tp52 yacht

TP52 : The little sister of the America's Cup - big season review

Tatjana Pokorny

 ·  09.12.2022

• Season review
• Results of the 2022 season championship

TP52 vs. ClubSwan 50

"The wind is a gentle breeze. It has told me about you. The bells ring, the song flies. They call us together. Guide us forever. I wish my dream would never go away. Barcelona!"

The finale of the 52 Super Series in Barcelona was as intense as Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballé once sang about Spain's Olympic metropolis and future America's Cup capital. The final of the tenth anniversary season was celebrated at the end of October in the city where it premiered in 2012.

Only nine boats took part in 2022, but the standard is extremely high

The view from the terrace of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona shows at a glance who the guests are: a blue crane with an XL poster celebrating the 52 Super Series' anniversary towers into the sky on the quay wall. Next to it, the workshop containers of the professional racing teams form a pit lane. Right at the front, the turquoise-coloured 40-foot cuboid of the US team Quantum Racing with its strikingly curved black and white stripes marks the entrance. This is followed by the workplaces of eight other teams, including Harm Müller-Spreer's "Platoon" team and the "Phoenix" campaign of SAP founder Hasso Plattner and his daughter Kristina Plattner. Teams from six countries with sailors and technical teams from all over the world make the scenario look like an America's Cup harbour in miniature.

Most read articles

The season's best are not only striking in terms of colour. The "Quantum" sailors were at the top again in their anniversary year, winning their fifth world championship title in the summer ahead of "Platoon" and the British "Alegre". There is only a small amount of consolation for the competition at the light wind final in Barcelona: the Americans, whose racing team owner Doug DeVos and tactician Terry Hutchinson are also among the engines of America's Cup challenger American Magic, also win the fifth and final regatta of the year. And with it the season championship.

Racing series bursting with stars and expertise

The crew of the US dominators is hand-picked, bursting with professionals with medals from the Olympic Games, America's Cup or SailGP. How purposefully the Americans work in the 52 Super Series is evident in all areas. They operate one of the most comprehensive data collection and performance analysis programmes. A few containers away, Tammo Baldszun from Bremen has been working for Takashi Okura's US team "Sled" since 2018. The tacticians and strategists here are America's Cup experts Francesco Bruni and Murray Jones. The 2021 TP52 world champions have their own sailing expert in Baldszun. "For me as a sailmaker, the job is very exciting. We always work with the latest materials. The 52 Super Series has an educational character," says Baldszun.

Next door, Michael Müller from Kiel trudges into the "Platoon" container. His wealth of experience makes the 39-year-old the only German power player on board alongside Harm Müller-Spreer. The father of five once dropped out of his mechanical engineering studies after being recruited by the first German America's Cup campaign. Müller boosted his professional career with two round-the-world races in the Volvo Ocean Race. Today, he is one of the few internationally sought-after German sailors. In addition to his duties as "Mid Bow" on board, Müller is technically responsible for the sail systems.

German professional sailors appreciate the TP52

Müller, who is also active in the ClubSwan 50 racing series on Marcus Brennecke's "Hatari", is attracted by the development work and the battle for millimetre leads in the TP52 class: "The technical effort is much greater than in a standard class like the ClubSwan 50, where you can buy a boat and sail it successfully with a good crew without much development work. The TPs are more demanding."

This is exactly what Harm Müller-Spreer appreciates. "Outside of the America's Cup, we are at the top of our game here. I can't think of a class in which people work more professionally." The Hamburg property developer knows what he is talking about. The trained sailmaker is an ambitious helmsman, Dragon Gold Cup winner in 2000 and 2001, and the fact that he can compete with some of the biggest names in sailing in the 52 Super Series is an incentive for him.

Audi MedCup as the origin

His TP52 entry was many years ago. At his first attempt in the Super Series predecessor Audi MedCup, which was held between 2006 and 2011, Müller-Spreer had agreed to a marriage of convenience: Platoon powered by Team Germany. The alliance was formed after the 2007 America's Cup between the Hamburg native and the core team of a planned German Cup follow-up campaign centred around Jochen Schümann. Renowned partners Audi and Adidas came on board, where Schümann and Müller-Spreer wanted to take turns at the helm.

The alliance to bridge the sporting gap while waiting for the next America's Cup does not last long with two bosses on board, despite their mutual initial respect. The successes fail to materialise. Müller-Spreer is too seldom at the wheel, gets annoyed and quits again in 2008. Audi ended its title sponsorship four years later. The MedCup is history.

It could easily have been the end of the TP52 success story, but in 2012 a number of wealthy sailing enthusiasts ensured a promising new start: Skype creator Niklas Zennström ("Rán"), the American Amway President Doug DeVos ("Quantum Racing") and the now deceased Argentinian pharmaceutical billionaire and "Azzurra" owner Alberto Roemmers founded a company to organise top-class regattas. The 52 Super Series is created under this umbrella. It works closely with the TP52 class association under the leadership of manager Rob Weiland. "We are connected like twins. We need each other," says Weiland.

Harm Müller-Spreer with two world championship titles after TP52 comeback

Five teams, including the Franco-German co-production Audi All4One, start in May 2012. The popular series reaches its peak in 2015 with 15 participants. Harm Müller-Spreer made his comeback that year, now on his own. First the armoured cruiser look of the new "Platoon" in airbrush design catches the eye, then the good performances. Two fourth places in the 2017 season were followed by the first world championship title. In 2018, he cruised with a new Judel/Vrolijk boat. The second world championship triumph came in 2019.

