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• Sun Fast 30 One Design

The fruit of a collaboration between key players in the marine industry – with naval architects at VPLP Design and with Multiplast – the Sun Fast 30 One Design is an innovative, powerful, and versatile 30-foot sailboat aiming to make offshore sailing more accessible, more fun, and more sustainable.

A One Design Made for Offshore Racing

The Sun Fast 30 One Design has the ambition of turning a new page on offshore racing, offering a monotype dedicated to multi-day competitions, accessible to amateurs and to a new generation. At a reasonable price, they can acquire a One Design entirely made in France, perfectly equipped for racing, and easy to maintain. This One Design class will become a reference in offshore sailing, with a vast schedule of international races that promise to be exhilarating.

Objective: Performance and Sensations

Each of the three partners in the project contributed their expertise to produce a sailboat that delivers an exceptional performance. The Sun Fast 30 One Design benefits from the latest advances in infusion-moulded construction, guaranteeing resistance and rigidity at a reduced weight. The slightly rounded bow, inspired by scow design, promises thrills and power at any speed. Equipment on board, such as the autopilot and electronics, is well adapted for double-handed, and even single-handed, offshore racing.

A Recyclable Production Model Sailboat

A sailboat demonstrating remarkable performance, the Sun Fast 30 One Design is no less respectful of the environment. This is the first production model sailboat built from a recyclable composite material. By integrating the durability criteria from sailboat racing class rules, as well as equipment carefully selected and designed for intensive offshore use, the Sun Fast 30 One Design marks a major advance toward more environmentally responsible sailing.

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Sun Fast 3300

The Sun Fast 3300, a bold racing boat, without compromise, designed for success

Yachting World

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Sun Fast 30OD review: breaking the mould

• Rupert Holmes
• January 19, 2024

A collaboration between composite specialists and designers, Jeanneau’s Sun Fast 30OD rips up established thinking for setup and build of smaller offshore racing yachts

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

The best racing I’ve ever done, whether inshore or offshore, has been in one-design fleets. However, in the offshore realm it’s been two decades since the last successful one-design class was launched. But maybe that’s about to change with the Sun Fast 30OD.

Conventional wisdom holds that smaller offshore racing yachts need to be relatively heavy to be competitive under IRC. Many solo and double-handed sailors are therefore deprived of the joy of racing faster planing yachts, even if today’s successful 30-36 footers are capable of surfing at speeds in the high teens.

Happily the Sun Fast 30OD breaks the mould in this respect – it’s 800kg (22%) lighter than the popular Sun Fast 3300 , yet has almost the same sail area upwind and only 5% less downwind. A strict one-design rule is intended to allow close competition, while keeping upfront and long-term costs in check. It’s also the world’s first recyclable composite production boat – impressive given the weight goals.

A key design target was also to maximise performance in light airs. “Most of the polar chart shows minimising frictional resistance is the priority,” Antoine Le Provost of designers VPLP tells me, “so we needed to keep the wetted surface area down.”

The semi scow bow hull shape has a near full length chine and marked flare above the waterline. The underwater sections also have a lot of fore and aft rocker, lifting the transom out of the water at low speeds. These two factors markedly reduce drag resistance in light airs.

Placing so much emphasis on light airs performance might seem odd for an offshore yacht, especially given the last two Rolex Fastnet Races underlined the need to successfully handle heavy weather. But on average in July in UK waters the wind is actually 10 knots or less for 50% of the time.

The Sun Fast 30 is the world’s first recyclable composite production yacht, made from Elium resin that can be used to make another boat at its end of life. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/EYOTY

My first sail on the newly launched Sun Fast 30OD was in only 2-4 knots of true wind, yet we were able to run rings round all the other boats off La Rochelle. Reaching with the Code 0 at a true wind angle of 100° we consistently maintained 90% of true wind speed, while upwind in 4.5 knots of breeze we made 2.9 knots of boat speed at a surprisingly tight true wind angle (for the conditions) of 42°. Even in these very light airs the helm was precise, with good feel and key controls easily to hand.

As the breeze builds the chine digs in at around 15° of heel, with form stability growing rapidly as heel increases further. The semi scow bow with a lot of buoyancy forward also gives a very balanced waterline shape when heeled, so weatherhelm doesn’t build as the heel increases. At the same time, very straight chines mean the immersed area when heeled has fairly straight waterlines, minimising drag at higher speeds and giving a flatter run aft to promote easy surfing and planing when sailing off the wind.

My second day on board provided 8-15 knots of breeze. Upwind with the J3 we consistently made an impressive 6.5 knots at true wind angles of 40-42°. This increased to 7-9 knots reaching with a Code 0 at 100-110° TWA, and we maintained the same speed with an asymmetric at a true wind angle of 125-135°.

The semi scow bow hull has a slight chamfer forward, a distinct full length chine and low static wetted surface area – so it suits light airs performance, but is capable of planing in stronger winds. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/EYOTY

The Sun Fast 30OD was quick to accelerate and responsive to weight distribution with a great direct feel on the helm. Steering is predictably light, but with ample feedback as the helm loads up. The boat proved almost impossible to broach, even on a very tight reach and when it happened it was a very gentle affair.

Sadly we didn’t have enough wind to experience full planing. Although lighter than most other designs in this market, the Sun Fast 30 is still proportionately a lot heavier than Mini 650s and Class 40s , so needs more than 15 knots of breeze or helpful wave action to fully break away from its stern wave.

As the breeze builds the chine digs in. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/EYOTY

The one design spec includes a Sparcraft all carbon rig positioned well back in the boat and sets a generous sized square-top mainsail. Jeanneau and composite specialists Multiplast say the running backstays are primarily for improving sail trim, especially achieving headstay tension, rather than being structural. This makes for easier and less stressful gybes, without worrying about dropping the rig in strong winds.

Proportionately more of the boat’s length is given over to the cockpit than usual, so it doesn’t feel cramped, even when sailing fully crewed with four or five people. A downside though is that no attempt has been made to provide any shelter on deck.

Central foot chock plus adjustable stainless steel frames provide a firm footing when heeled. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/EYOTY

In general deck layouts on boats in this market are broadly the same. The Sun Fast 30OD follows a similar approach in terms of sheeting, including 3D jib sheet leads and the mainsheet traveller at the back of the cockpit, with mainsheet, backstay and traveller easily reached from the helm.

However, there’s only one coachroof winch at the companionway and just a single bank of clutches – a well proven concept in the Mini 650 fleet that simplifies the set up, while reducing weight and costs.

Attention to detail includes a Spinlock Diablo joint that automatically lifts the tiller extension vertically when released, ensuring it can’t get trapped in a corner of the cockpit when steering with the pilot. There are also rope bags and stowage for water bottles on deck.

The interior is basic but functional, with maximum headroom of 1.75m. Photo: Ludovic Fruchaud/EYOTY

To keep running costs under control membrane sails are banned by the class rules and the inventory of seven sails can only be replaced on a three-yearly cycle, at a typical total cost in the €15-€25,000 range.

Class rules also specify the electronics. These include B&G’s H5000 autopilot, the very popular Raymarine Type 1 ram in a watertight compartment accessible from deck (and from inside), plus a combined VHF/AIS.

The large cockpit, fairly narrow beam and low freeboard limit space below decks and the fit out is basic. But it’s well planned with bunks each side, pipecots for sail stacking, a big navigation station against the main bulkhead, plus a tiny galley with sink and space for a Jetboil. There’s even a heads area forward of the main bulkhead, with full marine toilet with holding tank and a fabric door for privacy.

Fore and aft watertight bulkheads provide an extra safety factor offshore, although the front bulkhead doesn’t qualify as a full crash box.

Building a one-design boat is a specialist process thanks to the high degree of consistency that’s needed. Jeanneau is well placed in this respect – the Sun Fast 30 is built at the Groupe Beneteau site just outside Nantes that has a long history of producing cutting-edge raceboats.

It’s also built using Arkema’s Elium thermoplastic resin that’s made from 20% recycled content and can itself be recycled at the end of the boat’s life. Importantly, small repairs can be carried out using conventional resins.

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The Sun Fast 30 has been long-anticipated since the Yacht Club de France, Royal Ocean Racing Club and Storm Trysail Club launched a tender for a new affordable offshore raceboat to broaden participation, especially among young sailors. In that context the €200,000 price tag for a ready-to-race boat might sound expensive, but it’s a similar figure to a new series-built Mini 650 and at least €100,000 less than a well-equipped Sun Fast 3300. While one-design classes have the potential to produce the very best of close racing, launching one in today’s market is a brave move as new boat sales are usually too slack to make the numbers work. However over 40 Sun Fast 30s have already been sold, almost half of them to charter operator Cap Regatta, which will have seven boats in each of three bases: the Solent, Lorient and Marseille. That’s enough to seed one-design racing in these areas, and with one boat per week leaving the factory, numbers look set to grow quickly. With an IRC rating expected to be around 1.040 it also ought to prove competitive in handicap racing as well. In summary, first impressions are of a very well thought out package that will be rewarding and fun to race, whether for specific events or a longer campaign.

