{"id":196849,"date":"2025-12-22T19:32:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T19:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/196849\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T19:32:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T19:32:17","slug":"new-and-improved-swiss-army-knife-now-with-steroids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/196849\/","title":{"rendered":"New and improved Swiss Army Knife (now with steroids)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New and improved Swiss Army Knife (now with steroids)
\n by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 21 Dec 14:23 PST<\/p>\n


\n Port C-Foil being inserted into Palm Beach XI – tricky job given the number of bearings inside.. \u00a9 John Curnow<\/p>\n

\"Henri-Lloyd
<\/a>\"SW
<\/a><\/p>\n


\nRacing it won\u2019t be easy. Owing to the complexities of angles, horsepower, one daggerboard down, the other daggerboard up, C-Foils extended, C-Foils retracted, Leeward Elevator down, Windward Elevator up, Slab time or not, peel or not, Cunningham, Outhaul, Whisker Pole, keel position, Larry on absolutely everything, water and spray going everywhere, often with severe gusto, weather now, weather in 10 minutes, weather in an hour, whether or not we\u2019re bouncing off the rev limiter, position on the track, and the list would just extend from there\u2026 \n<\/p>\n


\nNow absolutely loving it, should you be blessed to be one of the POB, is bound to be an utter breeze. Could well be the photographer\u2019s delight, as well. Bound to get the commentators in a fizz, too. \n<\/p>\n


\nYet what does the man who\u2019s going to have the wheel for the start think of it all? Best we ask him, so we did. What follows is Mark Richard\u2019s take on it all, right as they were in middle of getting Palm Beach XI to firstly meet her new 7m keel, then stick, and ultimately go and get the whole lot wet, which over the weekend just passed included her qualifying passage. \n<\/p>\n


\nNow there were only six months to not only secure the deal in the first place, then come up with the master plan, let alone design it, build it, cut it, chop it, manufacture it, and a whole bunch of other things. Back at just two weeks to go, calling it crunch time seemed just a tad understated. \n<\/p>\n


\nCall it a statement \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cThis boat’s been a part of my life, and I’ve been a part of this life for 20 years, so we’re very organically connected. A lot of the changes we’re doing today are things that I’ve been thinking about for years. It is no overnight sensation. The fact that we actually decided to buy the boat was a big deal for us. It’s actually not all about sailing. It’s about promoting Palm Beach Motor Yachts<\/a> in America and Europe, and around the world. There’s no better platform to do that than with sailing,\u201d said Richards. \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cTo buy Wild Oats XI was one thing, but then to take on the changes and the radical modifications that we’ve decided to do has been a big deal. No one thought we could possibly do it. However, we’re here today, two weeks out from the Hobart race (Editor – when we spoke), and all the parts have arrived.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nWe just got the big C-Foils from McConaghy that arrived today, and they’re being fitted as we speak. It is all coming together beautifully. We’ve got one more day of lamination, then a massive post curing session and cookoff tomorrow night. Once all of that’s done, we’re basically ready to put the boat together in, and start sailing.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nOnce referred to as merely a Swiss Army Knife, it is like there\u2019ll be no need for a can opener, corkscrew, or blade screwdriver on this baby. It is more like this new and improved \u2018utensil\u2019 has Starlink, a Cray computer, propellerhead caps and pocket protectors for all, and a brand new 1.21GW Mr Fusion right behind the keel mechanism. It is like Inspector Gadget had a lovechild with both Thunderbird I (long, sleek, silver, and fast), as well as Thunderbird II (more party tricks than Lindsay Lohan and River Phoenix). Then again, it might be easier to just call Palm Beach XI, Edward Scissorhands. \n<\/p>\n


\nPart of the program is obviously the keel and foil arrangement (the elevators are there to control pitching), which is quite unique because the keel actually also becomes part of the lifting wing surface, if you like to look at it in that way. The boat’s going to reduce displacement by possibly up to 50%. It is fantastic stuff and unbelievable engineering that goes into making all this. \n<\/p>\n


\nLike, really? \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cYes, it really is, and if it’s just 50%, I’ll be very disappointed. We’re going for 95 to a hundred percent. So that’s the number for us. This is not new technology. It’s been around for a long time in the IMOCA 60s, obviously. The Volvos had offset lifting keel fins and stuff as well. Comanche’s been semi-foiling for 10 years, really, and this is just a different way to do it. It is the first time this has ever be done on a narrow boat of this size, however.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cSo that is a big deal, and I think it’s a huge advantage for what we’re doing. Look at the way it’s worked out \u2013 Juan Kouyoumdjian has done an amazing job with the design. We\u2019ve both been very connected for the whole six months of design and in making this happen. We’ve had some great people involved to do all of this. Several very talented people have made it all possible.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cI think it’s going to be a great thing for this boat, and as to just how good it is? Well, we’re going to find out in a couple weeks\u2019 time!\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nThe new daggerboards are incredible, and will provide grip like a new set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. As a pencil, the boat always went uphill well, now it will hold that. When extended, the Windward C-Foil delivers a metric tonne of Righting Moment, and that is the equivalent of no less than 10 extra blokes on the rail. These are incredible statistics for a boat that’s just going to power up virtually across the entire wind range from five to 35 knots and probably about 145 degrees TWA through to 30 AWA. \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cThe interesting thing was about making the boat faster when reaching, which was where our biggest weakness was. It is where both Comanche and LawConnect excel. We wanted to try and fix that void, and I think this is going do it extremely well.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cHowever, inside the whole process, we haven’t just improved our weaknesses, we’ve improved our strengths as well, and in every respect. For instance, the new keel has way less drag, and it is better set up for the boat. The new Daggerboards are a lot bigger, and in the right place for the boat, which has never been the case previously. These are a big deal for us!\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nEarly on, and by way of reference, Wild Oats XI had a front canard, which with the benefit of hindsight Richards himself describes as, \u2018a huge mistake\u2019. \n<\/p>\n


