THE 44CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

The first 44Cup World Championship ratified by “World Sailing” took place in October 2010 in our beautiful Puerto Calero on Lanzarote and was won by the combined force of Anders Myralf and Jimmy Spithill on ’17’.

The current 44Cup World Champions are Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika, the first team in the 12-year history of the class to win three consecutive World Championship titles.

The points scored at the World Championship count as usual towards the final ranking, but the overall winner of the event also receives the prestigious title of 44Cup World Champion.

About the tour.

In 2007, the so-called “RC Championship Tour” was introduced and over the years established itself as a key series in the yacht racing circuit. In the thirteenth season, there were some changes and a “makeover”, which was mainly noticed by the renaming to “44Cup”.

However, the fundamental values and characteristic features of the regatta were retained: Sailing meets and unites with the business world; amateur owner-drivers get the opportunity to meet the world’s best sailors and compete against them with high-performance one-design yachts – all at the most beautiful and diverse sailing venues in the world.

Despite the fact that the 44Cup is one of the most competitive classes on the international circuit, it is also rightly referred to as one of the most inviting and friendly.

Impressive and remains the list of renowned sailors who attended the regatta in its first 12 years and speak for themselves with titles as America’s Cup legends to Olympic champions.

Besides numerous very important names, for example, Ian Percy (twofold British Olympic champion and team manager of the America’s Cup team Artemis Racing), Cameron Appleton (winner of the America’s Cup 2000 and winner of the RC44 Championship Tour 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014), Vasco Vascotto, an Italian sailing legend with two MedCup titles, 20 World, 11 European, and 23 Italian titles, Ed Baird, helmsman of the America’s Cup-winning team of 2007. This enumeration serves to mention some, even before the co-designer of the class and five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts is mentioned.

Almost indescribably impressive and no less interesting is the simple logistics, which could hardly have been invented better. The boats fit into a 40-foot container and can thus be shipped around the world, and the possibility for interested parties to contact directly.

What does all this result in?

In a tour that could hardly be more exciting, where no one is willing to give up even a centimetre, with skippers who push the boats and their crews to the limits of their extensive capabilities, and events that are often only decided in the charged final race days.

About the racing.

With its strict one-design format, the 44Cup provides a level playing field akin to what one would desire in international yacht racing. Venues worldwide are chosen for their excellent sailing conditions and racecourses that often pose challenges for the helmsman.

Featuring three to four races per day over a four-day regatta, the 44Cup offers the fleet more racing opportunities each season than any other owner-driven racing circuit.

The scoring system.

Typically, at the 44Cup there are three to four fleet races per day, depending on weather conditions, with no race being excluded from scoring. Team owners at the helm, professionals making tactical decisions, and a target race time of 40 minutes ensure an intense combination full of action and boats that are often separated by just seconds. The fleet races take place on a windward-leeward course, with a leg at the windward mark and a gate at the leeward mark. According to World Sailing’s standard low points system, the first boat over the finish line receives one point, the second boat two, and so on. Thus, the team with the lowest number of points at the end of the event wins.

An additional option offered by the 44Cup is to introduce a long-distance race, which can often last two to three hours. Teams may face special challenges when asked to circumnavigate nearby islands or landmarks.

The overall winner of the 44 Cup is determined as follows: From the total of five events, the four best races of each team are selected and summed. The team with the lowest total score wins.

About the boat.

The RC44 is “top to toe” made entirely of carbon fibre and equipped with a highly powerful sail plan. While the RC44 is fast and controlled downwind, it also performs exceptionally well in light winds as well as stronger breezes. Thanks to the innovative and technical design of the RC44, the team can expect to sail like on a sports boat while putting in the effort and dedication characteristic of a keelboat, all due to the hybrid navigation challenge that, of course, also brings excitement and fun.

IN LOGISTICAL TERMS…

As mentioned earlier, the logistics are almost unbelievably impressive. The goal was to make logistics easier for owners and minimize costs. A simple-to-own boat was sought that would be competitive in summer and easy to store in winter. Thanks to innovative solutions, this is now possible: the transport length of the boats is kept at 40 feet, with the rear end and keel attachment being removable, and the mast transported in two parts. This allows all the equipment to be stored in a flat container and transported anywhere in the world. As if this weren’t enough innovation, the RC44 class fits into a custom-made container that also serves as a cradle once it arrives at a regatta venue. Inside the container are compartments that allow storage of all equipment: sails, rudders, keels, booms, masts, and spare parts. The keel bulb is transported in position under the hull. An RC44 only needs a day to be reassembled when it arrives at its next port. Then there’s the expert technical support team of the 44Cup, which works to ensure that each boat is in optimal racing condition every time it ventures onto the starting line and can even get a boat back in the water just an hour after a serious collision.