FAST 30 CLASS

The Fast 30 Class is a self-organized class for sport boats up to 37 feet range. We organize an annual circuit of Southern California regattas to enable one-design boats of similar size to race against each other under the ORC rating system.

ABOUT THE CLASS

The Fast 30 Class is a self-defined and self-governing sailboat racing class for lightweight mono-hull boats up to 37 feet LOA, colloquially identified as “sport boats.” The class will allow its members to create a fair and competitive racing environment as close as possible to one design racing when there is no One Design class in a particular race, and for those of us who do not fit in any of the currently established one design fleets.

We use the ORC rating system for scoring in the Fast 30 Class. ORC has shown to provide the most fair and competitive scoring possible in fleets with diverse boat types that are capable of planing and is the largest measurement-based system in the world, serving thousands of boat types and nearly 10,000 boat owners. You can find more information about the ORC system on their web site at www.orc.org .

2023 RACE SCHEDULE

Class roster, about orc and obtaining a certificate.

The ORC rating system is a measurement and VPP based system. ORC maintains the computational model to calculate VPPs for each boat racing under ORC using the hull's 3-dimensional shape, its rig and sail dimensions, its keel and rudder shapes, and its weight. The model is reviewed annually in coorperation with leading yacht designers to ensure that boats are not designed to a specific optimization under the rule and avoid rapid design obsoletion as has happened in IOR and IMS before. Based on the VPPs, a boat is assigned performance factors for specific types of race courses and wind conditions, making it more accurate than single-handicap number systems. ORC provides performance factors for common course configurations such as windward/leeward, random leg (called "all-purpose"), and popular coastal races that have dominant parts for upwind, reaching, or downwind.

For the Fast 30 Class, we use the triple number windward/leeward and random leg (all-purpose) ratings.

The process of obtaining a certificate for a specific boat is handled through US Sailing as the national authority and we require current-year ORC-Club certificates for racing. Certificates are renewed in February as ORC publishes their annual updates to the VPP model in the beginning of the year. As part of the ORC certificate the owner also receives a complete set of VPP numbers for their boat. To request a certificate for your boat, please use US Sailing's Certificate Form to request an ORC Club Certificate . You can also contact the US Sailing rating office at [email protected]

A copy of the current ORC rating system rules is available at ORC Rating Systems .

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Sun Fast 30 One Design

The Sun Fast 30 One Design is an innovative, powerful, and versatile 30-foot sailboat aiming to make offshore sailing more accessible, more fun, and more sustainable.

A ONE DESIGN MADE FOR OFFSHORE RACING

The Sun Fast 30 One Design has the ambition of turning a new page on offshore racing, offering a monotype dedicated to multi-day competitions, accessible to amateurs and to a new generation. At a reasonable price, they can acquire a One Design entirely made in France, perfectly equipped for racing, and easy to maintain. This One Design class will become a reference in offshore sailing, with a vast schedule of international races that promise to be exhilarating.

Each of the three partners in the project contributed their expertise to produce a sailboat that delivers an exceptional performance. The Sun Fast 30 One Design benefits from the latest advances in infusion-moulded construction, guaranteeing resistance and rigidity at a reduced weight. The slightly rounded bow, inspired by scow design, promises thrills and power at any speed. Equipment on board, such as the autopilot and electronics, is well adapted for double-handed, and even single-handed, offshore racing.

• Length Overall: 10.4 M / 34’1″
• Hull Length: 8.99 M / 29’6″
• Beam: 2.99 M / 9’10”
• Standard Keel Draught: 2 M / 6’7″
• CE Category: A4 / B5 / C6

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12935 S West Bay Shore Dr

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Jeanneau Sun Fast 30, An accessible One Design for Offshore Racing

The design project of the new Sun Fast 30, conceived by the Union Nationale pour la Course au Large (UNCL), the governing body for offshore racing associated with the Yacht Club de France, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (UK), and the Storm Trysail Club (US), had the principal objectives of encouraging offshore racing, making sailing more accessible, and initiating a new generation.

The partnership of VPLP Design /Multiplast won the highly competitive international call for projects. United by common values, Jeanneau and Multiplast naturally partnered to combine their respective savoir-faires. The ecosystem of the three big international sailing clubs will allow the Sun Fast 30 One Design to enter a programme of races between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, as well as transatlantic races with mixed double-handed crews and crews of four people.

At a reasonable price (strict One Design, with limitations on materials and number of sails, electronics and autopilot), the Sun Fast 30 One Design features ease of use (simple deck plan) and transport (under 3 metres in width). Everything you need to begin offshore racing! In the tradition of Jeanneau race boats that have made sailing history in France, notably on the Tour de France à la Voile (Rush, Sélection, JOD 35) and in the greatest sailboat races (Pierre 1er, Fleury Michon), the Sun Fast 30 One Design marks the beginning of a new era.

The hull (solid laminate) and deck (sandwich) of the Sun Fast 30 One Design are constructed according to the vacuum infusion moulding method with Elium® thermoplastic resin, developed by Arkema. This resin demonstrates superior mechanical performance to that of thermosetting polyester resin, with the unique and revolutionary additional property of being recyclable. Constructed with 20% recycled resin itself, Elium® resin enables the construction of fully recyclable boats.

With the Sun Fast 30 One Design, Jeanneau takes its furthest step ever into environmentally responsible development and the circular economy, launching the first recyclable production model boat.

Clearly defined hull chines marked by a rounded bow (semi-scow), a cast-iron keel fin with a lead bulb and a 2-metre draught, twin rudders, planing surfaces, rigidity and stability are all strong points of the Sun Fast 30 One Design.

Boasting a carbon mast and reasonable sail plan, this new One Design is responsive and easy to handle, delivering pure performance.

Equipped with a square-top mainsail, a reefable J2 and J3, it can carry a downwind gennaker and two asymmetric spinnakers (A2 and A4) on a retractable bowsprit to adapt to a wide spectrum of sailing conditions.

The deck plan of the Sun Fast 30 One Design, with its long, open cockpit and perfectly adapted deck hardware, facilitates handling and manoeuvres for a double-handed or full crew. Above all else, this 30-foot One Design is built for the pleasure of sailing and for thrills at every angle, according to the strictest rules of One Design.

With a limited number of sails and materials, One Design electronics, corresponding centre of gravity, weighing of finished boats, rigorous construction, the One-Design culture is part of Jeanneau’s heritage. The Cheviré production facility (formerly JTA, Jeanneau Techniques Avancées), a true R&D laboratory for the shipyard, continues the pursuit of perfection in the tradition of the Rush, Sélection, JOD 35…

Sun Fast 30 One Design: two versions in one hull

The desire to initiate and encourage vocations in offshore racing has resulted in two versions of the Sun Fast 30: One Design and Club. There are four major differences between the two.

• A carbon or aluminium mast, a mainsheet track or Y-bridle, a galley module, chart table, and saloon are present in the One Design version, as well as the onboard electronics pack.
• The Club version, which is more streamlined and more financially accessible, allows amateurs access to offshore racing without the need for the high-end equipment of the One Design version.

In the two versions, as standard features, the Sun Fast 30 is equipped with a head and holding tank, two fold-down bunks, and a 10 HP Nanni diesel engine.

A new Class with an ambitious race programme

The racing division of the YCF has established, together with Multiplast, the rules for the new C30 Class Association with a race programme soon to be announced. Several Sun Fast 30s have already enrolled for the second edition of the Cap-Martinique Transatlantic Race which will start on April 14, 2024, from La Trinité sur Mer. In 2024, the Sunfast 30 Class are expected to be racing in the RORC Season’s Points Championship, as well as other high-profile events in Europe such as Spi Oest and the Armen Race. Scheduled for the end of summer 2024 will be a project like the original “Tour de France à la Voile” is being planned. At the initiative of a private investor who has ordered around twenty boats, collective fleets of Sun Fast 30s, will be available for charter located in Portsmouth UK, and in France at Lorient and Marseille.

