comanche yacht weight

Find anything, super fast.

• Destinations
• Documentaries

Motor Yacht

Comanche is a custom motor yacht launched in 1985 by Feadship and most recently refitted in 2004.

Based in the Netherlands and with roots dating back to 1849, Feadship is recognised as the world leader in the field of pure custom superyachts.

Comanche measures 26.62 metres in length, with a max draft of 1.83 feet and a beam of 6.45 feet. She has a gross tonnage of 103 tonnes.

Comanche also features naval architecture by Frits De Voogt .

Performance and Capabilities

Comanche has a fuel capacity of 14,593 litres, and a water capacity of 6,028 litres.

Accommodation

Comanche accommodates up to 6 guests in 3 cabins. She also houses room for up to 2 crew members.

• Yacht Builder Feadship View profile
• Naval Architect Frits De Voogt No profile available
• Exterior Designer Frits De Voogt No profile available

Yacht Specs

Other feadship yachts, related news.

Published on October 22nd, 2014 | by Editor

Building trust with Comanche

Published on October 22nd, 2014 by Editor -->

The size, styling, and purpose of Jim and Kristy Clark’s Verdier Yacht Design & VPLP 100 footer Comanche has turned heads. Here skipper Ken Read provides an update on this record-seeking ocean racer…

The last time I sat down to update all of you Scuttlebutt readers ( click here ), the entire Comanche team was busting their butts to put the finishing touches on the boat. You could see it in their faces; everyone was exhausted but completely driven to get Comanche on the water.

And they pulled it off. A huge thank you to the entire Comanche shore team, led by Brandon Linton, Tim Hacket, Casey Smith, and to the entire build team at Hodgdon Yachts. To complete a boat of this size in a timeline that allows us to compete in the 70th running of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is impressive to say the least. The entire team is now focused on fulfilling Comanche’s goal of first to finish in whatever race she enters, and breaking records whenever the weather cooperates.

While optimistic, we are proceeding with caution. As Jim (Clark) says, “Comanche was not designed simply for the Sydney Hobart, which is an unusual race in many ways. No boat can be designed to dominate in all weather, so we will have a few Achilles heels.” Join us in willing the weather gods to cooperate whenever Comanche leaves the dock.

Comanche went sailing for the first time last week. As you can imagine, taming a 100’ boat is no easy feat. It takes time to get to know the boat, and it’s an ongoing cycle of finding all the weak links, fixing them, and repeat. We are in the process of building trust with our boat and learning the limits of how far we can push.

Our first real test, the 2014 Rolex Sydney to Hobart, is an epically brutal race. We have a few more days of testing in Newport before heading offshore [for the first time] to deliver Comanche to Charleston, South Carolina. There she will be loaded onto a ship for Australia, arriving early December.

Is it enough time? The honest answer is no, we would love to another six months to work the boat in properly. But it is what it is. We knew what we were signing up for.

By now you’ve most likely seen photos of Comanche ( click here if not). One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is: “The mast looks like it is placed really far back, what’s the reason?” Our boat and sail designers used sophisticated modeling capabilities, early in the conceptual phase, to help determine where to place the mast. The team worked closely with naval architects at Verdier Yacht Design, VPLP and JB Braun of North Sails Design Services as they were deciding where to place the mast and appendages. And at the end of the day the mast kept sneaking back…model, test, conclude, try again. We interpreted the position you see today as the most efficient for all-around sailing, especially considering the hull and foil configuration.

I at first didn’t believe having our mast well beyond 50% aft of the bow was efficient, but JB showed us the models and the computers proved us wrong. When it comes to these decisions, you have to trust the experts and their data. That’s what these smart guys get paid for, right?

And the sails? They’re big and require 6-10 men to move them from one place to the other. Because of this, Comanche has a very clean deck that makes it possible to drag the sails in their bags. We have worked hard at storage for the sails both on deck and below. That is why the primary winches are inboard, on their own separate islands, providing space to store at least four of the sails in the cockpit safely.

