The decision in favour of a new pole was one of the easier ones in this project. The old mast was long past its best. Torn fittings, pitting and simply a lot of rot would have meant a high refit cost for the rig alone. After decades in which the wires and running rigging had obviously not been replaced, it would have been necessary to renew these parts as well. However, the realisation of this decision presented many hurdles and is a prime example of the problems that can arise for buyers of a used boat or owners of older yachts when changing a rig.
At the same time, a new, more modern sail configuration was realised without a backstay, with a flared mainsail head and modified genoa dimensions.
When choosing the sailcloth, the team opted for the fun version. Not in terms of price, but in terms of sailing pleasure. The Carbon Sport laminate from Dimension-Polyant was used. This carbon fibre cloth was developed for the ambitious cruising and occasional regatta sailor and has many advantages over Dacron.
You can find out exactly what these are and read all about the new concept in YACHT 3/2018.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