Sun Fast 30 One Design Specs

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Sun Fast 30 - The Future of Offshore Racing

Friday, July 21, 2023

In 2021, the Royal Ocean Racing Club in collaboration with the UNCL Pole Course du YCF and the Storm Trysail Club started the project to create an affordable offshore race boat designed to attract youth sailors. The Sun Fast 30 is now in production with Hull #1 to be on display this month at the Rolex Fastnet Race Village in Cherbourg.

The one-design Sun Fast 30, which will also be raced under IRC, is conceived for youth offshore sailing, a fun and accessible boat intended to excite the young generation and train tomorrow’s champions. The environmental concern lies at the heart of its philosophy since the beginning. With Beneteau Group’s involvement, the selected duo VPLP/MULTIPLAST relies on the innovation and industrial agility of the world leader in boating. The boat is versatile enough to respond to the requirements of clubs willing to replace their aging fleet for one-design racing enthusiasts as well as for IRC sailors.

The Sun Fast 30 is set to open a new page of offshore racing by offering a vibrant and powerful monohull, economical, simple - without foils or ballasts  - geared towards competition over several days with a crew of 4 to 5 people, double or even single-handed, with certification eligible for transatlantic races.

The Cheviré (Nantes) yard visit with representatives from the Yacht Club de France Racing Division, the Royal Ocean Racing Club, VPLP Design, Multiplast and Jeanneau teams © Jean-Marie Liot / Multiplast

A new Class with an ambitious race programme The racing division of the YCF has established, together with Multiplast, the rules for the new C30 Class Association with a race programme soon to be announced. Several Sun Fast 30s have already enrolled for the second edition of the Cap-Martinique Transatlantic Race which will start on April 14, 2024, from La Trinité sur Mer. In 2024, the Sunfast 30 Class are expected to be racing in the  RORC Season’s Points Championship, as well as other high-profile events in Europe such as Spi Oest and the Armen Race. Scheduled for the end of summer 2024 will be a project like the original “Tour de France à la Voile” is being planned. At the initiative of a private investor who has ordered around twenty boats, collective fleets of Sun Fast 30s, will be available for charter located in Portsmouth UK, and in France at Lorient and Marseille.

A big step-up for sustainability The Sun Fast 30 construction benefits from a new technology taking over three years of research and development to perfect. The implementation of the first liquid thermoplastic resin, Arkema's Elium®, which can be reheated at the end of the boat's lifecycle to eliminate the fibers and recover the polymer, leads the boating industry into a new era.

The boat is distributed by Jeanneau impressive network, while construction is ongoing at the very modern Bénéteau Racing yard in Cheviré (Nantes) made famous by the production of the Figaro 3. The Sun Fast 30 will be produced at the rate of one boat per week from September 2023. Technically, the molds are the same as those needed to manufacture a polyester laminate, with equivalent structural properties and weight specifications. But the infusion moldings process had to be rethought with the introduction of a new component. It also relies on the Group’s industrial agility to ensure strict cost control. To date, 43 units have already been sold.

First unit with deck assembled © Marc Vaillier

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Jeanneau´s new Sun Fast 30 OD

• December 1st, 2022

And here´s another interesting sailboat, a new project that has been around for quite some time. Naval architects of VPLP and Vannes-based carbon-specialist Multiplast lately announced the coming of a new Class 30 One Design racing boat which is going to be built by Jeanneau. The new Sun Fast 30 OD will be the next 10 meter-racer launched by a major production boat brand.

This is exciting in so many ways. It could be a new boost for the campaign to reinstate an Olympic sailing class. It is also good news for people wanting to join the ever growing racing community looking for small but high-tech racing boats. I was lucky to catch Vincent Lauriot Prevost to ask him about this new Sun Fast.

Talking to Vincent Lauriot Prevost about the Sun Fast 30 OD-project

Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Hello Vincent, good to talk to you again – I remember too well how you showed me personally the Figaro 3-poduction in Nantes some years ago . Now yo are working for the same group on the same 30 feet-range again. As a starter, how did you have been brought into this project? On which one´s initiative did the new “Class 30 OD”-design receive her kick-off?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost | VPLP: “Herr Lars, good to see you too. It all started with VPLP answering an architect contest driven by the UNCL in France (author´s not: Union Nationale pour la Course au Large, French Yacht Club specialized in races around the French coast), the Royal Ocean Racing Club in the UK and the Storm Trysail Foundation in the United States. In partnership with boat builer Multiplast we have been able to give a global answer. We developed the concept based on the design brief issued by the clients and Multiplast took over the building process and pricing for the later boat. In this, we have been retained for a second phase in competition with two others design studio and in the end … well … we won”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Can you specify a bit more the task of VPLP in relation to Multiplast and Jeanneau? Which parts of the boat´s development have been given to VPLP?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “As I mentioned above, our design bureau has taken over the general concept of the boat, the whole part of naval architecture, performance analysis and structural calculations. Multiplast, as a boat builder, had in charge the mode of construction process and, of course, the construction cost trade-offs in close coordination with the dedicated Jeanneau-team.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Can you describe the general design brief for this boat?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “By default, our task was to come up with an idea for an affordable racing production boat that makes young people want to race sailing. Generally speaking. She is defined as a new model in the range of thirty-foot IRC-monohulls, which emphasizes in priority the performance on the water and the speed capacities. She has to be well positioned on the price offer and faster than the competition. The point was to make an IRC-competitive boat capable to win IRC inshore races with a crew of five people and at the same time have a double handed racer to win transatlantic races like the ARC. It is also worth mentioning that Jeanneau wanted us to come up with a sustainable approach. So that Jeanneau may have the leadership in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility, for example by using a new recyclable thermoplastic resin.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “This is truly a wide range to cover. High performance, inshore and offshore, crewed and double-handed racing … what have been the major challenges of the new Sun Fast 30 OD in terms of the design brief?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “As far as VPLP is concerned, our biggest challenge for the new boat was to conceive a light displacement boat that would be capable of high speeds and planning when reaching down. We´ve launched intensive CFD studies, as structural calculations have been run in order to achieve this goal. On the other hand, to be competitive, lightweight and sustainable, the tradeoffs of materials and construction process have been a priority. One other crucial point for a one design boat was that the boat´s weight has to be accurately controlled, so the collaboration with the boatbuilder is of particular importance.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “There are many 30-footer around, some of which are made by smaller companies and some by big corporations, like Figaro 3 or Dehler 30 OD for example. These two particular boats struck me when I first heard about Jeanneau´s new Sun Fast 30 OD: Compared to them, which are around roughly 3 years, where are the differences from your point of view?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “You are right, Lars. Well, compared to the Figaro 3 which is made by Beneteau, the Sun Fast 30 OD will be built in the same factory in Nantes, and by the same team of boatbuilders. This said, it makes sure that she will be built using the same standards and high quality technology, like vacuum infusion and a well controlled and tracked construction. But here similarities end. Those two boats have a very different design brief, one for crewed and the Figaro is designed for a specific singlehanded program. The Sun Fast 30 OD is made for a more general public use than Figaro 3, obviously the absence of foils, we will have a monolithic hull instead of sandwich, recyclable resin instead of conventional polyester for a similar resin weight to fiber ratio. So, both are not comparable.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “… and the Dehler?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “As far as the Dehler 30 OD is concerned, the new Sun Fast 30 OD is smaller by one meter and her draft is limited to under 2 meters for practical aspects. The overall beam is under 3 meters as well so that the boat is approved for trailer transport. Also in terms of production, the new Sun Fast 30 OD has been done under sustainability concerns which is a completely new thing in this regard. Apart from these aspects, the two programs seem to be similar.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Are there any brand-new features incorporated into the Sun Fast 30 OD which future skippers can look forward to?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “Yes, of course. The hull lines will have fuller forward section and a generous overall beam for a high powerful hull in terms of righting moment. We have given the boat a narrow waterline beam at low angles of heel for the speed capacity at low heel angles, and rocked lines with a relatively high aft chine to help the trim of the boat when hiking aft. I think she will be thrilling to sail but easy to control.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “What is the current stage of development and when can we expect to see the first boat hitting the water?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “Currently the moulds are underway and the first hull and deck will be laminated from beginning of January 2023. The plan is to launch the first boat around spring next year.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Just your personal opinion: How do you assess the chances of the new SF30OD to be chosen as the Olympic one design boat?”

Vincent Lauriot Prevost: “Well, at the moment the issue of a Olympic One Design boat seems to be not relevant in this organization so it is difficult to give an answer. I would say that if the committee puts this project back on track, I think that the positioning of the new Sun Fast 30 OD as a double handed one design, linked to the modern approach in performance and of course the selling price target would be very favorable for this boat. But we don´t know.”