This year, the German boat was one of the three Judel/Vrolijk designs competing against half a dozen Botín designs, alongside the Turkish "Provezza" and the French "Paprec". The comparison could also have gone in favour of the fast J/V design. However, the long-standing collaboration between Harm Müller-Spreer and tactician John Kostecki is showing signs of fatigue. In the middle of the season, Müller-Spreer drew the consequences and replaced Kostecki with the Italian Vasco Vascotto. "It's like in football: sometimes you have to change the coach or striker," commented the boss on the prominent personnel manoeuvre. With the new line-up, it was enough for a conciliatory third place on the podium in the Superliga season rankings, which operates with its own professional race management team headed by Maria Torrijo.

Plattner family with Tom Slingsby in second place

When asked about his new employer in Barcelona, Vascotto smiles: "It's like Guillermo Parada said: it's funny that an Italian sometimes has to tell a German to keep calm. But we have fun together, we're a great team. And I see room for improvement."

Hasso and Tina Plattner also have their sights set on them. Because the 44-year-old daughter of the SAP founder lives in Cape Town, where she works for the Hasso Plattner Foundation and has felt at home in South Africa for more than 20 years, the family racing yacht "Phoenix" will compete in the 52 Super Series with the sail number RSA 5211. Father, daughter and team manager Tony Norris will take turns at the helm, depending on travelling options. Tina Plattner will contest the final in Barcelona after a long break from sailing of two and a half years, partly due to the pandemic. At her side for her comeback is the most sought-after sailing professional on the planet: two-time World Sailor of the Year, SailGP dominator, Moth World Champion, Olympic champion, America's Cup winner, tactician and mate Tom Slingsby.

Tina Plattner preserved the title chances of "Phoenix"

"Tony and I are the only amateur sailors on board, everyone else is a professional," says the power woman, describing the crew mix on "Phoenix". Together with her partner Tony Norris, the successful rider has turned the father-daughter idea from 2014 into a family mission. On her return to Barcelona, she even managed a brilliant day in the windless week, which was a talking point in the pit lane. Finishing 3-1-2, the "Phoenix" team catapulted itself back within striking distance of the "Quantum" leaders in the battle for victory this season. How did an amateur sailor manage this in the concert of the sailing superpowers?

"I know very few people who can concentrate like Tina," says Tom Slingsby, explaining his boss's greatest strength at the tiller with sincere respect. When asked which sailing conditions she particularly likes, she reveals: "Downwind planning is great! I'm still a bit scared of jibing in strong winds. At the same time, I learn a lot from Tom. He sees things on the water that I only dream about..."

TP52 class was not spared from corona either

In 2019, the Plattners worked very hard to prepare the first two regattas of the 52 Super Series, including the World Championship, for the premiere in South Africa in 2020. The kick-off event took place at the beginning of March. Then came corona and thwarted the plans to boost South African sailing. "It will remain a big regret of my life that the World Championships didn't work out," Tina Plattner looks back wistfully. In the here and now, she enjoys the high level of TP, "even if I have to fight with dad and Tony for the helm". She says: "It's really competitive on the water. What I learn here in a week would take a year or more on other boats." TP52 yachts were a special breed right from the start. Originally developed as a powerful boat for the long-distance Transpac race from San Francisco to Honolulu, the Transpac 52 - TP52 for short - has established itself as the leading monohull racing class without foils in the Super Series. Ambitious owners, clever designers and experienced professionals in co-production are responsible for this.

The development is based on the "Box Rule". Since 2001, the class rules have provided a corset that has been cleverly modernised again and again over the years. With strict regulations, it ensures that the boats can compete against each other almost like in a standardised class. "You create your own boat, but have the sailing pleasure of a one-design," says class manager Rob Weiland, summarising the advantages. At the same time, the class association is currently endeavouring to open up by making its "Box Rule" more compatible with IRC and ORC handicap classifications. It is hoped that this will attract new interested parties to the 52 Super Series and expand the playing field for active owners, for example in the direction of major championships such as an ORC World Championship. The goal of a successful series with a strong, owner-managed class has long since been achieved 21 years after the class association was founded.

The carbon fibre racers with their huge sail areas and long, slender keels are constantly undergoing careful development. Thanks in part to the charisma of the 52 Super Series, they seem to be immune to the zeitgeist phenomenon of change, which is constantly giving rise to new boats and classes.

ClubSwan 50 on the rise

Just like the ClubSwan 50 racers from the one-design division of the luxury shipyard Nautor Swan, which fascinate a number of German owners. Federico Michetti, multiple world champion and successful with Quantum Racing in the 52 Super Series, is not only a professional sailor, but also sports director for ClubSwan Racing. The Milanese knows both worlds and says: "Of course, TPs and ClubSwan 50s are completely different boats. A TP is super high-tech, an exciting development yacht. A Club Swan 50 is a great one design that also offers cruising options. The level of competition in both classes is as high as the atmosphere among the owners is friendly. The 52 Super Series has set the bar very high. It is inspiring and I have a lot of respect for the creators. So the decision in favour of one class or the other is more about what someone wants for their personal sailing journey."

That makes all the difference. Hendrik Brandis, owner of the ClubSwan 50 "Earlybird", Vice World Champion and 2022 Nations Cup winner with Marcus Brennecke and his "Hatari" team, is convinced: "In the Club Swan 50 class, everyone has the same boat and the same material requirements to win. That's not the case with the TPs. That's why the competition with us is broader, in my opinion more exciting and ultimately even more challenging. Only the sailing makes the difference - not engineering and budget."

