What the Pirat is on German waters, the Polyvalk is in the Netherlands. The Falcon 22 is its modern reissue. The Dutch design is now being built by Neptun Yachts. First pictures from the test.
Klaas Goos designed and built the Falcon 22 in the Netherlands ten years ago. The most striking new features are a very large cockpit that is open at the stern. The inner hull raises the cockpit floor, allowing water to drain easily towards the stern. Beneath the cockpit and the seating areas are air chambers which, in the event of capsizing, provide ample buoyancy and make the Falcon 22 unsinkable. Added to this is 160 kilograms of ballast in the keel, which reliably right the boat. Combined with the high structural rigidity provided by the transom, the Falcon sails very stably and safely. This enhanced safety and comfort is complemented by a very wide range of uses: its high safety standards make the Falcon 22 ideal as a sailing training boat, whilst its comfort makes it perfect as a leisurely day-sailer. But regatta sailors are not to be overlooked either: the flared mainsail and a retractable gennaker boom promise fast, exhilarating sailing on the regatta course. The very spacious cockpit offers enough room to use the Falcon 22 as a cruising dinghy.
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During testing on the Heeger Meer, the Falcon was able to demonstrate what it is capable of in 15-knot winds. Speeds of up to nine knots were achievable under gennaker. Throughout, the Falcon remained easy to handle. Pascal Ernst of Neptun Yachts purchased the design from Klaas Goos. Previously, there were Standard, Touring and Race versions. Neptun now only builds the Falcon 22 Race, which features more sail area and a gennaker boom. The test boat was fitted with a permanently bolted keel, which requires a crane for launching. However, a version with a retractable keel is also available as an option. This makes the boat easy to trailer.
Technical Specifications: Falcon 22 Race
- Fuselage length: 6.56 m
- Width: 2.07 m
- Draught: 0.95 m
- Weight: 525 kilograms
- Mainsail: 18.6 m²
- Genoa: 9.8 m²
- Gennaker: 30.2 m²
- Maximum number of people: 6
- CE category: C (inland and coastal waters)
Michael Rinck
Redakteur Test & Technik