Vincent, thanks so much indeed and I am looking forward to following this project. Very excited to see you working on a small racer for Groupe Beneteau again!

Also interesting in this regard:

Aboard the Sun Fast 3300

Aboard the Dehler 30 OD

Small, fast, fun: Mini 650 Vector 3

Sun Fast 30 One Design, yacht of the year 2024

• 18 December 2023

Currently in mass production at the Jeanneau yard in Nantes Cheviré, the Sun Fast 30 One Design has been named 2024 sailboat of the year by French sailing monthly Voile Magazine during the Journées de la Régate et de la Course au large , an event organized by Yacht Club de France on 15–16 December to promote racing under sail.

“It was an obvious choice,” said editor in chief François-Xavier de Crécy. “Its release has been the major event of the autumn, and it’s a project with an unusual trajectory because it started out in the sailing clubs before benefiting from the best expertise in the business [VPLP Design for the plans, and Multiplast and Jeanneau for the construction]. The jury went to La Rochelle for a test sail and liked it. The boat is well designed and has lots of clever features.”

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The growth of the shorthanded racing scene continues and while grand prix custom carbon creations at the top end of the sport seem to be emerging from yards as if spilling off a production line, one of the latest projects to go public is at the other end of the scale, the Jeanneau Sun Fast 30 One Design which is expected to hit the water later this season.

This new offshore 30-footer attracted plenty of attention when it was announced at the end of last year. This has been a project that has been bubbling away in the background for a while having been initiated by three international parties, the Union Nationale pour la Course au Large (UNCL), the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Storm Trysail Club (STC) who put out a tender for a design to promote offshore sailing by making it more accessible and affordable for the younger generation.

The competition to create this new 30- footer was won by the combined proposal from designers VPLP and builders Multiplast, both of whom have a great deal of expertise in this field; VPLP for their offshore designs and Multiplast for their abilities in the conception and development of offshore racing boats.

The one-design aspect of this boat lies at its heart and as such requires the ability and resources of a production builder, which is where Jeanneau joined the party. But, given the French production builder’s ongoing success with its Sun Fast range, to say nothing of the recent impact on the racing scene of the Sun Fast 3300, you may wonder why they felt the need for yet another 30-footer in an increasingly crowded market. The answer was simple.

‘This is a one-design offshore keelboat, designed to keep the cost of competing down and avoid the pressures and expense of optimisation that are frequently incurred in the handicap racing world,’ says Nigel Colley of Sea Ventures T (UK) Ltd, Jeanneau’ s UK agent. Colley and Sea Ventures have played a big part in the development of the shorthanded scene in northern Europe and are keen to see the growth continue.

‘While there has been plenty of focus on the Sun Fast 30OD as a shorthanded boat, it will also be suitable for a crew of four or five, but the first consideration was to create a raceboat for younger people. From there, the second key objective was to create a programme of events for fleets which was why the three clubs were so important.

‘Cost is clearly one of the issues, but not just for the sailors. To get fleets established the 30OD has to be affordable and we are already seeing signs that this is being achieved. It is early days and we are expecting some big announcements to come soon, but there some very interesting and exciting projects developing behind the scenes which look set to provide great access to racing fleets for both youth and corporate racing,’ he continues.

So how much does one cost?

‘The standard price for the One Design version is €142,500 excluding VAT, ex-factory,’ says Multiplast’s commercial development manager Louis Vaquier. ‘This includes a full electronics package from B&G to a high specification with the kind of equipment you have for solo sailing or shorthanded sailing. On top of this price, you only have to add the safety gear and the sails.

‘In the class rules we are limiting the fabrics and the quantity of sails to control the budgets. The sail wardrobe will include a mainsail and two jibs, one will be an allpurpose J2, the other a heavy weather reefable J3 (that serves as ORC sail when reefed), a reaching flying jib and then two asymmetric spinnakers. There are no code zeros allowed. Basically, we’re looking for a boat fully equipped, able to do a transatlantic for a bit more than €200,000, including VAT.’

Running costs were also part of the design consideration. ‘Looking back to some of the successful 30ft one-designs in the past, the Mumm 30 is still considered to have been one of great boats,’ he continues. ‘So many people are nostalgic for this period and the Mumm 30’s part in the success of the Tour de France a la Voile and I believe there’s clearly a gap to be filled. One of the things that made those boats successful was that they were easy and affordable to manage.

‘So, when it came to the 30OD we were very conscious of these factors, especially when it came to berthing and the size of the boat for the marinas. As a result, we limited the draft to two metres, the beam is just below three metres and the boat length is just under nine metres thanks to a retractable bowsprit.’

But while cost is a major factor, sustainability issues also played a big part in the thinking and the construction of the 30OD is a big step forward. ‘We’re building the boats with Groupe Beneteau in their shipyard in Nantes where the Figaro 3 boats were built,’ continues Vaquier. ‘This yard has a strong history of building offshore racing in the nineties, it used to be Jeanneau Techniques Avancées and now Bénéteau is working towards sustainable yards with the use of a recyclable resin.’

Following several years of research and development with composites supplier Arkema, the Sun Fast 30 One Design will be Bénéteau Group’s first recyclable production boat. Erwan Faoucher is Bénéteau’s research and innovation director. ‘We’ve been working towards the goal of using recyclable resins for three years,’ he says. ‘One of the first major projects was using it for a First 44 to establish whether it could be used on an industrial scale. From there we have used it to build some 6.5m Mini Transat boats and now it will be used for the 30OD which will be the first production boat from Groupe Bénéteau using this system.

‘Arkema’s Elium resin is thermoplastic and can be recycled which means it can be reheated to take out the fibre and recover the resin. The resin recovered from production waste is also reusable. The interesting aspect is that the recovered resin, which is a monomer, has a good market value.

‘There is very little that we have to do differently in production which makes this process very practical,’ he continues. ‘The moulds are the same as we would use for a polyester laminate and we have the same structural properties, so the design of the boat hasn’t had to change to accommodate the new resin. What does change slightly is the infusion process as there are now three components rather than two, but that is the only real difference. ‘It’s a big breakthrough for the industry and Groupe Bénéteau is really proud of it.’

Designers’ Comments – VPLP Naval Architects

The hull lines feature fuller forward sections and a generous overall beam for a highly powerful hull in terms of righting moment. We have given the boat a narrow waterline beam at low angles of heel to preserve its speed capacity in light winds, and rocker lines with a relatively high aft chine to help the trim of the boat when hiking aft. We think it will be thrilling to sail but easy to control.

One design concept

• Sail area : displacement ratio higher than a typical IRC racer/cruiser
• Not an extreme boat but still more powerful and lively than an IRC-optimised boat
• About 1 ton lighter than a comparable IRC racer/cruiser
• A simple boat: no foils, no water ballast, making it accessible and easy for maintenance
• Certified A4 so eligible for transatlantic racing in a fully crewed or doublehanded format

Construction details

• Hull made in monolithic fibreglass infused with Elium resin, some reinforced areas
• Hull counter-mould made in fibreglass infused with Elium resin
• Bulkheads made in fibreglass or plywood sandwich with PET foam
• Deck made in sandwich infused fibreglass / Elium and PET foam
• Cast iron keel fin and lead bulb
• Rudders made in monolithic fibreglass infusion with unidirectional carbon reinforced areas

And therein lies another reason as to why the new SF30OD looks set to do well. Being built by the world’s biggest production builder provides clear advantages when it comes to drawing on the expertise of an organisation that is well versed in this type of manufacture. But just how big is the market for another 30-footer?

‘The power of the Bénéteau and Jeanneau Group and their global aspirations for this kind of boat means that they understand where the price point needs to be,’ says Colley. ‘And then there’s the size of the short-handed market in northern Europe, which has exploded in the last two or three years. I don’t see any signs yet of that weakening.

‘For a while during the pandemic shorthanded sailing was the only racing in town and owners of boats that would normally accommodate 10-12 crew came across the shorthanded scene. Interestingly, many of them haven’t gone back. They find the personal satisfaction and sense of accomplishment is greater, the cost is more acceptable and from there success has bred success. You only have to look at the entries for the upcoming Fastnet race where probably one third of the total fleet is going to be double-handed. So the market is big. But we have to make sure that people can access it and that means making it available and affordable which in turn means a well-priced, competitive boat with a good circuit of events’.

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The top 10 fastest superyachts in the world

Despite their larger size, superyachts can still reach an impressive speed on the water – as this official list of the world’s fastest superyachts shows. For now, the list is topped by 41.5 metre Foners as the world’s speediest superyacht. Able to reach top speeds of 70 knots – equivalent to 80 miles per hour – the Izar-built yacht has been outpacing her contenders for more than 20 years. But her challengers are not far behind. For adrenaline-seekers with a need for speed, get your pulses racing with our definitive list of the quickest superyachts on the water.