TP52 class is closely linked to the America's Cup

TP fans see it differently: they love the 52 Super Series as the little sister of the America's Cup. As a world league for those who are looking for their own technical and sailing challenge parallel to the foiling generation racing away. The TPs are similar to the Cup business: only those whose team masters all aspects from design and management to hardware and software through to top sporting performance are successful.

Quantum Racing's team boss Doug De-Vos is currently bringing both worlds together, announcing the Quantum Racing powered by American Magic project "to join forces". DeVos wants to give young sailors better training opportunities, declaring the initiative to be "vital" for the future of US sailing - and thus also strengthening the 52 Super Series.

Anticipation for the next seasons is already growing

In 2023, the eleventh season will feature events in Saint-Tropez, Scarlino, Menorca, Barcelona and Puerto Portals. A visit to the American west coast is on the cards for 2024.

The final act of the anniversary season heralds the start of the next decade. Almost 500 sailors and guests gathered in the Gothic-style halls of the historic Llotja de Barcelona trading centre to celebrate the past and future of the 52 Super Series. The lasting and emotional way in which the series is presented by German Marketing Director Lars Böcking, his team and the international TV crew was also evident in every detail of the party. Ribera del Duero was served - from 2012, of course - and it was no coincidence that half of the America's Cup was celebrating not far from the future Cup harbour. The overlap between the big and small regatta sister remains significant. The Cup will be held in the Catalan capital for the first time in 2024. The anticipation of this always resonates in the 52 Super Series. In Freddy Mercury's words: "Barcelona. Such a beautiful horizon. Barcelona. Long live high!"

The 2022 season championship

Nine teams from six countries competed at Formula 1 level for world championship medals and the season championship in 2022:

In its 10th anniversary season, Quantum Racing was the measure of all things with world championship title number five since 2012 and its fifth win of the season. Germans were also successful with the "Phoenix" (fourth in the world championship, second in the season) and the "Platoon" (runner-up in the world championship, third in the season)

Cheaper and less crew: the series Swans are an attractive alternative to the professional class. Comparable at first glance, but two worlds apart on closer inspection: the Grand Prix yachts in the 52 Super Series and the One Designs in ClubSwan Racing. A successful start in the Swan Circuit is possible from scratch with a good team, whereas entering the 52 Super Series requires more experience, technical development work and a larger budget. Building a new TP is more expensive than buying a ClubSwan 50, and an ambitious TP52 project can consume up to 30 sails per year for regattas and training with a comparable number of races. The 50-foot Swan does not even need half of such a fancy wardrobe. There are currently nine crews in the TP class, and around twice as many in the Swans. Both groups have fun.

ClubSwan Racing: ClubSwan 50

Invisible Hand: This Pac 52 racer sees the TP52 class return to its offshore roots

• February 4, 2020

Invisible Hand one of a new generation of 52-footers that represents a return to the offshore roots of the TP52 class, and a resurgence of level-rating grand prix racing on the west coast of the US. Erik Simonson reports

The original Transpac 52 Class ( TP52 ) left an indelible mark on US west coast sailing, but the few that were left racing in California represented a wide range of vintages and race only under handicap. The launch of the Pac 52, a new offshore-specified 52ft class, in 2017 was an attempt to recapture some of that TP spirit and get level rating grand prix racing started up again in California.

The TP52 story began in 2000, when a contingent of Californian sailors sought a new racing class, something smaller than the 70ft sleds that had been surfing their way to victory in the 2,225-mile LA-Honolulu Transpac Race for the previous two decades. They were after a planing design of about 50ft that was simple to sail, could handle round-the-cans races and scoot across the Pacific in a hurry.

The Transpac Yacht Club, which organises the biennial race, proposed a new class to a few local naval architects, including teams from Alan Andrews Yacht Design, Nelson Marek and Reichel/Pugh. The club settled on a 52ft box rule concept, and enlisted designer Bill Lee to help form the rule. Their aim was to have new boats on the start line of the 2001 Transpac Race: the TP52 was launched.

A pre-regatta blackout period only allows teams to practise for three days out of the seven leading up to a regatta, to keep crew bills down. Photo: Sharon Green / ultimatesailing.com

For the following five years there was glory aplenty for west coast TP52s both inshore and offshore, including trans-Pacific races. But the TPs evolved rapidly, adopting square-topped mains and bowsprits. The first generation boats aged quickly as the costs of remaining competitive spiralled, and with no formal organisation or class association, west coast orders slowed.

In Europe, however, the Mediterranean circuit had surged in popularity. By 2006 the Audi TP52 MedCup had become the pinnacle of grand prix racing, with the original offshore element set aside in favour of hardcore inshore racing. The boats got stiffer, lighter and faster. They were largely built in Europe and sailed with European professional crews. If you wanted to race TP52s on a level rating, the Med was the place to be.

Enter the ‘core of four’: American owners Manouch Moshayedi, Victor Wild, Frank Slootman and Tom Holthus. These founding members banded together to form the Pac 52 Class Association, primarily to bring grand prix level rating racing back to the west coast of the USA. Although each owner comes from a slightly different yacht racing background, they all wanted to eliminate the handicap element in the new class.