\nPersonally, I am tipping the new Palm Beach XI will do better uphill in all conditions. That alone is a scary proposition for some of the \u2018big girls\u2019. Combined with what\u2019s expected to happen off the breeze, it may all amount to what can only be described as, utterly formidable. Of course, the trick will be making sure she never mashes the valves into the heads, and that\u2019s going to be the real job for the fortunate ones on board; no questions to be asked, or correspondence to be entered into. In order to finish first, first you have to finish! \n<\/p>\n


\nI think \u2018Ricko\u2019 is most definitely aware of this. \u201cSo as long as everything’s reliable, Palm Beach XI is going to be the talk of the town for a while.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nDid someone say, Liberace? \n<\/p>\n


\nIt is hard to put a number on it, but let\u2019s just say 40% of the boat was \u2018original\u2019 to 2005 when they bought it. There is a lot that has gone on in that midships section, which was arguably the most \u2018true-to-history\u2019. 20-year-old structures that were not designed for 30 metric tonnes of Larry from new foils and keel is one thing, but the compression load from the rig is another. You\u2019re talking speeds and angles that were never part of the original discussion, like dragging 145TWA through to 60AWA, and there is only one forestay, and these boats are not masthead rigs. Good thing some of the North Sails<\/a> 3Di gems are going to share the love when it comes to that!!! (They\u2019ll need to\u2026) \n<\/p>\n


\nRichards said of the matter, \u201cLook, it is. And it isn’t. It is carbon fibre at the end of the day, and these boats are way ahead of their time from an engineering perspective.\u201d (Editor \u2013 albeit that they were built to then then defunct ABS Standards). \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cThey’ve been pretty well faultless for 20 years (Editor – with some trips to the plastique mind you\u2026). We’ve had a few little issues, but nothing major. It’s extremely strong in that particular part of the boat, and obviously we’ve added a lot of laminate. We’re dealing with three different engineers in this project, all cross-referencing each other to make sure that we got it right, which is expensive, but it’s the right way to do it.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cI feel very comfortable as a boat builder that what we’ve done here has been over-engineered, which is what I wanted, because we just don’t want the structural failures,\u201d said an emphatic Richards. \n<\/p>\n


\nJust on that, Richards was \u2018on the tools\u2019 just before we spoke. \u2018In his element\u2019 came to mind, and Richards confirmed it by stating, \u201cTo be in a position to be able to do this with the company has been amazing. It’s an exciting time for the company and everyone involved.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nYou see, evolution is a real part of Palm Beach XI\u2019s life. She was 98 feet to start with, and came hot on the heels of her near sistership, Alfa Romeo II. Extended to 100 feet early on with a new tail, she then lost that when the original bow was chainsawed off for the new, longer pencil tip that was added from the stick for\u2019ard. Arguably, this latest round is a whole new, hitherto unseen level, but this boat, more than any other is capable of taking it all in her stride. That\u2019s the key determinant here. We have seen this movie before! Somehow, I think this is a very clever 2025 remake of a Golden Oldie, however. \n<\/p>\n


\nA big deal needs a big tour \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cWe’re all very proud of this, and looking forward to getting out there and strutting our stuff.\u201d As it comes to pass, that strut reaches far and wide, with Bermuda, Giraglia, and Malta all on the cards. \u201cWe’ve already ended for the Bermuda race next year. The mission is to take the Palm Beach XI to North America next year and do a whole lot of corporate gigs for our company, as well as the Newport to Bermuda race. We\u2019ll do a lot of fun stuff, and Newport R.I. is one of the coolest towns in the world to be in for Summer.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cWe\u2019ll get many of our clients out for sailing days, and share what we do. To experience this boat with our clients and partners will be very special, and it helps our business (Palm Beach Motor Yachts) tremendously. Then we\u2019ll come back for the 2026 Hobart.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cThen in 2027 we\u2019ll do the Transpac (LA to Hawaii), after which Palm Beach XI will cross the Pacific on her own bottom all the way back to do Hamilton Island Race Week, and another Hobart thereafter. That’s the plan for stage one, and then we’ll just see how it goes from there,\u201d stated Richards. \n<\/p>\n


\nAll of that is a fantastic continuation of an amazing legacy, which was enhanced at the Christening by Marcus Blackmore gifting the AUS100 sail number to the team, which he had taken over from the Late Syd Fischer AM OBE. \u201cThis is obviously very special for myself. I’ve known Marcus for 43 years, and I did my first ocean race with him. It is an absolute honour.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\n\u201cSo, with the baton passed from the Late Bob Oatley AM BEM, and now Marcus, it’s all pretty special, and it’s an absolute honour. You couldn’t ask for two more respected gentlemen of Australian business and yachting than those two guys.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nNo doubt there\u2019ll be some excitement on Boxing Day, and Palm Beach XI will attract her own, and then some, but they\u2019ll need to keep their heads about them, for Sydney Harbour is a small place with 7m under you. Get out safely (read quietly), then crank it once outside. \u201cWe\u2019ll try and keep it simple, but is never easy when you\u2019re me, so we’ll see what happens.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nNo doubt there will be a few people controlling his ear space, but in typical Ricko style, he closed by saying, \u201cIt\u2019s going to be exciting.\u201d \n<\/p>\n


\nThanks for tuning into Sail-World.com \n<\/p>\n


\nIf you’d like to read more about Palm Beach XI’s ‘engine room’, please read Like watching a big front build<\/a>. \n<\/p>\n

\"C-Tech
<\/a>\"Race
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