Foners | 70.1 knots

Clocking in at a thrilling 70.10 knots, the 41.5 metre Foners has raced to the top spot as the world’s fastest superyacht. She’s been difficult to catch up with, having maintained her position for over 20 years since her delivery in 2000. 

Her zippy speed is produced by two 1,280hp MAN engines coupled with three Rolls Royce 6,700hp gas turbines that drive three KaMeWa water jets. But she is not just about speed; her interior, designed by Studio Spadolini is quite literally fit for a king. Originally built by Spanish shipyard Izar as the King of Spain’s royal yacht , the DLBA-designed Foners features interiors finished in elegant gloss sycamore wood panelling with stitched tan leather detailing. She can accommodate eight guests and six crew on board, and her superstructure has been lined with Aramid fibre for the express purpose of making it bullet proof. There is a formal dining room indoors, while the deck spaces are vast offering plenty of opportunities for al fresco entertaining. At a cruising speed of 12 knots, she has a range of 1,800 nautical miles.

• Builder: Izar
• Country of build: Spain
• Delivery year: 2000
• Length Overall: 41.5 m
• Beam: 9.2 m
• Gross Tonnage 180 t

More about this yacht

More stories, world is not enough | 67 knots.

World Is Not Enough comes second to Foners by just a fraction, able to reach a respectable top speed of 67 knots. She was delivered in 2004 by Millenium Super Yachts and designed by Dutch naval architect Frank Mulder . She is propelled by two Paxman diesel engines and two Lycoming gas turbines, producing a staggering 20,600hp. She also boasts an impressive cruising range of 3800 nautical miles at a comfortable speed of 10 knots.

World Is Not Enough measures 42.4 metres LOA and can accommodate 10 guests on board in five luxurious cabins, along with seven crew members. When not ploughing through the waves at full throttle, she offers plenty of space for relaxation, with al fresco dining and lounge spaces available on all decks and an additional formal dining space and bar indoors. Her interiors have been designed in a classic style by Evan K Marshall and feature marble finishes, opulent mirrors and glossy wood panelling. She was last refitted in 2011.

• Builder: Neptunus - Millennium
• Country of build: Netherlands
• Delivery year: 2004
• Length Overall: 42.4 m
• Beam: 8.25 m
• Gross Tonnage 291 t

Destriero | 66 knots

In third place is the 68.18 metre Destriero . Launched in 1991, she was built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri to a design by Donald Blount and Pininfarina . Powered by a Codag engine with three GE Aviation LM1600 gas turbines totalling 54,000hp, she is able to reach a top speed a 66 knots. The construction of Destriero was sponsored by Aga Khan IV for the purpose of achieving the Blue Riband, a record awarded to the fastest vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Shortly after her launch, Destriero crossed the Atlantic in 1992 twice without refuelling. Her first westbound voyage took her from Tarifa Point in Spain to Ambrose Light in New York. The return voyage saw her travel from Ambrose Light to Bishop Rock in the Isles of Scilly, a total distance of 3,106 nautical miles which she covered at an average speed of 53.09 knots and completed in a record time of 58 hours, 34 minutes and 5 seconds. Although Destriero was ultimately denied the Blue Riband’s Hales Trophy on the basis that the award can only be given to passenger vessels and not private yachts, she did receive the Virgin Atlantic Challenge Trophy awarded by former record-holder Richard Branson for the fastest crossing by any vessel. She also won the Columbus Atlantic Trophy sponsored by the Costa Smeralda and New York Yacht Clubs for the fastest trans-Atlantic round-trip.

• Builder: Fincantieri
• Country of build: Italy
• Delivery year: 1991
• Length Overall: 68.18 m
• Beam: 12.91 m
• Gross Tonnage 1376 t

Galeocerdo | 65 Knots

The sleek lines and futuristic design of Rodriquez Yachts’ Galeocerdo is the result of exhaustive research and design development programme by Wally founder Luca Bassani. Created with the aim of maintaining high speeds in rough seas, the 36-metre Wally Power 118 superyacht was launched in 2003 following tank testing at the SSPA facility in Goteborg, Sweden, and wind tunnel testing at the Ferrari facility in Maranello, Italy. Lazzarini Pickering Architetti and Intermarine also collobroated on the design of Galeocredo.

Galeocerdo is driven to a top speed of 65 knots by three Vericor TF50 gas turbines, each driving a Rolls-Royce Kamewa water jet. The titanium exhaust system is lightweight while extremely resistant to the high temperatures generated by the gas turbines, and can muster up to 16,800hp. At a cruising speed of 45 knots, she can cover a range of 1,500 nautical miles. Her interiors offer room for six guests and six crew on board.

• Builder: Rodriquez Yachts
• Delivery year: 2003
• Length Overall: 36 m

Gentry Eagle | 63.5 knots

Gentry Eagle was built by Vosper Thornycroft and launched in 1988 for the late Tom Gentry, who set nearly every powerboat speed record in existence during his lifetime. His passion to win powerboating's most coveted honour, the Blue Riband for the fastest passage across the Atlantic, drove him to commission the 34.1 metre Gentry Eagle , capable of 63.5 knots. She was designed by Peter Birkett and Grant Robinson , and her interiors by Robin Rose can host six guests and four members of crew.

In 1989, he finally won the Blue Riband on board Gentry Eagle . His record time of 62 hours and seven minutes beat Richard Branson's previous record by an astonishing 23 per cent. Gentry Eagle was relaunched as a private superyacht in 1992.

• Builder: Vosper Thornycroft
• Country of build: United Kingdom
• Delivery year: 1988
• Length Overall: 35.66 m
• Beam: 7.32 m
• Gross Tonnage 166 t

Kereon | 62.3 Knots

Launched in 2004 by Italian yard AB Yachts, Kereon can blast through waves at a top speed of 62.3 knots. This punchy performance is made possible by a triple 6,300hp CRM diesel engine set-up fitted to a fast planing hull designed by naval architect Angelo Arnaboldi . Inside Kereon can accommodate up to six guests in three cabins, while her 12,000 litre fuel tank means a maximum range of 900 nautical miles is possible at her fast cruising speed of 50 knots. The 35.66 metre superyacht features sharp exterior lines and a distinctive metallic silver superstructure that contribute to her sporty allure.

• Builder: AB Yachts - Next Yacht Group
• Length Overall: 27 m
• Beam: 6.4 m

Azimut Atlantic Challenger | 60 knots

Designed purely for the purposes of collecting the Blue Riband award, the Azimut Atlantic Challenger was launched by Benetti in 1988 with exterior details by Pininfarina . The 26.82 metre aluminium monohull can reach a top speed of 60 knots under the power of four CRM diesel engines offering 7,400hp. At a cruising speed of 40 knots, she has a range of 3,000 nautical miles. Unfortunately, her attempt to procure the Blue Riband shortly after her launch in 1988 but was ultimately fruitless.

• Builder: Benetti
• Length Overall: 26.82 m
• Beam: 7.5 m

Jet Ruban Bleu | 60 knots

In 10th place, but still neck-and-neck with Brave Challenger , Azimut Atlantic Challenger and OCI Ciorinie is the 25 metre Jet Ruban Bleu . Delivered in 1990 by Multiplast , and designed by Gilles Ollier together with Coste Design & Partners , she is powered by a single MTU 3,500hp engine and can reach a top speed of 60 knots. At a speed of 50 knots she has a cruising range of 3,000 nautical miles. She features a planing GRP hull and superstructure, with her decks also constructed from GRP.

• Builder: Multiplast
• Country of build: France
• Delivery year: 1990
• Length Overall: 25 m
• Beam: 4.39 m

Brave Challenger | 60 Knots

Powered by three Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbines totalling 13,500hp, the 31 metre Brave Challenger has proven top speeds of over 60 knots and can achieve higher speeds using its alternative Vosper-developed high-speed propellers.

Built by Vosper Ltd in Portsmouth in 1961, Brave Challenger is the only surviving example of the Brave Class fast-patrol design that was designed and built for the Royal Navy. Built alongside the Royal Navy’s HMS Brave Borderer and HMS Brave Swordsman , Brave Challenger was completed with a special consent of the Admiralty and Royal Navy to be equipped for private use.