Article continues below…

Ràn VII: On board the Stealth Bomber of the Fast 40+ class

Some boats are the sum of their parts, but Rán VII is really the sum of the parts that aren’t…

Veedol: On board Yoann Richomme’s record-breaking Lift 40

A curious pattern repeated in the 2018 Route du Rhum, as the newest designs – like the foiling Ultimes, and…

The first Pac 52 started life as a new 52-footer for Beau Geste Racing team. When Manouch Moshayedi, owner of the 100-footer Rio , heard that a new Beau Geste was in build at Cookson Boats in Auckland, he contacted Victor Wild, who was also keen to get into some grand prix level racing.

With the tooling already in place, a second boat could be built cost-effectively (now sailing as Wild’s Fox ). If they bulk ordered material and found a couple of other perspective owners, they could save even more and have the nucleus of a new class. The Pac 52 Class was born.

The association was formed with three main elements at its core: a level rating class rule; cost effectiveness; and a mutually agreed schedule. The boats are intended to be lighter and faster than the Super Series TP52s (the current crop of TP52s that race on a purely inshore circuit including the Med, Miami and Key West) but capable of racing offshore and costing much less. Getting into the class with a new boat can come in between US$1.8-2.2 million, compared to a Super Series boat at about $3 million (£2.32 million).

The Pac 52 rig is around 60cm taller than the Super Series TP52s, with 10cm extra draught. Photo: Cynthia Sinclair

Four of the Pac 52s were built at Cookson’s, the sole exception being Moshayedi’s Rio , which was built at Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai. Rio utilised the existing plug made for Super Series boat Platoon, a Judel/Vrolijk design, while Provezza (another Judel/Vrolijk Super Series design) provided the mould for Beau Geste, which in turn led to Fox , Invisible Hand and Bad Pak . Theoretically any of the recent Super Series moulds would work, with a deeper keel and taller rig added.

While Beau Geste , Fox and Rio are set up for inshore racing, Invisible Hand and Bad Pak opted for an offshore package. By modifying the Vrolijk deck and adding 150mm freeboard to the bow and 125mm to the stern, Mick Cookson created enough room to allow crawling access to the aft cockpit bunks and make space for a navigator. The two offshore boats have removable galleys and bunks, and can carry watermakers.

The hull of the Pac 52 has a core of foam. The deck has a honeycomb core, which is a slightly less expensive yet more robust alternative to the Nomex construction of the Super Series sisterships. The offshore-moded Invisible Hand and Bad Pak run lines above deck and have eliminated most through-hull protrusions, making them much dryer. Invisible Hand ’s steering can be switched from wheels to tiller with minimal effort, while Bad Pak ’s owner chose a two-wheel configuration.

One of the biggest weight savings was in the engine. Pac 52s have Lombardini 40hp models, which provide a little less power than the Yanmar 57hp models specified for the Super Series TPs, but weigh 100kg less.

The new class sports a 600mm taller mast, which is placed further aft, increasing the J measurement (jib foretriangle). The smaller main improves the Offshore Racing Rule (ORR) rating when competing in non-class events. Brent Rhune, pro bowman on Bad Pak , says this configuration gives the boats increased power at the lower end of the wind scale.

“The Pac 52 starts planing in 14-15 knots, adding an extra gear or two,” he says. For quick-response rig tuning, Pac 52s have hydraulic headstays, mast deflectors and mast-foot adjusters, powered by a hydraulic rotary pump on the aft coffee grinder.

As with the Super Series TPs, the pit area on the inshore-moded Pac 52s is offset to starboard for fast port-hand mark roundings. It is recessed for reduced windage, with control lines run under deck. Photo: Invisible Hand Sailing

“Set-up on the Pac 52 is all-important: rig tune, mast butt [foot] and rake,” adds Rhune. “Figuring out the crossover of leaving the jib up versus taking it down and hoisting the staysail, thus keeping two guys off the bow at the top mark and three guys at the bottom, ends up earning you boat lengths.”

Cost control

Deck gear packages vary. Fox sports an array of top-end Harken ceramic winches, a hydraulic mast ram and forestay, carbon fibre gearing, and aerodynamic coffee grinders. Invisible Hand and Bad Pak carry a more conventional package with corresponding cost savings.

A key aim of the class association is keeping costs realistic, with an owner-driver rule and limit on seven professional sailors per crew. There are also limitations on new sails, use of support RIBs, and a ‘blackout’ period before each regatta to discourage expensive and lengthy pre-regatta training.

Invisible Hand ’s chamfered bow is designed to encourage waves that break over the bow to roll off the deck. Photo: Invisible Hand Sailing

Five Pac 52 Class events were scheduled for 2017, the inaugural year, including the Rolex Big Boat Series in September, with a break in the middle to allow the offshore boats some bluewater time.

Brent Rhune says the fleet is living up to its promise from a sailor’s perspective: “The boats are a blast to sail, just like their predecessors. Although we have just five boats at this point, the racing is close, with nose-to-tail mark roundings, lead changes, camping [sitting] on opponents on the beat, and so on.”

Ruben Gabriel, who races on Invisible Hand , says the pro-am ethos of the fleet is also a big draw. “It’s half-pro, half-amateur racing against each other in a very competitive environment. Everything is rapid fire, everything rises another notch. Every action is precise and deliberate; there is no wasted effort.

“Even the pre-race and post-race debriefs are exacting. Sharing stories and hearing tales from the pros is a great learning experience.”

