Swedish designer Pelle Petterson, whose name has been associated with Maxi since the beginning, has been finalising the basic parameters of his latest design over the past few weeks. The first sketches were already available last summer when YACHT first reported on the project online. Now the image of the modern performance cruiser is taking shape.
It will be called the Maxi 1200 and, as already assumed, will be designed for a wide range of applications - suitable for regattas, but also suitable for cruising without restrictions.
The cockpit layout with a large table and main and genoa winches mounted in front of the steering columns shows that this is not just about performance, but at least as much about enjoyable gliding, even with a small crew. The tank capacity appears to be generous for a boat that will usually be sailed by two or four people: 150 litres of fuel and 300 litres of fresh water can be stored.
Unlike its big sister, the Maxi 1300, the 1200 does without widely overlapping genoas. The shrouds attach directly to the outside of the hull, as is common today, which limits the foresail area. Instead, the new model comes with a fixed bowsprit that allows asymmetric spars and code zero to be set to prevent light wind weaknesses from arising in the first place.
The rather high displacement is surprising. Maxi, now a subsidiary of Delphia Yachts, gives the weight as 6.9 tonnes. Almost 38 percent of this is in the keel, which weighs 2.6 tonnes and is quite deep at 2.20 metres. This promises a high righting moment. And the Maxi 1200 needs it, because with almost 84 square metres distributed over the main and genoa, it has a sail load factor of a good 4.8, which puts it closer to the XP-38 from X-Yachts (4.9) than to the Dehler 38 (4.6).
There are currently two variants for the interior, all with three cabins. On the one hand with separate navigation to port and longitudinal galley or with L-galley to port and an additional longitudinal sofa - in which case you have to navigate at the saloon table. It has not yet been decided whether an owner's version with a walk-in locker and larger wet room will be added at a later date. This option would certainly fit in well with the concept.
In any case, the Maxi 1200 will add 38 feet to the range of sporty boats. It ranges from the extremely light and modern JPK 38 Fast Cruiser to the timeless Comfortina 38. The Maxi should be somewhere in the middle: comfortable, cosy, but suitable for planing upwind in strong winds.
