It is difficult to characterise the latest Pogo without using superlatives. She has performance in abundance - a sail carrying capacity of 5.5 (!), a value that is otherwise only achieved by racing yachts. It weighs one tonne (!) less than comparable boats from large series production. And thanks to reduced basic equipment, the ex-shipyard list price is fortunately just under 100,000 euros (!).
However, if you order useful, if not necessary, extras such as the electro-hydraulically retractable canting keel (minimum draught then 1.05 metres, 2.50 metres when unfurled), the carbon mast from Axxon that does not stay aft, the retractable carbon fibre bowsprit and a set of high-quality sails, plus navigation electronics, you can easily end up with 130,000 euros.
That's a lot of money for a boat with a hull length of just over 9 metres. But it's money well spent. Because with Pogo, you pay for what you leave out.
This is reflected in the low displacement of just 2.8 tonnes and the very low centre of gravity. This is why the boat is so nimble and why it doesn't need an indomitable amount of sail area to be fast. In any case, the quality of the GKF work is beyond reproach. Such precise fits and even surfaces on the hull, keel and rudders are rarely found elsewhere - at best on racers.
The only thing you have to make do without is a little, because although the interior is not exactly sparse, it still looks reduced compared to conventional cruising boats and performance cruisers. But it is a sacrifice that is compensated for by the sailing characteristics mile after mile - especially in light to medium winds, where the Pogo 30 is unrivalled.
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