Specification

LOA (max): 15.85m (52ft) Beam (max): 4.5m (14ft 9in) Draught (max): 3.6m (11ft 9in) Displacement (min): 6,900kg (15,200lb) Sail area (upwind max): 171m 2 (1,840ft 2 ) Asymmetric (max): 272m 2 (2,927ft 2 ) TCF (max): 1.208

A version of this article was first published in the September 2017 edition of Yachting World.

Rolex TP52 World Championship 2024

• Monday, July 15, 2024 10:00 AM 10:00 Saturday, July 20, 2024 10:00 PM 22:00
• Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard 1 Washington St Newport, RI, 02840 United States (map)
• Google Calendar ICS

Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard looks forward to welcoming the 52 Super Series fleet in June and July in 2024!

The Rolex TP52 World Championship will take place in the waters off Newport, Rhode Island from July 15-20, 2024. For more information, visit: 52superseries.com

The 52 SUPER SERIES was established in 2012 and quickly became renowned as the world’s leading grand prix monohull yacht racing circuit. 2022 saw the tenth anniversary celebrations back in Barcelona where it all began at the Trofeo Conde de Godo regatta in May 2012.

The 52 SUPER SERIES was developed as an initiative by three key stakeholders, respectively the owners of Quantum Racing , Azzurra and Rán Racing who enjoyed their racing in the TP52 so much, and could see a future in which the owners dictated the direction of the 52 SUPER SERIES; embracing all that they had enjoyed about the class and making racing for like-minded individuals and crews available in locations and venues enjoyed by all. Now the circuit usually consists of five regattas per season in Europe with regular early year events in the USA.

Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard looks forward to welcoming to the 52 Super Series teams as the host marina for the XS 52 Super Series Newport Trophy Regatta in June and the Rolex TP52 World Championship 2024 in July.

• AMERICA'S CUP
• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

Rolex TP52 World Championship Barcelona - Overall

Related Articles

This website uses cookies . This allows us to offer you the necessary functionalities and also improve your user experience. If you visit our website, you agree to the cookie statement

TP52 Judel Vrolijk

• Reference ID 622
• Builder TP52
• Judel and Vrolijk
• Location Italy
• Engine type Single
• L.O.A. (mtr) 15.83
• Beam (mtr) 4.44
• Draft (mtr) 3.75
• Displacement (Kg) 6981
• Material Carbon
• Engine Yanmar 52HP

Send to friend

Yacht description.

TP52 built in 2008 by Hawkes Marine and designed by Judel Vrolijk.

Owners comments:

She is Optimized for IRC and ORC International racing rules. When we bought her important updates have been made in 2018 such as bulkhead, support lamination on the bottom hull, deck and keel zone, new carbon rigging, PBO forestay, a G-Foil and new bulb with a deeper keel of 3.52. She is in very good condition!

Certificates

IRC: 1.397 TCC ( 2023 )

ORC: 437.3 GPH ( 2023 )

• New deck antiskid painted
• All sheets and halyards new
• New paint bowsprit
• New antiskid cockpit with Harken antiskid
• Two litio battery 100 amp
• New load cell vertical shrouds V1 ds and V1 sx
• New load cell forestay
• New electronics FARO system 

REFIT 2021/2022:

• Hull top sides new painted Blue with grey and red details.
• New Harken Pro trim system for main traveller
• New deck anti-skid painted
• New keel Vrolijk yachtdesign, more light and more deep. The original keel 2008 is 1100 kg, the new keel is 640kg.
• New sails North sails 3Di Raw 2022: main, jib 1.5, A1,5. 
• New traveller main system with new protrim system
• New full carbon shrouds
• New jib traveller 3,5 °
• New paint boom
• New paint rudder
• New wrapping black mast
• New mast jack
• New antiskid cockpit
• Two lithium battery 100 amp

Refit 2018:

• bulkhead, support lamination underwatership, hull, deck and keel zone etc
• new carbon rigging
• PBO forestay, a G-Foil
• new bulb with a new long 3,6 mt. keel

PALMARES : 2019:

• 1° Settimana Int. Alassio Orc International
• 1° Rolex Sailing Week Capri Orc International
• 3° World Championship ORC Sebenik ( CRO )
• 1° 151 Miglia Orc International
• 2° Invitational IRC overall tp52 Class
• 2° Invitational old Tp 52 Class
• roller bearing - JP3 2018
• new painted 2022

New keel Vrolijk yacht design, more light and more deep. The original keel 2008 is 1100 kg the new keel is 640 kg. -2022

• BULB WEIGHT: 3400 KG

Hull top sides new painted Blue with grey and red details, 2022

• Southern Spars 2009 mast and boom package
• Original mast with two backstays PBO, Carbon rig - serviced annually and latest 2021 + original steel rod
• Armare two head stay strops 2021 - New + one spare 2020
• Wrapping mast 2022, black
• Head stay foil - Gorilla 2021
• Spare extrusion and sleeve with original Rod
• External mast jack – 2018 serviced annualy with one Piston inside the mast + one spare
• Instruments mast bracket carbon
• Original Boom 2009, new painted 2023
• vang tube carbon
• All maneuvers inside new 2021-2022-2023
• 1 x Bowsprit - New 2018 - built for 2 tacklines and lengthened.
• New painted 2023
• Designed for code0
• Bobstay – PBO Armare – 2021-2023
• Runner backstay PBO Armare + 1 set sk99 for delivery
• Main halyard sheave – one 2021 + one 2018 used all with bullet
• Gennaker halyard sheaves – one 2021+ one 2019 used
• Code0 halyard sheaves – one 2020 with bullet
• Jib halyard sheave – one 2021+ one 2018 used all with Bullet
• Southern Spars spin halyard internal locks x 2 - 2009
• Southern spar Main, Jib halyard internal lock-2009
• Spin retriever system ( roller ) 2018
• New load cell vertical shrouds V1 ds and V1 sx 2023
• New load cell forestay 2023

