When Van Oossanen's flow sound experts optimise a hull, that's enough to win the America's Cup. The victory of the "Australia II" off Newport in 1983 is one of the great stories of sailing. Back then, the twelve-man from Down Under ended the longest winning streak in the sport. It was the first time a non-American yacht had won the America's Cup. The legendary winged keel helped.
Admittedly, that was a few decades ago, but the Dutch experts still know how to optimise hulls and their appendages. This is evident during the test run on the IJsselmeer, because although the professionals from North Sails were not yet on board to optimally trim the rig and sails, the aluminium yacht gets off to a very good start. Beautifully stiff, unusually so for an aluminium boat, and very responsive at the helm. Everything responds to the small colourful buttons in the cockpit: headsail furler, foot, backstay, downhaul, even the bowsprit can be extended and retracted hydraulically. Push-button sailing. The speeds and tacking angles are fine at just under 90 degrees at 6.3 knots. However, the hull's gut feeling tells you that it could do more. The outhaul line of the main is not quite right yet. As a result, the main sail is too bulbous. More would be possible with a little trim. What a pity. The gennaker is not yet on board either, so deep courses are no fun. As an alternative to the self-tacking jib, which is overstretched, a genoa would also be possible. The tracks for this are also included in the price as an alternative to the self-tacking track. So everything is fine on the water so far.
Aluminium yacht with top-quality wooden interior
For expansion. This is Hutting's hobbyhorse. Ten layers of varnish on the wood and an unrivalled attention to detail and manufacturing quality. The layout below deck is quite classic: galley, navigation system and toilet room on the companionway. Aft a cabin for two, in front the saloon, then the owner's area forward with separate shower and toilet room to port and starboard. The forward berth is free-standing and just big enough at 1.45 metres wide. However, it is wider when not free-standing. Two small points of criticism: The height above the aft toilet is only 88 centimetres. This means that anyone sitting there will bump their head. Point two: the inner berth aft only has a height of 15 centimetres above the foot area. Clearly too little. According to the shipyard, a different arrangement can remedy this. The two separate berths are a request from the owner. Speaking of owner's wishes: pretty much everything on the boat can be customised to the customer's preferences. Custom construction is easily possible with an aluminium yacht in small series.
Other woods in the extension, a completely different layout or a deck without teak support, perhaps a carbon mast and a full battened main - the choice is yours. as a solid long-distance racer? No problem. What remains is the optimised hull of the aluminium yacht and the certainty that you are buying from a shipyard that thinks and acts down to the last detail. Just one example: during the test, we were unable to find a single wooden part that had not been carefully varnished. Apart from the teak deck, of course. This exclusivity, this quality in detail, the choice of layout and fittings and the certainty of sailing a truly special boat is something that only very few shipyards can offer. With Hutting the whole thing costs around 1.6 million euros. It seems reasonable.