I also get a lot of questions about the jet black sails and what material they are. It is a new process at North we call 3Di RAW. RAW is a new addition to the North 3Di collection. Originally intended for the Grand Prix circuit, RAW is a stripped down version of traditional 3Di, allowing programs (on average) a 15% weight savings. North Sails did not expect RAW to be a product suitable for offshore sailing, but the technology has proven us wrong. The lightened-up sails are much more durable than expected. In addition to Grand Prix, RAW has found a place amongst offshore teams such as early adopters Spindrift 2. When you think about it, 15% weight savings on record-setting ocean racers will add up quickly.

So that’s what we know, given we’ve only had about a week with Comanche. Definitely more to come. It’s going to be a wild on the mighty Comanche.

Tags: Comanche , George Bekris , Jim Clark , Ken Read

Related Posts

VIDEO: DragonFlite 95 boat tuning clinic →

DEBRIEF: The Ocean Race 2023 →

Course shift in The Ocean Race →

Comanche: World’s coolest yachts →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

100-foot supermaxi Andoo Comanche returns to Australia

Related Articles

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

Andoo Comanche

John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr has chartered the Sydney Hobart record holder, Comanche . In their first hit out, Winning took Line Honours from Black Jack in the fluky 2022 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. She took Line Honours in just under 20 hours and won the inaugural 260nm Tollgate Islands Race. Herman has prefixed the boat’s name with ‘Andoo’ for Andoo Products, which partners with his Appliances Online. This is the boat to beat for Line Honours.

American Jim Clark and Aussie wife Kristy bought brand new Comanche for her first Rolex Sydney Hobart in 2014 and finished 49 mins behind Line Honours victor, Wild Oats XI , ahead of her Line Honours victory in 2015 after scoring Line Honours in the light and fluky 2015 Rolex Fastnet Race. She also smashed the 2225 nautical mile Transpac monohull record in 2017. Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant bought her just prior to the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart and as LDV Comanche , she took Line Honours and the race record after a protest against Wild Oats XI . In 2018, Comanche was pipped for second over the Rolex Sydney Hobart finish line by Black Jack after a race-long battle between the four 100-footers, won by Wild Oats XI . Cooney last took her to Hobart in 2019 and took Line Honours after doing the same in the 2019 Transpac Race.

Competitor Details

• Line Honours

Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

• Yachts for sale
• Yachts for charter
• Brokerage News

• Yacht Harbour
• Yacht Comanche

About Comanche

Contact agent.

Specifications

Similar yachts.

New listings

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Comanche, Jim Clark’s 100ft super maxi, smashes the transatlantic record

• Toby Hodges
• July 28, 2016

Comanche, the 100ft maxi racing yacht built to break records for Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark, has set an astonishingly fast new transatlantic record

In making the crossing in just  5 days, 14 hours, and 21 minutes Comanche has knocked over 24 hours off the prized record held by Mari-Cha IV for the last 13 years (subject to ratification). She sailed the 2,880 nautical miles at an AVERAGE speed of 21.44 knots!

Comanche, sailing without her regular skipper Ken Read due to America’s Cup World Series commentating commitments, was on standby for the record attempt since the end of June. She departed on the evening of the 22 July from New York – and crossed the Lizard finish line at 1145 today, 28 July.

Comanche was built precisely for this purpose: to break records. She set a blistering new 24-hour distance record for a monohull during the Transatlantic Race last year – 618 miles, at an average speed of 25.75 knots. But this Transat record is arguably the big one.

Comanche’s owner Jim Clark said: “The guys have once again powered our fantastic fat-bottomed girl to another title. I am so proud of the entire team and everyone involved in the entire program from top to bottom, the best in world, getting the best out of Comanche. Perfect harmony, and Kristy and I are over the moon.”