First acquired by owner W.G. Haydon-Baillie in 1979, Brave Challenger was rebuilt to flagship standard at a purpose-built facility as part of the Haydon-Baillie Aircraft and Naval Collection in Southampton over a period of 10 years and 2.2 million man hours from 1979 – 1989. From 2017 – 2021, Brave Challenger has been undergoing a full restoration by the Haydon-Baillie Maritime Heritage Team at the superyacht refit yard Trafalgar Shipyard in Portsmouth. Its dedicated support base now includes 54 spare Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbine engines, extensive spares, 10 spare V-Drive gearboxes and 12 spare propellers.

"Brave Challenger ’s speed of 60 knots+ was officially recorded under Lloyds Supervision over the Measured Mile off Portsmouth, UK, - and is fully repeatable at all times as part of its design and everyday operating potential," according to owner W.G Haydon-Baillie. "It is often considered that only the fastest yacht speeds that are officially recorded and are not one-off events - and are fully repeatable as part of the yacht's design and everyday operating potential are relevant to include in the top ten fastest claims."

• Builder: Vosper
• Delivery year: 1960
• Length Overall: 31.39 m
• Gross Tonnage 209 t

Oci Ciornie | 60 Knots

Prolific naval architect Don Shead teamed up with American yard Palmer Johnson and Dutch shipbuilders Vripack in 1998 to create Oci Ciornie . This aluminium-hulled speed machine was fitted with twin 1,800hp MTU 16V 2000 M90 engines, a 4,600hp AVCO Lycoming gas turbine and Arneson surface drives for a staggering top speed of 60 knots.

Her interiors can accommodate up to eight guests in three cabins consisting of a master suite, double cabin and twin room with a pair of pullman berths. The deck saloon and forward outside spaces are all located on one level for a streamlined look, and the interior of the main saloon takes design cues from vintage aircraft design. The 25 metre superyacht can also accommodate two crew on board.

• Builder: Palmer Johnson
• Country of build: United States of America
• Delivery year: 1998
• Beam: 6.22 m

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What Are The Fastest Sailboats? (Complete List)

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

August 30, 2022

Whenever you are looking into buying a sailboat, they often tell you how fast it can go. So naturally, customers want to know, what are the fastest sailboats?

Depending on the model and brand of a sailboat, in addition to the right conditions out on the water, this answer can vary. But which sailboats are known to be the fastest?

Each style of sailboat has its advantages that make it fast. The V.O 60, X-Yachts X4.0, and Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 are great examples of fast monohull boats. For multihull boats, Rapido 60 (Trimaran), Dragonfly 40 (Trimaran), and ICE Cat 61 (Catamaran) are some of the fastest in that category.

The list can go on when you are talking about specialized performance boats, foiling boats, and even windsurfers. However, the most common sailboats that people can relate to are either monohulls or multihulls.

According to sailing experts, fast can mean 12 knots if you are only used to going about half that speed. But when you speak about the fastest sailboats, they usually top around 30 knots or more out on the water.

Table of contents

‍ What Makes a Sailboat Fast?

A lot of variables come into play to help a sailboat reach its maximum potential for going fast. While the person running the boat is the one responsible for making it go fast, the weather conditions and type of boat have to be good in order to reach top speeds.

If a boat is not designed to handle rougher conditions, you will struggle with performance in those situations. If you have a boat that is built for anything nature throws at it, you might have better stability but considerably less speed even in good conditions.

Weight and Power of Boat

If you were to have two objects with different weights and put the same amount of force on them, the lighter object moves faster. This is why lighter boats move quicker than heavier boats.

So if you were to put two boats at one end of a race head to head with the same conditions of wind and sailing area, the lighter boat wins. This is because the lighter boat is able to gain speed quickly due to the less weight it holds.

The weight of the hull is only one part of the equation, as the mast can hold a lot of weight too. If there is a way to reduce the weight on the boat, you will have a better chance at going faster.

This is why fast boats typically are made out of materials such as carbon fiber or fiberglass. If the boat is a multi-hull without a keel, this also cuts down on weight.

Friction and Wetted Surface

Water adds a ton of friction to the boat, so a fast boat needs to be able to cut through it efficiently. In addition, some boats have finely polished exteriors to help glide through the water and reduce drag.

Depending on the shape of the hull and how much wetter surface it has can greatly affect the amount of drag it has. For example, displacement hulls change as the boat heels in the water.

For multihulls, these lift the hull out of the water slightly to reduce drag. Hydrofoils are another example that lifts the entire boat out of the water to greatly reduce the wetted surface.

Sail Area and Wind

The bigger the sails are on a boat does not necessarily mean the boat will be the fastest. While the sailing area is critical for speed, it has to match the sailing area to displacement ratio.

The sail area needs to be more about the lift of the sails rather than the size of them. If the proper sails are there, then the boat should be able to reach its maximum potential if the wind conditions are right.

Fastest Sailboat Types

The type of sailboat makes a big difference in speed since it has different characteristics. These include HP monohulls, catamarans, and trimarans.

Each boat type will have a unique position in the water, making it potentially faster than another type. If you want to compare boats in perfect conditions, you can see how one stacks up to another.

HP Monohulls

HP monohulls gain a lot of their speed by being powered by a motor. While they have the capability to sail using the wind, they have the convenience of a motor to help push them along.

So the outboard motor needs to be able to handle the weight of the boat efficiently in order to help reach top speeds. A lot of larger boats need to be pushed along by multiple motors.

Monohulls in general are favored by many sailors since they have that traditional look to them. They also happen to be very common, but multi-hulls are making things competitive in the market.

Catamarans do not have a keel and it helps reduce the weight of the boat. They also displace less water compared to a monohull. However, not all catamarans go fast.

Depending on the catamaran and its capabilities, there is some that glide effortlessly on the water. These ideally work best in good conditions but will be a bumpy ride if the water is a little choppy.

They offer one of the safest rides on the water and are essentially unsinkable due to their design. They spread out their weight over a larger area on the water, making them more stable than a monohull.

In addition, the living space on a monohull is huge compared to a monohull. With about a 40-foot catamaran, it has around the same living space as a 60-foot monohull.

Trimarans are another unique style of sailboat similar to a catamaran. They have three hulls side by side instead of two, making it very stable.

They also have a wide sail area and make for quick spurts out on the water. However, they also need good conditions to operate their best to move fast.

These displace water similar to a catamaran and are more stable. They also tend to go faster in the right conditions than a catamaran.

Both catamarans and trimarans generally have shallow drafts and can be beached. In coastal waters, monohulls have to watch out for their draft since they have a keel.

Fastest Monohull Sailboats

Some of the fastest monohull sailboats have unique characteristics that set it apart from other monohulls. These include sail area, weight, and wetted surface.

The beauty about monohulls is the keel, which has its advantages in tougher conditions. If you were to race a monohull against a multihull in moderate conditions, the monohull has a better chance at navigating through the water due to the keel and potentially going faster. The keel allows the boat to heel from one side to the other and come back to the center.

The Volvo Ocean 60 is one of the fastest monohull sailboats you can find. It is a perfect example of an offshore sailboat that is usually handled by four professional sailors and eight mates on deck.

This boat is roughly 64 feet long and sits about 12 feet in the water. The fastest that these boats go ranges around 35 to 40 knots, but it takes the right conditions and a little bit of patience for that large of a boat.

2. X-Yachts X4.0

The X4.0 yacht was a winner of the European Yacht of the Year award in 2020. It is a fairly new boat design, as it debuted in 2019.

This 40 foot luxury yacht is a top-of-the-line performance cruiser that is built for speed and is lightweight. Sitting about eight feet in the water, this boat can reach up to 10 knots or potentially more with the right conditions. You can quickly reach these speeds due to its size and weight.

3. Beneteau Oceanis 30.1

The Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 is another great example of a power cruising yacht that is new to the scene in 2019. At around 31 feet, it is one of the smaller yachts on the list but packs a powerful punch in performance and speed.

The max draft of this one is just shy of 6.5 feet and it received the Best Performance Cruiser in 2020. While this one, in particular, is built more for luxury and comfort, you can easily see top speeds ranging from 7.5 to 10 knots.

4. Santa Cruz 52

The Santa Cruz 52 is a perfect combination of a lightweight sloop and a blue water racer. At 53 feet long and a draft of nine feet, this boat is a beauty to see go fast.

These are often compared to the original Swan sailboats around the same length, as far as the class and style of the boat. In good conditions, they top around eight knots on a good day.

The Amel 60 is another beauty of a luxury yacht cruiser spanning almost 60 feet in length and nearly an eight-foot draft. This boat began production in 2019 and received the 2020 European Yacht of the Year Luxury Cruiser award.

With a reliance on the engine, you can push the boat a little harder in good conditions to gain more speed. While topping out the engine, you are looking at anywhere between eight and 10 knots.