Running rigging 

• Main Halyard - 1 new 2021 + 1 spare 2018
• Jib Halyard - 1 new 2021+ 1 2018
• Spin halyard/Red inshore - 1 set New 2021 + 1 set spare 2018
• Code 0 halyard/Green inshore - 1 New 2021
• Runner tails - 1 new set 2021 + 3 set spare 2018/2019
• Jib sheets - 1 new set 2021 + 2 spare 2020+2019
• Spin sheet/primary - 1 new set + 2 spare
• Code 0 sheet/peel - 1 new set 2021+ 1 spare
• Tack lines - 1 new 2021 + 1 spare 2018
• lifelines steel - 1 set 2018
• SS Staysail sheets x 2
• Lots of other spare lines.
• Hydraulic pistons x 2
• Hydraulic pump and hydraulic system for forestay

All sails regularly serviced and washed

• Main 2022– North sails
• Main 2020 – North sails
• Main 2018 – North sails
• J1-e North sails 3Di Raw
• J1.7- 2022 North sails 3Di Raw
• J1.5-North sails 3Di Raw
• J2-North sails 3Di Raw
• J2- 2020 North sails 3Di Raw
• J3-North sails 3Di Raw
• J4-Quantum sails

Other sails

• Windseeker North sails
• Staysails North Sails 2021
• Staysails training 
• A1 – North Sails
• A1.5 – 2022 North Sails
• A1.5 – 2020 North Sails
• A2 – 2021 North Sails
• A2 – North Sails
• 2x A2+ North Sails
• Code 0 – North Sails
• Main delivery
• Jib delivery
• Storm Jib and main

Accommodations

• Cushions inside red

Deck and Cockpit

• Stanchions - fully carbon - 2018
• Pulpit & pushpit - 2018
• Carbon tiller +extension
• Spare stanchions x 4

Deck hardware

• Winch, pedestal & transmission - Harken/Stay - weekly serviced
• Sheaves, block & pulley – Harken
• Hydraulic system, single pump
• Harken serviced annually
• 4 x 65.3 Harken winches.
• 2 x 65.3 Antal for the runners winches
• 1x 52 Harken winches
• Various winch spares
• Various hydraulic spares
• Spare winch and pedestal handles
• Spare winch Gear set
• Spare winch accessories - self tailor, washers etc 
• 2 x battery charger unit, Two litio battery 100 amp 2023
• Engine battery and 2 service battery
• Internal Led light
• Navigation lights
• Engine – Yanmar 52 hp with sailsdrive total revised 2019
• Engine spare parts
• Fuel tank PVC
• Propeller two blade filding Gori
• Propeller delivery three blade fixed
• 4 xBilge pump
• Complete safety equipment Cat 3 Monohull

Electronics and Navigational Gear

New electronics FARO system 2023:

• FARO hardware
• router 4 G+ wifi
• Heading LT-500 NMEA 2000 system
• Antenna Taoglass ( 2xwifi+2x4g+1xgps) for router GPS, AIS, 4G
• Antenna B&G Z100
• new mast cable for Vhf
• new mast cable for Antenna wind
• all cables new
• 4 display Garmin GNX120 and bracket for mast
• 2 display Garmin GMi20 for load cell
• PC panasonic
• expedition software

Navigation equipment

• 1 B&G pilot
• 1 Pilot compass
• 2 mast head wind
• 3 Displays in cockpit B&G 20/20 spare
• 5 mast dispays B&G 20/20 spare
• Ais antenna
• Gps antenna
• Gps Antenna for the start
• Gyro Compass
• H3000 system spare
• Load cell Forestay + 2 dispays
• Rake sensor
• Rudder system controll
• Vhf on board
• Wtp 2 processor
• Fully equipped Container with sail storage
• Air conditioning inside the container
• Boat Cradle
• Covers: pedestal, headstail, electronics, tiller
• Dehumidifier
• Fenders x 6
• Harken winch handles
• Mooring lines x 8
• One fin 2009 spare
• Shipping protection x6
• Straps x8 for cradle
• One spare Rudder

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Contact Details

• Name Site Broker | Racing-Yachts.com
• Email [email protected]
• Phone +31642444433
• Instagram -

• AROUND THE SAILING WORLD
• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Email Newsletters
• America’s Cup
• St. Petersburg
• Caribbean Championship
• Boating Safety
• Ultimate Boating Giveaway

Rise of the Russians

• By James Boyd
• Updated: June 20, 2016

At regattas around the world, Russian is a language heard more often these days. With the demise of the USSR some 25 years ago, a number of wealthy individuals have inevitably emerged across the former Soviet states. Some of these have chosen to spend some of their hard-earned — or not so hard-earned — rubles on taking up our sport.

Before Gorbachev and the easing of the regime, the USSR was best known for its Olympic sailing, a fact helped by the authorities, who were able to cherry-pick talent from across the breadth of the world’s largest country by landmass. Most notable among this talent was Valentin Mankin, one of the most successful Olympic sailors of all time, and still the only person to have won gold medals in three different classes. The USSR also conducted occasional offshore campaigns, as it did with the maxi Fazisi , which competed in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race.