Speaking ahead of the departure, Comanche owner Jim Clark stated “Comanche has already proven her potential in major events all around the world and this looks to be a great opportunity to continue her legacy…The crew is made of some of the best sailors in the world who all have great pedigree. I have a good feeling about this attempt.”

Clark, the Silicon Valley magnate and founder of Netscape, has owned a number of high profile yachts that includes the groundbreaking 90m schooner Athena, and the J-Class Hanuman.

North Sails President Ken Read, the former Puma Volvo 70 skipper, has been helmsman on Hanuman and collaborator on Clark’s recent projects. “This latest record is testament to Jim and Kristy’s vision,” he said. “This is the culmination of six years of hard work and a huge team of experts offshore and onshore all working as one.”

For this crossing, Comanche’s rockstar crew, some of who sailed with Read on the Volvo Ocean Race, was led by Casey Smith, and included regulars Tony Mutter, Richard Clarke and navigator Stan Honey.

Honey picked the ideal weather window, ahead of a front, with flat seas and steady winds from a favourable angle. Following Comanche’s progress on the Yellowbrick tracker it was amazing to see how consistently she remained in the mid 20-knot bracket.

Stan Honey pours over his routeing at Commanche’s navstation

Crewmember and photographer Yann Riou described it as a weather pattern that only happens a couple of times a year. “In front of a low pressure system, moving at the same speed as we do… south-westerly wind, flat sea, all the way through – on the paper, this could not be any better.” In reality there was more thunderstorm activity than the crew had anticipated which enforced a couple of slower gybes.

In comparison to Mari-Cha’s historic ghost trail however (in white above), Comanche was able to sail a much more direct route. (It makes the 2003 record all the more impressive – see more details on MCIV below). The last 50 miles to the Lizard involved a comparatively slow hitch south of the Scilly Islands.

Comanche sailed with ‘only’ 17 crewmembers who used manual powered winches and hydraulics for this record attempt.

Antiguan Shannon Falcone, an America’s Cup winner with Team Oracle, prepares freeze-dried food during Comanche’s record crossing

Named after a native American tribe, Comanche is so beamy she was dubbed ‘the aircraft carrier’ – see our full tour of the yacht here

Designed by VPLP and Guillame Verdier, Comanche involved 15,000 hours design time plus 150,000 build-hours at Hodgdon Yachts in Maine ­­– in less than a year.

In comparison to Mari Cha IV, Comanche is 38ft shorter, but with only 5ft 5in less beam. Her 31 tonnes displacement is 25 tonnes lighter, yet the two yachts have similar keel draught. This all equates to Comanche boasting significant extra stability and righting moment – and consequently the ability to set vast sail area to help produce the extra power and speed she consistently shows. See what she’s like to sail onboard with our video here

It’s a long way down from the leeward rail – the formidable beam of Comanche

Stan Honey: “There are only about two weather windows a year where a monohull can make it all the way across the Atlantic in one system, and we found one of them. Beating this record by more than a day is above my expectations and I am delighted.”

Mari Cha IV

Mari Cha IV – by Thierry Martinez

Mari-Cha IV, the 42.32m ketch designed by Philippe Briand, was built by JMV Industries in 2003 with an aim to be the fastest monohull for offshore courses. She certainly achieved that when she set the Transatlantic Record on the year of her launch, making the crossing in 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes, at an average speed above 19 knots. Her best 24 hour run was 525 miles. She has since been completely and stunningly refitted by Royal Huisman and relaunched this year as Samurai.

Andoo Comanche wins Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2022 line honours after tussle with LawConnect

Andoo Comanche has triumphed in a two-boat chase up the River Derwent to take out its fourth line honours in a late-night finish to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Key points:

• Andoo Comanche's finish was less than three hours off the race record set in 2017
• LawConnect crossed the finish line in second place, with both boats barrelling up the River Derwent at the same time
• The overall winner is yet to be declared, with times adjusted for boat size and other factors

The 24-strong crew on the John Winning Jr-skippered supermaxi crossed the finish line at 12:57am AEDT on Wednesday with a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

Favourable weather led to a speedy race this year but it was still not enough to pip Comanche's 2017 line honours win with skipper Jim Cooney, which set the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

This year's tussle for line honours and the JH Illingworth trophy became a clash between supermaxis Andoo Comanche and LawConnect on the River Derwent. 

