Launched at the instigation of the Yacht Club de France, with the support of the Royal Ocean Racing Club in the UK and the Storm Trysail Club in the USA, the Sun Fast 30 OD will be launched in summer 2023. Designed by VPLP, this one-design has already sold around forty units.
A powerful yet accessible boat
As a one-design, this 30-footer has simplified specifications. There are no ballasts or foils on this hull, which has a voluminous bow akin to a scow.
The cockpit is large and functional. The helmsman is, as usual, well catered for, with a folding tubular footwell. On the small coachroof, the companionway is off-center to port, to make room for the pilot's piano and displays.
At the stern, the raft is easily accessible, as are the helm areas. A deck hatch provides access to the aft hold from the cockpit.
Access to the foredeck is via wide side decks. On long tacks, abseiling crews will appreciate the rounded hull-deck junction, which partially protects the buttocks.
It's a change from the fargue rail of the JOD35 or the discomfort of the Mumm 30. After all, the Sun Fast 30 OD is destined to become the official support for the Tour de France à la voile.
The retractable bowsprit fits directly onto the deck, so it doesn't clutter up the interior when retracted. With 59m2 of upwind sail area, the Sun Fast 30 OD should prove to be very fast and will delight its crew.
Functional fittings
The Sun Fast 30 OD has been designed for multi-day crewed or double-handed racing. It also meets the technical requirements for a transatlantic race.
At the foot of the companionway is a large chart table on the starboard side. A key point in offshore regattas, it is easily accessible to the navigator.
A sink with a symbolic reservoir, in the form of a canister that can be easily recharged at the port, sits next to the electrical panel.
Two single bunks are fitted on either side of the companionway, under the cockpit.
A bulkhead at the foot of the mast houses the on-board toilet, which precedes the bow locker.
Admittedly monastic, the overall package offers a relative level of comfort compared to other ocean-racing boats.
Innovative construction methods
Built in Cheviré, near Nantes, the Sun Fast 30 OD benefited from three years of research into its manufacturing process. Multiplast and Jeanneau used a resin developed by Arkema called Elium.
Designed for the end of the boat's life, this resin has the ability to return to a liquid state when heated, so that it can be separated from the fabric and the hull recycled. The hull is made using an infusion process to ensure maximum compliance with one-design specifications. There is a difference of 20 kg between the heaviest and lightest hulls. With a total displacement of 2700 kg, the gamble has paid off and will ensure sporting fairness on the water.
Thanks to this technological advance, which should become widespread within a decade, the hull comes with a 7-year warranty. A good length of time for a boat that is likely to be heavily used by its crew.
In order to meet an already full order book, the shipyard currently produces one hull per week, as Louis Vaquier explains: "The design and project management will be carried out by the VPLP-Multiplast team, while manufacturing and marketing will be handled by the Jeanneau shipyard"
A reasonable budget given its versatility
Simple and sporty, the Sun Fast 30 OD is also accessible to clubs, and should require little maintenance.
She is available from the shipyard at ?171,000 including VAT, without sails. Only one hull-deck version is available, and the list of options is very short. It concerns layout details and a few cockpit accessories, but nothing that will have a major impact on the one-design's performance.
