Post-race pampering comes via the steam room, sundeck jacuzzi and gym, and there’s even a self-playing Edelweiss piano and projector for evening entertainment. The vessel sleeps 12 across seven cabins. From September 16, weekly charters start at about $645,000 (€600,000).

Explora Journeys

The soon-to-be-launched Explora II looks very much like its sistership, the Explora I : onyx finishes, self-playing Steinways, on-deck Technogym bikes, a spa with a Himalayan salt room, Dunhill cigar den and a wine cellar boasting decades-old Chateau Latour. With 461 luxury suites, how was the Explora II chosen to become an America’s Cup viewing platform? The idea came from the top down. 

“I love sailing and believe the Med is the most beautiful sea on earth,” Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group, told Robb Report during a visit aboard Explora I in Barcelona. “We thought if only our customers could also experience [the America’s Cup], we can call it the ocean state of mind.” 

Explora II launches in mid-September, with itineraries planned to coincide with the different Cup events. On October 6, the vessel will be in port for the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and Puig Women’s Races. Guests can take a walk to the official race village and experience its excitement before watching the races from their suites. A 10-night journey starts from $5,210 per guest.

The Almanac Sailing Experience

Barcelona’s Almanac hotel has a romantic-gastronomic experience that offers guests front-row seats on a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45 sailboat with a capacity for 10 guests. Besides the racing, the package includes two nights at the hotel. The boat comes with the hotel’s branded slippers and Jimmy Boyd bespoke amenities. Enjoy a selection of customized Cava Bellinis from the pop-up bar. Chefs from the hotels’ restaurant will also serve up shrimp salad and fennel ceviche paired with organic Spanish wines. The boat can be chartered every Saturday from August 31 to October 26. The Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin starts on August 29 and lasts through Sept. 8. There’s also the Puig Women’s Race (first all-female America’s Cup in its 171-year history) and, of course, the America’s Cup finals in October. Prices start at $2,940 per couple. 

Superyacht ‘C’

For a majestic week-long cruise that incorporates America’s Cup summer races and possible side itineraries in Costa Dorada, Sitges and Formentera, Camper & Nicholsons’ expansive 177-ft C is the flashy option, defined by Minotti furniture, lacquered panels and a hamman. It also sleeps 12 in six cabins that feature a master and two VIP suites. Its chase boat also offers a great opportunity for side trips. Weekly charters from Sept. 18-October 31 run from about $513,000 or €400,000.

Sailing Yacht ‘Imagine’

UK adventure specialists Pelorus offer a private seat on an elegant sailing boat seeped in America’s Cup history. Built in New Zealand by Alloy Yachts, Imagine is a 110-footer that served as an official viewing platform for the America’s Cup in Auckland, but it has also completed three global circumnavigations. Beyond its sailing chops, it’s a beautiful vessel, with a blonde, teak-lined deck, large salon and dining area, and three cabins for sleeping seven guests. It will be available from October 12 for the America’s Cup final. Pelorus is also offering to bookend the week with trips to Majorca and Ibiza. About $101,000 (£79,121)

Superyacht ‘Diane’

Also available from Edmiston, the 141-ft Diane can accommodate 10 guests in five staterooms for the week. The interior is all about soft hues, featuring cream leather and white marble, boasting a bar and plenty of outdoor seating for watching the races. For the non-race legs, guests can take to the water via the large beach club, complete with seabobs and wakeboards. It has a Balearics license, making a hop to Ibiza or Majorca a possibility. Weekly charter rates from September 23 run about $150,000 per week (€140,000)

Black Tomato Cup Package

Incorporating a city-stay, Black Tomato’s America’s Cup getaway includes a day’s private day charter to view the race, plus five nights at the Mandarin Oriental as well as visiting the regatta course and different bases of the America’s Cup teams for an insider’s look at the operations and technology. As a dayboat, its Bali Yacht Saxador 400 GTO can accommodate 11 guests. It sets sail from Port Olympic, giving guests a sweeping view of the city on one side and the regatta course on the other. The boat has access to the blue area (for preferred charter boats) on the front line. From $12,750 per person, based on two people.

Superyacht ‘Quasar’

Camper & Nicholsons recently introduced the 153-foot Quasar to the charter market and what a great way to end the Med season than by viewing the America’s Cup. It has six cabins (including two master suites) that can accommodate 12 guests, along excellent outdoor seating, an upper salon that joins the aft deck area for viewing the races or dining al-fresco. The beach club has a large selection of water toys. Visits to scenic Med ports around Barcelona are also possible on the week’s charter, which start at about $232,000 (€210,000).  

Superyacht ‘Kiawah’

For front row seats on day charters in the blue zone (the third-closest area to the races), official charter partner ac37 Sailcharters offers different types of vessels and packages. The 110-foot Kiawah features a cocktail lunch on board, a specialized lecture from an expert sailor, and an AV system to follow the race in real time. From August 22 through October 11, daily rates are about $34,000 (€30,800) and during the America’s Cup finals October 12-27, rates move to about $41,000 (€37,400).

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'The new boats are at the cutting edge of technology'

Aussie sailor Kyle Langford says the exciting next race will be 'harder to sail than ever before' Text by Jonno Turner

What makes competing in The Ocean Race such an addiction for the world’s best sailors?

Since 1973, many have been asked why they return time and time again to test themselves in one of sport’s toughest challenges. And no-one has put it better than Race legend, Sir Peter Blake.