LawConnect finished a little over 20 minutes after Comanche, with a time of 1 day, 12 hours, 23 minutes and 19 seconds.

Black Jack followed closely behind the pair and all three chased each other down the east coast of Tasmania, hooked a sharp right turn around Tasman Island and closed in on Hobart in quick succession.

Comanche skipper John Winning Jr said the line honours win felt "pretty unbelievable at the moment" and was "still sinking in".

"I was on [line honours winner] Perpetual Loyal as one of the skippers in 2016 so I sort of know what to expect in terms of all of this," he said.

"But to do it in a campaign that I was part of putting together is really quite exceptional."

He said this year he had "lost a dear friend", Andoo Team X founder Matthew Munting, and would dedicate the win to him.

He also thanked the "incredible legends" on his crew as well as his parents, who he said had put a love of the water into him at a young age.

LawConnect crew member Gavin Smith said on Wednesday morning the team was exhausted but happy with the result.

"We were always hoping we would be able to catch them in the end, it was just a case that we didn't get there this year, but hopefully next year."

Black Jack crossed the finish in third with a time of 1 day, 12 hours, 40 minutes and 34 seconds.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats lost ground earlier in the race to become a distant fourth.

Wild Oats got into drama on the first night, with a seam splitting across one of its downwind sails.

The crew were forced to pull down the sail to repair it, which took them an hour and a half.

Monday saw a chaotic start to the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, with near-misses, protests and penalties for the big four.

Despite its eventual win, Comanche had a poor start when it did not get enough clear wind to move ahead of its rivals and became jammed by other craft.

It then misjudged a turn and hit the mark, losing even more ground. Shortly afterwards, the crew raised a protest flag.

Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards let loose a number of audible obscenities on the TV coverage as he and his crew tried to navigate their way to the Sydney Heads and out into the ocean for the trip south.

At one point, Black Jack cut back across two of its rivals, running a fine line between LawConnect and Wild Oats.

On Wednesday morning, Comanche's protest flag was noticeably absent as it came up the River Derwent to the finish line.

Skipper John Winning Jr was asked why the team removed it.

"Would you worry about it if you came first?" he asked.

Yachtie injured, more boats retire as wind lashes Tasmania

Moneypenny crew member David Blanchfield received cuts to his leg when he was washed from the bow to the mast.

He was met by an ambulance after the yacht crossed the line in ninth place.

Stefan Racing skipper Grant Wharington said conditions were "heinous" off Tasman Island on Tuesday night, with winds of up to 45 knots from the north.

The sixth-placed yacht was racing Willow and Alive up the Derwent on Wednesday morning when it suffered mainsail damage.

"We got stuck with a jib that was too big," he said.

"It's maximum 18, 20-knot sail and we got like 30, 33 knots or something and it's just broke in half.

"It was quite an old sail. Anyway, you get that."

Although a number of other yachts have retired from the race, including White Noise, Mondo, Navy One, Sail Exchange and Huntress, it is a stark contrast to last year, when almost a quarter of entries dropped out before finishing.

Earlier in the race, Avalanche and Yeah Baby both retired with rudder damage while Koa suffered a damaged bowsprit.

It will be rough sailing for those still in the race, with the east of Tasmania now subject to gale and strong wind warnings.

'Polar opposite' weather conditions compared to 2021

While Wednesday brought tough conditions for sailors, LawConnect crew member Tony Mutter said for his yacht, the contrast in weather between this year and last year's event had been startling.

Mutter told the ABC conditions were "pretty nice" for the crew and the "polar opposite" to last year.

