The RORC reports that with the preliminary design study phase drawing to a close, the ground is now being prepared for the construction of the first Class 30.
The development of the detailed construction plans is now underway and these will be completed by the end of March 2022.
Class 30 One Design™
The new Class 30 design will offer two different specifications; a Club and One Design version . . . One of the objectives of the project is for the Class 30 Club boat, to have a competitive ready to sail price tag of under €100,000 (£84,000).
Class 30 Club: a basic version that is simplified yet high-performance, for training offshore racing crew and one-design racing at a particularly competitive ready-to-sail introductory price enabling it to be purchased by as many people as possible.
Class 30 One Design™: Club version to which kit integrating various fit-out modules has been added (electronics, navigation and galley modules, ballast tanks…), designed to expand its scope of use and performance for offshore racing.
The Class 30 One Design version enables a duo or crew to race in a one-design class as well as be competitive in IRC.
A promising start and the pre-booking process
At this early stage of the programme, the project has been very well received with over thirty reservations of production boat numbers recorded on the UNCL – Yacht Club de France stand at the Nautic boat show in Paris, where the launch process began in earnest together with the presentation of the model.
The registration protocol is both simple and safe. You need to send an email to [email protected] where all requests are received; in return a booking contract will be sent along with a short presentation on the boat.
To secure the reservation a €2,500 deposit needs to be paid to a locked escrow account (all details in the information you receive), managed by a sworn lawyer.
Once funds are received, the lawyer sends a booking number in chronological order to applicants. This booking number is non-transferable and you can cancel your reservation at any time and receive a full refund.
Production set to commence from January 2023
Construction of the production boats is set to commence from January 2023 with the aim of having a few of the boats competing that Easter, either at the Spi Ouest France or the SNIM, or at RORC races in UK.
Depending how the order book evolves, promoters of the production boat will consider in due course whether or not to put in place an additional mould to increase production capacity in France, whilst evaluating the development of a licence programme overseas.
Key points of the Class 30 One Design™ project:
- A boat that is great to sail: seated comfortably at the helm or out on the rail, on a hull which is not too wet, with a large cockpit for carrying out manoeuvres in crewed format
- A design which keeps a tight rein on cost: Simple forms with minimal developed surface area – A structure and assembly geared around the production of a one-design series – A pared-back deck layout and rig
- Significant focus on eco-design, with the overall consideration of the construction as well as the uses and manner of sailing
- A powerful and versatile hull for a boat which is evolutionary on every point of sail
- A light, effective and accessible deck layout to prioritise dynamic trimming and favour learning within crewed sailing.
