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The Australian supermaxi Wild Oats XI has a new name, a new silhouette and new goals. Rechristened Palm Beach XI, she is not only ready to take on the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2025, but also to demonstrate the expertise of an engine yard in the highly codified world of competitive sailing.
Rethinking the hull without touching the DNA
The Palm Beach XI is not just a competition yacht, but a testament to two decades of offshore racing. Her refit involves a complete overhaul of the hull and appendages, without compromising the integrity of the existing composite. This work of goldsmith's art is entrusted to the shipyard McConaghy Boats a specialist in high-end carbon manufacturing. The aim: to reduce drag, improve fabric stiffness and reduce hydrodynamic losses without weighing down or weakening the platform.
C-Foils, deep keels and advanced daggerboards
The Palm Beach XI's new set of appendages includes a deeper keel, daggerboards for upwind sailing, and above all the addition of retractable C-Foils. These generate lateral and vertical lift for downwind and reaching. Far from the radical foils of the Ultims, this intermediate choice boosts performance without upsetting sailing fundamentals. Their impact on stability and behavior in rough seas remains to be measured.
A test platform for motor yachts
Behind the rebranding, Palm Beach Motor Yachts intends to transform the Supermaxi into a veritable laboratory. Materials, control systems, fluid dynamics: every improvement on the Palm Beach XI is designed to be transposed to its powerboat ranges. Founder Mark Richards insists on a direct transmission between racing and high-end yachting. It's a way of establishing the company's credibility in the field of efficiency and optimization.
Two decades of fine-tuning to be overhauled
Since its launch in 2005, the Wild Oats XI has undergone numerous evolutions. This new refit is in line with technical continuity, but also requires a complete overhaul of navigation parameters, performance curves and configuration logic. With new appendages, different weight centering and a new interaction between foils and hull, routing and tactical choices will have to be re-evaluated from scratch.
A collective project on a tight schedule
The Palm Beach XI project is being led by a compact but experienced team. The architect Juan Kouyoumdjian brings its experience of racing monohulls, while North Sails is developing a set of sails adapted to the new configuration. Everything must be ready for a relaunch in December 2025. In other words, the testing and validation window will be as short as it is crucial before the start of the Sydney Hobart on January 1.