Fastest Multihull Sailboats

Multihull sailboats are generally faster than monohull sailboats due to their lack of extra weight. These are up to 30 percent faster in that situation.

The only downside is that if you want to reach those maximum speeds, you cannot add a lot of extra weight to the vessel. So for sailors that want to utilize a multihull’s full potential, they need to consider what they bring on board and how many people they have.

1. Rapido 60 (Trimaran)

The Rapido 60 is one of the fastest multihulls out there for its size. At nearly 60 feet in length and almost 11 feet in draft, this unsinkable trimaran can speed up to 25 knots.

These were first built in 2015 and are a popular trimaran to look at if you are wanting the space. In the right conditions, the manufacturer says you can easily reach 30 knots if not more.

2. Dragonfly 40 (Trimaran)

The Dragonfly 40 is one of the few 40-footers out there that you can operate shorthanded. While it typically accommodates six to eight people, the boat’s design allows it to be easily handled.

According to the manufacturer, they claim it can reach 24 knots. Assuming the conditions are perfect, it could potentially reach more.

3. ICE Cat 61 (Catamaran)

The ICE Cat 61 is just a tad over 61 feet long and is one of the more beautiful catamarans you will ever see. For its size and design, it is impressive to see it reach top speeds.

With just the motors alone, you can easily reach 13.5 knots. If all the right conditions are in play, you can expect to reach up to 25 knots.

4. SIG45 (Catamaran)

The SIG 45 is a 45-foot racing cruiser that can comfortably hold about six people. With features like low dragging bows, carbon fiber material found in spars and bulkheads, and around 1,400 square feet of sailing area to play with, you can expect top performance all the way around.

It is estimated that this boat can safely top out around 20 knots. However, there is room for more knots in the best conditions.

5. Lagoon 67 S (Catamaran)

The Lagoon 67S is one of the rarest catamarans you will ever see. There were only four built from 1993 to 1995 by Jeanneau Technologies Avancées and are a gorgeous sight to see.

Regardless of the age of this boat, it still flies in the right conditions like the newer catamarans you see today. You can expect to reach a little over 20 knots for this 67 footer and about five feet of draft.

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At least 50 people feared drowned after boat from Senegal sinks off Canary island

Nine people rescued from boat sailing perilous Atlantic route that reportedly left Senegal with 60 people onboard nine days ago

At least 50 people are feared to have drowned after a boat sailing the perilous Atlantic route from west Africa to Europe began to sink 60 miles south of the Canary island of El Hierro.

Nine people were rescued from the craft early on Monday after a passing bulk carrier alerted Spain’s Salvamento Marítimo rescue service, which dispatched a fast boat and a helicopter from its base in Tenerife.

A Salvamento Marítimo spokesperson said: “The helicopter arrived, rescued nine people from the semi-submerged boat, and took them to El Hierro airport, where they were seen by medical staff.”

“The rescue boat confirmed that there was no one else in the boat and returned to base.”

The spokesperson said the nine people rescued were from sub-Saharan Africa, adding that Spain’s Guardia Civil police force had told Salvamento Marítimo that 60 people were reported to have been on the boat when it left the Senegalese city of Mbour nine days earlier.

In October 2020, 140 people who had set out from the same port died after their boat sank off the Senegalese coast . A few hours into the journey, the boat caught fire and capsized near Saint-Louis on Senegal’s north-west coast. Fifty-nine people were rescued by nearby fishing vessels and the Senegalese and Spanish navies, and the bodies of 20 others were recovered.

The disaster led the International Organization for Migration to call for governments to work together “to dismantle trafficking and smuggling networks that take advantage of desperate youth”, and to urge the creation of “enhanced legal channels to undermine the traffickers’ business model and prevent loss of life”.

Tens of thousands of people fleeing war, poverty and instability in sub-Saharan Africa try to reach Spain via the Atlantic route each year, with many dying during the attempt.

A recent report from the Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) migration NGO estimated that 6,618 people, including 384 children, died trying to reach Spanish shores in 2023, an average of 18 deaths a day.

According to Spain’s interior ministry, 16,621 migrants arrived in Spain by boat between 1 January and 15 April this year – an increase of 11,681 on the same period last year. The majority of those who have reached Spain by sea this year – 14,030 – landed in the Canary islands.

The dangers of the route were further underscored a fortnight ago when nine decomposed bodies were found in a boat floating off the coast of Brazil. Federal police said the dead were from Mauritania and Mali, and Brazilian authorities believe the boat reached their waters after drifting across the Atlantic. Similar discoveries have been made off the coasts of Tobago and the Turks and Caicos in recent years.

The latest tragedy comes as EU interior ministers meet in Ghent for a two-day conference to discuss the implementation of the long-awaited European pact on migration and asylum , which was devised in response to Europe’s 2015 migration crisis, when 1.3 million people, mostly Syrian refugees, crossed into the EU.

The pact has been denounced by more than 160 human rights organisations – including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Rescue Committee – which argue the deal will lead to greater suffering, less protection and more rights violations.

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Number of people arriving by boat in Canaries from west Africa jumps 1,000%

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Delaware judge refuses to fast-track certain claims in post-merger lawsuit against Trump Media

FILE - Pedestrians walk past the Nasdaq building as the stock price of Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. is displayed on screens, March 26, 2024, in New York. A Delaware judge on Tuesday, April 30, granted a request by attorneys for Donald Trump and Trump Media & Technology Group, parent company of his Truth Social platform, to slow down a lawsuit filed by two cofounders of the company. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

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DOVER, Del. (AP) — A Delaware judge on Tuesday granted a request by attorneys for Donald Trump and Trump Media & Technology Group, parent company of his Truth Social platform, to slow down a lawsuit filed by two cofounders of the company.

Vice Chancellor Morgan Zurn said Andrew Litinsky and Wesley Moss, former contestants on Trump’s TV show, “The Apprentice,” failed to justify putting certain claims in their lawsuit on a fast track for court rulings.

Litinsky and Moss filed a lawsuit in February claiming that Trump Media planned to dilute their stake in the company as part of a merger that took it public in late March. A different judge agreed to fast-track that lawsuit given the impending merger date. However, the plaintiffs’ concerns about their limited liability company’s 8.6% stake in Trump Media being diluted were mooted when defense attorneys assured the judge that the LLC, United Atlantic Ventures, would suffer no merger-related dilution.

Following the merger, UAV filed a second amended complaint claiming that Trump and other defendants improperly imposed a “lock up” provision preventing UAV from selling its shares in the public company for six months. They simultaneously argued that the case should remain on the fast track because they would be harmed if they have to wait six months to sell their shares.

Zurn noted that UAV was on notice about the lockup provision on Feb. 12 as the result of a filing that day with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That was followed by two other SEC filings documenting the lockup provision.

UAV also wanted Zurn to fast-track arguments on its request for an “anti-suit injunction” prohibiting Trump Media from pursuing a Florida lawsuit against UAV. That lawsuit alleges that, because of pre-merger mismanagement by Moss and Litinsky, UAV has no right to own shares in the newly public Trump Media company. The Florida lawsuit also challenges UAV’s assertion that it has the right to appoint two directors to the Trump Media board.

Attorneys for Trump Media argue that the Florida lawsuit does not violate the Delaware court order because UAV in fact received its post-merger shares. They also say the venue provision does not apply to Trump Media and Technology Group.

Zurn said she was reluctant to expedite arguments on whether the Florida lawsuit complies with the venue provision, and whether its claims should be governed by Delaware law. She did say, however, that arguments on whether the filing of the Florida lawsuit violated the March 15 court order in Delaware “should be heard rapidly.”

7 more victims injured in Swan Boat Club crash sue driver, club

Seven other victims of the Swan Boat Club crash in Monroe County that left two children dead and nearly a dozen others injured have filed a civil lawsuit against the driver who crashed into the building, the boat club and the tavern where the driver was allegedly drinking at before the crash.

Denise Roberts, Martin Roberts, Patricia Raths, Alyssa Sigler, Lia Stith, Josh Stith and Kathy Stigler are the new additions in the lawsuit, an amended version of which was filed Monday in Monroe County Circuit Court. Mariah Dodds and her 11-year-old son filed a lawsuit April 22, two days after the fatal crash. Dodds' two children, 4-year-old Zayn Phillips and 8-year-old Alanah Phillips, were killed in the crash.

Raths, Alyssa Sigler, Lisa Sith, Josh Stith, Lia Stith and Kathy Sigler were seriously injured in the crash, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit names Marshella Chidester as a defendant. Chidester, 66, is accused of driving under the influence on April 20 and crashing her car into the Swan Boat Club in Monroe County during a children's birthday party.