"I was wearing thermals [last year]; we were in thunder and lightning," he said earlier.

"Now, I am in a T-shirt, shorts and life jacket."

While line honours go to the first yacht to cross the finish line, the overall race winner is yet to be declared.

The major prize for sailors is the Tattersalls Cup — which goes to the overall winner on handicap after times are adjusted for boat size and other factors.

Last year, line honours went to Black Jack, but the overall winner — Ichi Ban — was not crowned until two days later.

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related Stories

Four supermaxis battling for line honours glory in sydney to hobart yacht race.

Why you should watch the Sydney to Hobart yacht race

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

COMANCHE is a 26.61 m Motor Yacht, built in Netherlands by Feadship and delivered in 1985.

Her top speed is 23.0 kn and her cruising speed is 20.0 kn and her power comes from two MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 4 guests, with 2 crew members waiting on their every need. She has a gross tonnage of 150.0 GT and a 6.31 m beam.

She was designed by Frits De Voogt , who also completed the naval architecture. Frits De Voogt has designed 52 yachts and created the naval architecture for 66 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

COMANCHE is one of 5708 motor yachts in the 24-30m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her volume is 38.0 GT above the average.

COMANCHE is registered under the United States of America flag, the most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1615 yachts registered

Specifications

• Name: COMANCHE
• Previous Names: GALLANT LADY,WATER SPIRIT
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Sportfishing Yacht
• Builder: Feadship
• Naval Architect: Frits De Voogt
• Exterior Designer: Frits De Voogt

Yacht featured in

Yachts like this, from our partners, sponsored listings.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Andoo Comanche outlasts LawConnect to win Sydney to Hobart line honours

• Finish time less than three hours off race record set in 2017
• Black Jack crosses third, Hamilton Island Wild Oats fourth

Andoo Comanche has claimed line honours in the Sydney to Hobart for the fourth time, marking a triumphant return for the supermaxi after a brief hiatus.

The 100-foot yacht crossed the River Derwent finish line shortly before 1am (AEDT) on Wednesday with a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

Andoo Comanche, which had not sailed the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic since tasting success in 2019, has now claimed line honours in four of the past seven races.

She held off a strong challenge in darkness down the River Derwent from LawConnect, which finished about 27 minutes later.

Last year’s line honours victor, Black Jack, was third, while nine-time winner, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, finished in fourth place.

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr was joined on the crossing by his father, who had competed in the Sydney to Hobart race back in the 1970s.

“It’s pretty emotional. These are the types of things that you look back on and say you’re glad you got those opportunities,” Winning Jr said. “He’s a big golfer and I hate golf, so it’s the only sport we can do together.”

Winning Jr dedicated the victory to “dear friend” Matt Munting, who helped him set up his extreme sports venture Andoo X.

Andoo Comanche set the pace down Australia’s east coast despite a poor start on Boxing Day.

Winning Jr said his crew had to navigate some “hairy” moments in the early stages, made more difficult by spectator zones that narrowed the course. The supermaxi also hit a 10-foot log early in the race, suffering a chip to her rudder.

Winning Jr said he was worried about the winds dying in the notoriously fickle River Derwent. “[Winning the race] didn’t feel real until the last minute. It means a hell of a lot,” he said.

after newsletter promotion

Andoo Comanche, the pre-race favourite, was at one stage on track to break the line-honours record time – one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds – she set in 2017 but ultimately missed out by almost three hours.

She is the first yacht to take out Sydney to Hobart line honours under three different owners or skippers.

Andoo Comanche was one of two supermaxis forced to take penalty turns during a dramatic start to the race in Sydney on Monday. The overall race winner, decided on handicap, will be decided in the coming days.

Just three yachts have so far retired from the starting fleet of 109, a far cry from 2021’s race when 36 boats pulled the pin across the first two days in rough weather. The Sydney to Hobart was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Sydney to Hobart yacht race
• Australia sport

Most viewed