While Russian Olympic sailing has since declined, over the past two decades there has been a steady increase in Russian owners taking up yacht racing. The most high-profile campaigns are in the TP52 class, where four Russian boats competed at the Audi MedCup’s zenith in 2007. These boats’ names betrayed the source of the money behind them: Valars was one of

Russia’s largest grain-trading companies; Rusal , once the world’s largest aluminium producer; and Synergy , one of Russia’s biggest distillers. Kirill Podolsky spent three years campaigning Valars before moving into the RC44 class, where he still enthusiastically campaigns RUS7, sponsored by Anywayanyday (the Russian equivalent of Expedia, and founded by Podolsky), with a mainly Russian crew.

Today the RC44 is the most high-profile class for Russian teams, and most recently they have been dominating: Last year Vladimir Proshikin’s Team Nika won the class’s fleet-racing championship, while Vladimir Liubomirov claimed its match-racing title aboard Bronenosec .

As an amateur helmsman, the charismatic Proshikin says he enjoys the learning process in the RC44 class, where he lines up against professional crews and tacticians, among them America’s Cup helmsmen, Olympic medalists and round-the-world veterans. He has also had coaches on Team Nika, including Russell Coutts, Dean Barker, Terry Hutchinson and most recently Ed Baird. More recently he has started racing smaller boats. He won the 2015 SB20 Russian National Championship and finished third at last year’s Melges 20 European Championship.

The only Russian team remaining on the 52 Super Series at present is Bronenosec Sailing Team, whose proprietor, Liubomirov, is today one of the most influential Russians in sailing. Between the 52 and his RC44 campaigns, Liubomirov reckons he sails 100 days each year. But crucially, for the past five years he has been commodore of the St. Petersburg YC, where he has managed to persuade Russian natural-gas giant Gazprom to back a wide range of sailing projects, including a new fleet of one-design Swan 60s.

Over the last 25 years, St. Petersburg’s sailing scene has changed dramatically. Previously there were 17 clubs. Today there are five, with St. Petersburg emerging as the main one for racing. The club offers the Swan 60s as well as around 40 SB20s and 15 Dragons.

Liubomirov himself grew up sailing dinghies, but in college he became hooked on windsurfing. That was his sport for around 10 years, before he got into another class, the Dragon, now synonymous with Russian sailing.

“In the early 2000s, the Dragon got a second life, not only in Russia but around the world,” says Liubomirov. “It is a good boat. It has a beautiful shape, and every week there is a Dragon regatta somewhere. Normally people from St. Petersburg or Moscow have two boats — one stays in Russia and the other travels.”

The Russian tenure in the Dragon class culminated last year with St. Petersburg member Dimitri Samokhin and his crew claiming second place at the 2015 World Championship and Dragon Gold Cup.

As commodore of St. Petersburg YC, Liubomirov has developed youth sailing programs, with a goal of putting Russia back on the map in Olympic sailing “by Tokyo or the next one.”

So if it has taken 25 years for Russia to get to a stage where it has competitive entries in several of the top sailing classes, one wonders how long it will be before other developing superpowers follow. In 10 years’ time, perhaps we will be writing similar stories about Indian or Chinese teams making impressions in competitive yachting.

• More: RC44 , Sailboat Racing
• More Racing

A Dynamic and Proving Day 6 of Louis Vuitton Cup

America’s Cup Match Racing at High Speed

Alinghi Red Bull Racing Bags First Louis Vuitton Cup Point on Electric Day in Barcelona

Barcelona Breeze Increase Spikes Intensity

Luna Rossa Dominant on Busy Day in Barcelona

One and Done on Drifter Day of Cup Challenger Series

Shocks and Drops At Louis Vuitton Cup Start

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

Helsingfors Segelklubb

• Guest Marina
• The Club House

Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK) was founded in 1899 and is one of the oldest sailing clubs in Finland. With 1.600 members and 600 registered boats, HSK is also one of Finland’s largest and most successful sailing clubs. Club is located centrally on the west side of Helsinki in Lauttasaari, with excellent harbor facilities, services and traffic connections nearby.

In 1899, sailing enthusiasts in the western part of Helsinki founded an association called Helsingfors Arbetare Segelklubb. Already in its first year, the association had over 100 members and 21 sailing boats. Several of the founding members were Swedish-speaking and many of them worked in the printing industry. At that time, you could become a boat owner by building your own boat.

In 1919, two years after Finland gained its independence, the association was one of the first to be entered in the new register of associations, now with the name Helsingfors Segelklubb. The association’s home harbors have always been located on the west side of Helsinki. The former harbors, Kellosaari and Iso-Pässi, for which past generations worked, have been left to be filled in, under urban logistics or under construction of new neighborhoods.

The current home harbor on the eastern shore of Lauttasaari has been in use by the club since 1959 and reached almost its present size by the early 1990. There are currently over 550 for boats and several hundred for light boats. A new clubhouse was completed in 2010.

Club harbor and its surroundings offer a wide range of services for yachting, such as the Blue Peter restaurant, greatest concentration of chandleries and boat shops, service station, and various yacht repair and service facilities. 

Sail Racing

HSK has a long tradition of sail racing. Some of our well-known members include olympic medalists Tuuli Petäjä-Sirén (London 2012, silver in RS:X), Esko Rechardt (Moscow 1980, sailed in Tallinn, gold in Finn) and Jouko Lindgren (Moscow 1980, bronze in 470).

