A scow bow with a frigate
While he had to buy Louis Duc's Class40 - which finally disappeared at sea after capsizing - then Class40 154 - aboard which Yoann Richomme won the Route du Rhum in 2018 - Aurélien Ducroz and his sponsors finally decided to have a brand new boat built. And it was quite naturally that they turned to Marc Lombard Design Group, the firm that signed the two models mentioned above.
The bulk of the work was focused on the scow hull design of this Lift V2, which takes advantage of an evolution of the gauge to equip itself with a frigate, until now forbidden in the first 4 meters of the bow.
"We launched the first Class40 scow in 2016, with the Lift 1. David Raison followed with the Maximum - from which Ian Lipinski's Class40 with its round nose was inspired - and Sam Manuard with the Mach 40.4, taking advantage of the optimisation of the gauge." explains Éric Levet of the Lombard firm.
While the latter two models have a round nose, they also have a spatula hull and a slightly heavy design. To make up for this lack of aesthetics, the architects from the Lombard firm suggested that the class review the rule around volumes.
"There's been a lot of research and development going on around the hull to continue to push forward the development of fairly extreme hulls, with a lot of forward volume, offering really fast speeds of around 25 knots."
Thus the firm has carried out a large numerical simulation work, testing no less than 35 hulls. With this frigate, the lines of the Class40 Crosscall are highlighted, thinner and tauter. "It's a fake scow, a scow with a pointed bow. You can gain weight on the way over by taking off some volume."
A high-performance boat in light airs
The architect has also worked on performance to create a boat that works well in light airs. "Downwind, in formed seas, the Max40 is very good, while the majority of Class40s are planted. It's a very healthy boat and we wanted to create a boat that is healthy too, but even faster and more performant on all angles of the polar. She will be even stiffer than the new ones, so she will be fast with a better behaviour on very downhill points of sail (VMG 40)"
An extended roof
The firm also worked on the unsinkability and corrected the volume of the deckhouse. A decision taken following the capsizing of Louis Duc on Carac. Because Class40s are designed for transatlantic races, not round the world voyages. There is therefore no ultimate notion of turning over.
To compensate for the width of the front, the deckhouse volume is therefore larger, with an elongated shape, while maintaining the minimum volume allowed. The idea is to be able to move safely in complicated conditions. The result is a simple, easy boat with little water on deck.
Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 Objective
The boat currently under construction in Caen at GL Composites will be assembled at V1D2 and launched in April 2021. Aurélien Ducroz is expected to take part on board in the Grand Prix Guyader, among others, but his main objective remains the Transat Jacques Vabre, in 2021, which he will race as a duo.