“You'll hate it, you'll absolutely despise the fact that you're involved – but when you get to the finish, you'll know why,” he replied, when asked his motivations for competing in this brutal Race five times.

“There's nothing like it. It gets in your blood and you can't get rid of it."

This time last year, if you’d have asked a Southern Ocean-battered Kyle Langford whether he’d ever be back in The Ocean Race, it's fair to say that his answer would have probably been a lot shorter and, um, to the point.

“It’s hard to describe just how tough the Southern Ocean is – there’s absolutely nothing that can prepare you for it,” the Aussie sailor explains, almost a year after the end of the Race. “I’d rather go through the Doldrums 100 times than go back down there, it’s not a place where humans belong.

“It’s freezing cold, windy ...just completely miserable. When I found out that Capey and Bouwe had done it 8-10 times, I thought ‘these guys are completely mad’ – what could motivate someone to do that?”

But Langford admits that, now he’s back on shore, dry and fed, he’s already starting to feel the pull of the ocean once again.

“Having spent some time away from the Race, I can now see why people come back so many times ...and I’m itching to go again. I can really see what people are drawn to, being out there in nature, no outside influences except you, the boat and the weather. There’s no greater challenge than that, setting yourself up against the best and trying to beat them.

“It’s funny, when you’re away from the Race you forget all the bad moments – you just remember the good times and the challenging bits, and that’s what pulls you back in again and again.”

Having tested himself in many disciplines of the sport, Langford is hard to pigeon-hole as a sailor. He’s spent the last few months in Palma de Mallorca, sharpening his Moth racing skills – and he’s also competed in two America’s Cups, winning one as part of Oracle Team USA; he’s currently part of the Australia SailGP team, racing F50s; he's raced on Comanche, and in 2010, he won the RC44 World Championships as part of Jimmy Spithill’s crew.

But he admits that when he decided to join Team Brunel and embark on a round-the-world ocean race in 2017, he had no idea what might lay in store for the following nine months.

“The Ocean Race was a huge learning curve for me,” he says. “When I started the race, I’d never even been offshore before. I’d never spent a single night on a boat. Going into a 20-odd day leg knowing you’re going to be on a boat for three weeks straight is quite tough, mentally.

“I look back and wonder how I managed to get through that, not only to survive it, but also to do it whilst competing against the best in the world at a very high level. It’s a very satisfying feeling and I’m proud to have been part of such a great event.”

Coming straight into the Race from the in-shore racing of the America’s Cup marked a big step for the Aussie, who turns 30 this year – and it wasn’t just the boats that were different.

“People ask me how The Ocean Race compares to the America’s Cup,” he adds. “The Cup is the Formula 1 of sailing, you have a large team behind you and there’s constant development going on during the racing. Whereas The Ocean Race is more like the Dakar Rally of sailing, you have a team and there’s a lot of work that goes in before the Race, but once you’re out there, you’re on your own – there’s no assistance from the outside. It’s just you and the elements and the equipment that you have.”

Langford explains that, despite having a wide range of experience across the sport, The Ocean Race was a real journey that altered how he approaches professional campaigns and personal challenges.

“I think throughout the Race my mentality changed a lot, and I really changed as a person as well. At the start, I was quite anxious about getting stuff done and wondering what’s next, but then as the Race goes on you learn to roll with it, and chill out. I think it makes you a better person and you deal with unexpected changes better. It really helps to have that mentality shift and it’s what offshore racing is about, you’ve got to roll with the punches and it’s not over until it’s over, which we saw going into the final leg of The Ocean Race.”

That last leg, with three boats – Dongfeng, MAPFRE and Langford’s Team Brunel – all racing into The Hague with a shot at winning the trophy, will go down in history as one of the closest and most thrilling moments in the history of the sport.

And with The Ocean Race introducing new IMOCA 60 foiling boats to mark a new era of ocean racing, Langford believes that the race is only going to get more exciting.

“I think the direction of The Ocean Race is really good,” he says. “I like how it’s attracting a new generation of sailors with the VO65s, and in the IMOCA 60, we’ll probably see more single-handed sailors coming into fully-crewed racing.

“The boats are so extreme, they’re really, really cool and at the cutting edge of technology. Outside the America’s Cup, The Ocean Race is now the biggest development class in the world. The added dimension of foiling is gonna be huge in ocean racing and how you manage that is a huge challenge.”

He adds: “The Ocean Race is tough enough as it is, and throwing these new boats into the mix is going to be a huge challenge for everyone involved.”

The IMOCA 60 boats are smaller, faster and will have even less crew onboard – which will have a huge impact on day-to-day life whilst racing around the world. Langford explains that building a team of all-rounders could the secret to winning the next edition in 2021-22.

“I think the key difference in the next race is going to be the personnel you have onboard. You really need all-rounders – people who can do every position onboard. Gone are the days when you have a specific pitman, bowman, trimmer or helmsman – you need everyone to be able to do everything to a very high level.

“The type of sailor you’re looking for needs to be able to do everything from the mechanics of the boat, the boatbuilding, sail making and the shore side of things as well, because when you’re out there there’s no one else to fix it for you, and you’ve got such a small amount of people onboard you need to be able to cover every area.

He adds: “It’s going to be hugely challenging as a sailor, and to get the right combination is going to be tough. I think it’s going to be even harder to sail than it’s ever been in the past.”