Current national sailing team members and Olympic hopes for Paris / Marseille 2024 include Kaarle Tapper and Valtteri Uusitalo (ILCA 7) as well as Aleksandra Blinnikka (iQFoil). Sofia Hämäläinen and Siri Kaskeala (iQFoil) are members of the national B-team. Youth (U21) national team members are Joel Kiiski , Aatos Kylävainio , Onni Kylävainio , Samuel Rikala , Katariina Roihu and Remu Seppä .

HSK is also the official training center for the Finnish Sailing Team.

Representing HSK, Ari Huusela was the first Finnish and Nordic sailor to compete and successfully complete the Vendée Globe in 2021.

Samuli Leisti’s ZeroEmission TP52 team was an active participant in offshore races in the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean circuit in 2020-2021.

Junior and Youth Sailing

The HSK Academy aims to introduce sailing as a sport and coach junior sailors from the Opti School all the way to the Olympics. The Academy consists of several Opti training groups at different levels, as well as 29er, Techno windsurfing and ILCA groups.

Whether one’s goal is international success in racing or just to have fun sailing, HSK Academy is the right sailing club to join. HSK’s harbor is easy to get to and the club offers a comprehensive range of services and top level coaching for junior sailors of all levels.

Some of the Academy’s success includes bronze medals in the International Optimist Team Sailing Competition organized by The Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) in 2017 among 16 successful teams from 14 different countries from all over Europe. 

Sailing Competitions

HSK has organized several high-profile international sailing competitions, including the following:

European Championships

• 1987 Dragon
• 1993 Tornado
• 2003 Melges 24
• 2009 Laser 4.7
• 2011 470-dinghy

World Championship

• 1980 E-dinghy
• 1985 Optimist
• 1986 505-dinghy
• 1994 470-dinghy
• 2006 2.4 mR
• 2016 H-boat World Championship
• 2016 Folkboat Gold Cup
• 2017 Melges 24 World Championship
• 2018 Dragon Gold Cup
• 2022 Finn Masters

Cruising 

Cruising has been a strong part of the club’s activities from the very beginning. Traditionally the neighboring Nordic countries were early destinations, but in 1992, when the Baltic borders re-opened, boaters got more than a third of new destinations to sail in the Baltic Sea area.

Squadron voyages have always been enjoyable social events when setting out on new and unknown waters. First escaders were headed to Tallinn in Estonia and some years later expanded to Pärnu and Riga in Latvia, as well as several small harbors around the Gulf of Riga.

Our long-distance sailors had started in the 1970s with fiberglass boats sailing in the Mediterranean and some headed even North to Svalbard. About ten boats have already done circumnavigation and some are on their tour at the time of writing. 

Our Honorary Commodore Seppo Seljavaara was one of the founders 1985 of International Council of Cruising Yachts, ICCY. Many of our members have participated in the annual meetings around the Baltic Sea and HSK has already organized five meetings in Finland. The latest, ICCY 2022 Mariehamn, was awarded as the Cruising Act of the Year.  

Sailing abroad is often expansive and creates nice contacts, which is why HSK have many friendship clubs; in Estonia Kalevi Jahtklubi in Tallinn and Pärnu Jahtklubi, in Sweden Kungliga Motorbåt Klubben, KMK and in UK Cruising Association, CA. Every summer several boats from these familiar clubs visit our HSK harbour and some even our four private islands. Only limitation for visitors is the second half of August, when HSK hosts the largest floating boat show in Finland. This great event has been promoting yachting since 1998.

Platoon Aviation

Botin Partners (2024)

King Marine

Yacht Club:

NRV Hamburg

Harm Müller-Spreer

Platoon are one of the most successful teams on the 52 SUPER SERIES. After four end of season podiums – third in 2021 and runners up in 2017, 2018 and 2019 – told one story but in 2023 in Puerto Portals they clinched the season title for the first time which they added to the Rolex TP52 World Championship title they also won narrowly in Barcelona.

It is their third world title after successes in  2017 and 2019.

The team is owned and run by Hamburg businessman Harm Müller-Spreer who is a lifetime racing sailor particularly also in the Dragon keelboat. He raced on the original MedCup Circuit before a long break returning with a top crew and top boats from the Vrolijk design office. After winning the 2023 circuit title he seized the option to have a new Botin boat from the same mould and the same builder as Alegre, King Marine.

One of the very top owner-drivers in the world, Müller-Spreer has had a very settled team in recent years. The afterguard partnership of strategist Jordi Calafat  and navigator Jules Salter were joined mid season 2022  by Italy’s charismatic Vasco Vascotto as owner-driver Müller-Spreer wrought changes then, bringing in one of the class’s most successful tacticians.

Trimmers include America’s Cup winners Ross Halcrow and Dirk De Ridder (mainsheet). They race on Doyle Sails.

Vasco Vascoto

Jordi Calafat

Jules Salter

Victor Marino

Gerd Habermüller

Dirk de Ridder

Andy Axelsson

Rossco Halcrow

Javier de la Plaza

Jaro Furlani

Michael Müller

Sean Doggie

Gabriel de Llano

Victor Elizalde

Iñaki Martinez

Enrico Jauregui

Pablo Torrado

Morgan Reeser

Paul Tingle

Download our App

Search Website

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Facebook . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Instagram . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from X . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.