Boat Dimensions

Overall Length (LOA):
13.35 m / 43.8 feet

Maximum Beam (Bmax):
2.75 m / 9 feet

Draft:
2.90 m / 9.5 feet

Displacement:
3560 kg / 7850 pounds

Keel:
2200 kg / 4850 pounds

Crew:
680 kg

Engine:
20 HP diesel with retractable transmission

Sail Dimensions:
G-3: 39 m² / 517 square feet G-1: 60 m² / 646 square feet

Mainsail:
70 m² / 753 square feet Gennaker and: 170 m² / 1722 square feet Gennaker: 150 m² / 1399 square feet

Concept: A lightweight displacement racing yacht designed to be fast downwind and powerful upwind. It features a high-aspect keel with a rudder and trim tab.

Easy Transport: Specially designed tilting trailer, easily removable aft platform, and simple keel-hull coupling with a tapered fitting make the boat very easy to transport and store. The mast is also constructed in two structural parts, allowing the boat to be transported on the road without excessive size restrictions.

Structural Design: The hull, deck, structural liner, keel, rudder, and rig were structurally calculated and optimized using Nastran software for finite element analysis.

Construction: The hull, deck, and aft platform are built using epoxy resin and exclusively unidirectional and biaxial carbon fabrics in sandwich construction, while woven twill carbon fabric is used to provide a smooth carbon finish on all exterior surfaces. The core material is 5-20 mm and 75 to 200 kg/m3. The internal structure is a double cross frame designed to support all keel, mast, and shroud loads, minimizing stress and deformation of the hull and deck. It is constructed using epoxy resin and exclusively unidirectional and biaxial carbon fabrics, while woven twill carbon fabric is used again to provide a smooth finish on all visible surfaces. Female moulds are built for the hull, deck liner, and spoiler to extremely high standards from CNC-machined plugs, ensuring minimal construction tolerances. All composite parts are built to SPSystem specifications, vacuum bagged, and post-cured in an oven. Keel and Bulb: The keel is constructed from pre-impregnated carbon material in post-cured carbon moulds at high temperature and pressure in an autoclave. A weed cutter is installed on the leading edge of the keel. The trim tab is constructed of carbon with RTM technology. The lead-antimony bulb is cast in a CNC-machined steel mould for high precision and levelled with an epoxy compound.

Rudder and Steering System: The rudder and conical rectangular section rudder stock are a one-piece construction in carbon with RTM technology in a high precision female mould. The rudder stock structure is optimized by FEM and sized according to ABS loads for speeds over 26 knots. The steering quadrant, steering pedestals, and wheels are designed and built exclusively in carbon. Oversized self-aligning Jefa bearings, chain-driven steering actuators, reliable Vectran cable pulleys ensure extremely precise performance with low maintenance. The result is a well-balanced boat that handles with two fingers even when surfing at high speeds.

General: Flush deck, spacious racing cockpit with two steering wheels, primary and mainsheet winches powered by pedestals, recessed jib tracks and winches, ergonomic side decks and steering position, retractable and pivotable bowsprit

RAILING: Custom carbon railing is placed from the bow to the mast.

WINCHES (HARKEN): Mainsheet: 2x B40.2 STA – Primary: 2x B530 TCR UD pedestal-driven – Main: 1x B55.3STR pedestal-driven

DECK HARDWARE (HARKEN): Jib system: mid-range (4:1 purchase) – Main system: big boat (2:1 mainsheet, 4:1 purchase). The deck hardware is oversized to provide low maintenance. All control lines, mainsheet, backstays, and gennaker retrieval system are led below deck to keep it as clean as possible. Hardware design was optimized in extensive sailing trials with Russell Coutts’ match racing crew.

HATCHES: The foredeck hatch is AC-shaped, carbon deck has quick-release fittings, edges are rounded for easy gennaker retrieval operation. The engine inspection hatch in the cockpit is equipped with a carbon cover with quick-release fittings.

MAST AND RIGGING: Mast shape has a variable section, specially designed for this boat, to enhance mast-sail aerodynamic interaction. The mast is produced in two segments for transportation reasons, the joint is at the second set of shrouds and secured with titanium bolts and titanium backing plates. The rig is fractional with three swept-back shrouds. The forestay rigging is continuous PBO with tensioner below deck, to save weight, reduce wind resistance, and provide a clean visual appearance. The boom and retractable pivoting bowsprit are also made of carbon. Race backstays are non-structural. PBO forestay has a hydraulic tensioner and is equipped with a standard head. Race rigging is Spectra.

ENGINE: The 20HP Volvo diesel engine is equipped with a specially developed retractable transmission system. The compact hydraulic transmission moves up and down with two electro-hydraulic cylinders with remote controls at the helm position.

PLUMBING: A hand-operated bilge pump from the cockpit and an automatic electric bilge pump are installed as standard.

ELECTRONICS: A comprehensive set of B&G Hercules2000 navigation instruments with mast unit, GPS, electronic compass, speed, and depth transducers, trimming tab angle and helm angle transducer, a multi-display on the coffee grinder pedestal (for helm angles and trimming tab angles), and up to five maxi 20/20 displays installed on a carbon bracket on the mast. Carbon construction provides a rigid yet lightweight structure with a low centre of gravity. Sail area is very generous, and the open cockpit allows the boat to be raced with a reduced crew.

4 – 8 FEB
CALERO MARINAS
CANARY ISLANDS