Create a one-design class and race in IRC and ORC
Wally has made a name for itself in the elegance and performance segment with its range of yachts featuring an instantly recognizable design. Today, the shipyard has decided to follow a new direction and create the fastest racing yacht in the world, both for racing in one-design classes, and in IRC and ORC gauges. This is the Wallyrocket51, with an overall length of 15.5 m to compete in the 52-foot market, like the TP52.
Rely on experts to create a high-performance sailboat
To create this new model, Wally worked with Botin Partners, for its America's Cup experience and track record. The naval architecture firm's designs have won 12 consecutive TP52 titles, ORC World Championships and the Rolex Maxi Cup, among others.
Adolfo Carrau, partner at Botin Partners Naval Architecture, explains: "The idea was to create a very strict one-design class, while still being competitive in IRC and ORC. We set out on a 52-foot project, because of our knowledge of this market. It's also a length that has proved competitive in sea conditions. But for all that, the Wallyrocket 51 is not a 52-footer, but a 51-footer."
This important factor enabled the design team to optimize the hull, appendages and sail plan, obtaining a rating bonus that could be devoted to other elements. With a displacement of just 6.3 tons, Wally claims to have created the lightest racing boat on the market, and describes it as highly responsive, very fast downwind and quick to set off on schedule. If these criteria were to put the Wallyrocket51 at a disadvantage upwind, the builder has incorporated a feature used on the 2007 America's Cup.
This is an adjustable trim tab on the trailing edge of the keel. This should generate maximum upwind lift on a smaller keel profile, thus reducing drag. Hull drag will be reduced, and despite a shorter waterline length, the shipyard insists that the wallyrocket51 will be able to sail faster than its competitors.
Vasco Vascotto, an Italian sailor who has won 25 world championship titles, and Argentine sailor Guillermo Parada, an Olympic sailor in the 470 and TP52, brought their experience to the project. They worked to make the boat easier to handle with fewer crew on board. They also played a role in the development of the next wallyrocket one-design series.
The wallyrocket51 can be sailed by a crew of 11, thanks to a liquid ballast system. The 550-liter tank fills in 80 seconds, empties in 60 seconds, and each tack takes 10 seconds.
A deck layout for short-handed sailing
The ergonomics of the deck layout have also been designed for reduced crew requirements. Double coffee-mill columns allow all adjustments, from mainsail to hydraulics. The column located amidships can be replaced by an electric motor to power the winches for short-handed races.
The versatile wallyrocket51 has been designed for upwind racing in 6 to 25 knots of wind, as well as classic 600-mile offshore races such as the Rolex Middle Sea, the Rolex Giraglia, the RORC Caribbean 600 and the Fastnet. Designed primarily for racing, she can also accommodate families on summer cruises.
Carbon construction
The hull is constructed from prepreg carbon with a Corecell foam core, and a Nomex synthetic fiber core for the deck. The Southern Spars rig is made of high-modulus carbon fiber, with a Future Fibers AeroSix carbon standing rigging. Sail area is 163.9 m2 upwind and 361 m2 downwind. The Air Winch winches are supplied by Harken, and the blockers by Spinlock.
With its inverted sheer, flush deck and long bowsprit, the wallyrocket51 also retains the brand's typical look. While the shipyard presents it as the new trump card for winning races dedicated to 52-footers, we'll have to wait for the launch scheduled for 2024 and the first races to verify the significant work carried out by Wally.