Prosecutors said she drove through the side of the building and the vehicle flew 25 feet inside; her attorney contends Chidester may have had a seizure or a type of neuropathy that affected her.

Chidester, who served as commodore of the Swan Boat Club in 2017 and lives 200 yards from the club, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing death and four counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious injury. She faces up to life in prison if she's convicted.

More: Monroe Co. woman charged with murder in boat club crash that 'took those babies from us'

According to the civil lawsuit, one of the victims, Denise Roberts was standing with her back to the wall that Chidester's car came through. She heard a loud boom, which sounded like a bomb going off. The next thing she remembers was her husband, Martin Roberts, finding her and sitting her up on the floor. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and has back pain.

The lawsuit also contends Swan Boat Club "negligently constructed and maintained its building where the crash occurred," and constructed the building "in the roadway" without installing a guard rail, cement pole or other safety devices meant to keep a vehicle from crashing through the building.

The club also was in violation of building codes, had an unsafe parking lot and driveway and failed to inspect the area for hazards, dangers and improper conditions, according to the lawsuit.

The boat club did not answer the phone Tuesday, but has been posting on Facebook frequently about fundraisers to benefit the victims from the crash.

"We have no profound words that can heal us after the unimaginable tragedy that occurred yesterday April 20, 2024, at Swan Boat Club, only feelings," the club's board of directors wrote in a Facebook post on April 21. "Sadness, shock, frustration. We are a fellowship of people who band together when tragedy strikes. We need time to process the grief, support each other, support the families directly and indirectly involved, to be in each other’s company."

The lawsuit also names Verna's Tavern, which is the bar that allegedly served Chidester prior to the crash. Bar officials have not responded to requests for comment. 

Chidester's attorney, Bill Colovos, said last week that a search warrant of Verna's Tavern found Chidester only had one glass of wine and a bowl of chili for lunch from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday. He said police were too quick to blame the bar and name them to the media when they "didn't do anything wrong."

Colovos said Chidester has a history of having epileptic-type seizures in her legs that result in paralysis, but later said she had a type of neuropathy. She was treated for it the day of the crash, he said. He said Chidester does not remember entering the parking lot of the boat club or anything that happened leading up to the crash. He said she was invited to the birthday party by the person hosting it.

Monroe County Prosecutor Jeffrey Yorkey, meanwhile, has said there was no evidence Chidester had a seizure the day of the crash, as Colovos claimed. A “very long investigation,” including a breath test, indicated she was significantly over the legal limit, Yorkey said, but didn't specify the exact result.

Yorkey said friends and family told investigators Chidester has a “very severe substance abuse issue.”

The lawsuit also names Auto-Owners Insurance Company, who represents Denise Roberts; Progressive Marathon Insurance Company, which represents Lia Stith and Raths; and Allstate Insurance Company, which represents Alyssa Sigler and Josh Stith. It alleges the insurance companies either refused to pay or are expected to refuse to pay the plaintiffs injured in the crash all the benefits she should get for being uninsured or underinsured.

Chidester posted $1.5 million bail Thursday and has been released from the Monroe County Jail.

Raquel Smouthers, Lana and Zayn's aunt, said during Chidester's arraignment April 23 that even if Chidester was on medication or had medical issues, she should not have been driving.

“Nobody should ever have to go to a birthday party thinking they’re going to die,” Smouthers said.

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AFP arrests three men at regional Queensland boat ramp over alleged 500kg cocaine import

Three New South Wales men are accused of attempting to import almost 500kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than $162 million via a central Queensland boat ramp.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the three men were arrested on Sunday at a regional boat ramp near Gladstone after allegedly collecting around half a tonne of cocaine from a larger cargo vessel at sea.

"We estimate 500kg of cocaine has an estimated street value of more than $162 million and has the potential to facilitate more than two million individual street deals and cause tens of millions of dollars in harm to the Australian community," AFP Commander John Tanti said.

A Morisset Park man, 66, a Charlestown man, 45, and a Lake Macquarie man, 27, faced Gladstone Magistrates Court on Monday and were remanded in custody.

The AFP, with the assistance of Queensland police from Gladstone Criminal Investigation Branch, arrested the men when they returned to shore in an 8.2m fishing boat at the Boyne Island boat ramp, about 24km south of Gladstone.

The AFP searched the vessel and allegedly found 15 black and yellow waterproof bags that each contained about 32 blocks of a powdered substance. Each block weighed about 1kg.

The substance allegedly returned a presumptive positive result for cocaine. Further forensic testing will determine the exact weight and purity of the drug.

"This alleged attempt to collect cocaine from the ocean shows the extreme lengths criminals will go to in an attempt to bring illicit drugs into Australian communities for their own greed and profit," Commander Tanti said.

"But the AFP and its law enforcement partners are constantly working to remain one step ahead."

He said the investigation into the origin of the alleged drugs continued and included international and domestic law enforcement agencies.

The AFP executed search warrants at a motel in Tannum Sands and the residential premises of the men in Newcastle and the Central Coast of NSW.

On Monday, a search was carried out on a vessel anchored in the Port of Gladstone. 

The three men were each charged with one count of possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

"We want to assure the Australian community we are working tirelessly to keep these dangerous drugs off the streets," Commander Tanti said.

Australian Border Force (ABF) Acting Commander Jim Ley said it was through the joint work of partner agencies and shared intelligence that the shipment was able to be intercepted.

"The diligence of our law enforcement partners to keep the Australian community safe is paramount – criminal syndicates don't respect or observe borders, showcased here through the cross-border collaboration with our state, federal and international colleagues," Acting Commander Ley said.

"This seizure amounts to over two million individual street deals which will no longer get into the hands and homes of Australian families," he said.

"The ABF will continue to work with our partner law enforcement agencies to protect the Australian community from these insidious syndicates and harmful drugs."

The three men are next scheduled to face Gladstone Magistrates Court on July 19.

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California raised fast food wages to $20 per hour. What's the impact, one month in?

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At the beginning of April a new law took effect in California, raising the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour. The move was lauded as a step towards better living standards for workers.

Here & Now 's Deepa Fernandes checks in with Roben Farzad , host of public radio's "Full Disclosure", on the ramifications as companies contemplate pushing up prices, even if the wages have only minimally hurt their bottom line.

This segment aired on April 30, 2024.

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U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships: A New Mine Warfare Era Begins

Posted: May 1, 2024 | Last updated: May 1, 2024

The United States Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) fleet is embarking on a renewed operational journey, pivoting from a history marred by setbacks to becoming a central figure in mine countermeasures.

The Navy is planning a significant strategic shift by repurposing versatile vessels into modern mine hunters.

The inaugural deployment of the Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (MCM MP) is scheduled aboard USS Canberra (LCS-30) for Fiscal Year 2025.

Despite the troubled past of the LCS program, which faced numerous challenges including mechanical failures and questions over their combat capability, the U.S. Navy is now redefining their role within the fleet.

The induction of advanced sensor suites, unmanned vehicles, and support systems facilitates remote mine detection and neutralization.

This innovative approach heralds a move away from legacy platforms like the MH-53 helicopters and Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships.

Captain Matthew Lehmann, program manager of the LCS Mission Modules program office, highlighted the program’s success in modernizing and integrating the MCM mission package.

He emphasized that this advancement not only protects Sailors by removing them from minefields but also paves the way for the eventual retirement of older MCM ships.

The recent operational testing of the AN/AQS-20 system aboard USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) in the fall of 2022 supported the MCM MP reaching Initial Operational Capability on March 31, 2023.

This development could breathe new life into the LCS fleet, giving these "crappy little ships," as they were once derisively called, a vital role in future Navy operations.

While the LCS fleet has been criticized for its cost overruns and operational failures in the past, the pivot to advanced mine countermeasures could prove to be a turning point.

As the Navy phases out aging vessels, the LCS's ability to conduct a full spectrum of detect-to-engage operations against mine threats positions it as a crucial component of the U.S. strategy for maintaining maritime dominance.

This transformation is not just about redefining the role of LCS but also about ensuring the Navy's readiness to tackle contemporary challenges.

As Rear Adm. Ted LeClair, director of Task Force Littoral Combat Ship, emphasized, "LCS continues to make great improvements," showcasing the Navy's commitment to turning around the program.

As the U.S. Navy looks toward the future, it seems the LCS fleet is poised to make a comeback as a key player in mine countermeasure capabilities, reflecting the Navy's enduring ability to adapt and innovate in the face of adversity.

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