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“When you look at what the designers and engineers have put in place to get round quite restrictive IMOCA rules and balance on a single foil, I think that is something extraordinary,” said Conrad Humphreys as he nominated the IMOCA 60 Charal as his Coolest yacht. more
It is nearly 15 years since Humphreys raced in the Vendée Globe in Hellomoto, formerly Mike Golding’s Group 4.
Top speed: 30 knots
LOA: 18m
Launched: 2018
Berths: 2
Price: €5m
Adrenalin factor: 90% [links]
The world famous designer Giorgio Armani owns this amazing yacht. It is parked like a floating penthouse at the Italian port of La Spezia. here
Price: unknown
This 70-meter long giant with max speed of 30 knots is really amazing. It is built by the Heesen’s company and will be launched in the spring of 2016. more
This exclusive floating city belongs to the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Eclipse yacht is equipped with a submarine as well.
Azzam is built by the German company Lurssen and it is the biggest yacht in the world with the length of 180 meters. here
The dinghies were monstrously overpowered, with bowsprits up to 15ft long and over 500ft2 of sail area balanced by a crew of nine that required complex crew co-ordination in every maneuver.
“Even the best would capsize and at the end of a 20-minute race the crew would be completely exhausted. And we’d have three races a day,” Warden Owen recalls. here
The Ultra 30 circuit was the original spectator-friendly sailing concept, with short-course, crash-and-burn style racing broadcast on BBC Grandstand, the prime Saturday sports show of the 1990s. here
“You had nine crew on racks and then we put trapezes on – it led to a huge step up in speed. They were unbelievable to sail. more
“The Ultra 30s were the coolest boats, were way ahead of their time,” says Eddie Warden Owen, who skippered an Ultra 30 and also ran the circuit for several years. [links]
He was the UK J/24 champion four years in a row and has been involved in seven America’s Cup campaigns.
“Even the best would capsize and at the end of a 20-minute race the crew would be completely exhausted. And we’d have three races a day,” Warden Owen recalls. here
Top speed: 25 knots
LOA: 30ft/9.1m
Launched: 1988
Berths: 0 (9 trapezes)
Price: £65,000
Adrenalin factor: 95% here
It attracted Olympic sailors and commercial sponsorship, and developed a multi-stage circuit. more
Eddie Warden Owen is CEO of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and has skippered, helmed and coached for many top teams. [links]
He graduated from sailing GP14s, Fireballs and 505s to Olympic selection in the 470 class in 1980.