tp52 yacht design

Design № 597

TP52 "STAY CALM"

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Stay Calm is a fourth generation Farr® Transpac 52, built by Goetz Custom Boats, RI, was developed to compete in both the European and US Transpac 52 competitions. Design # 597 is Farr Yacht Design's most recent generation Transpac 52. Designed and built beyond typical Med Cup standards, this Goetz-built TP52 is an All-Purpose design, capable of offshore racing in any condition. Stay Calm was launched in 2006 and immediately won Key West Race Week and continued to show great performance at the 2006 Global Championships and 2006 Med Cup Series. Currently lying in Palma, Spain Stay Calm is immediately available for the 2007 Med Cup Series or the up coming USA IRC and TP52 winter events. This is a fantastic offering on a current model All-Purpose design Transpac 52. This design is the direct result of first hand experience gained while sailing and competing in Transpac 52 class for the 3 years.

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TP52 : The little sister of the America's Cup - big season review

Tatjana Pokorny

 ·  09.12.2022

• Season review
• Results of the 2022 season championship

TP52 vs. ClubSwan 50

"The wind is a gentle breeze. It has told me about you. The bells ring, the song flies. They call us together. Guide us forever. I wish my dream would never go away. Barcelona!"

The finale of the 52 Super Series in Barcelona was as intense as Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballé once sang about Spain's Olympic metropolis and future America's Cup capital. The final of the tenth anniversary season was celebrated at the end of October in the city where it premiered in 2012.

Only nine boats took part in 2022, but the standard is extremely high

The view from the terrace of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona shows at a glance who the guests are: a blue crane with an XL poster celebrating the 52 Super Series' anniversary towers into the sky on the quay wall. Next to it, the workshop containers of the professional racing teams form a pit lane. Right at the front, the turquoise-coloured 40-foot cuboid of the US team Quantum Racing with its strikingly curved black and white stripes marks the entrance. This is followed by the workplaces of eight other teams, including Harm Müller-Spreer's "Platoon" team and the "Phoenix" campaign of SAP founder Hasso Plattner and his daughter Kristina Plattner. Teams from six countries with sailors and technical teams from all over the world make the scenario look like an America's Cup harbour in miniature.

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The season's best are not only striking in terms of colour. The "Quantum" sailors were at the top again in their anniversary year, winning their fifth world championship title in the summer ahead of "Platoon" and the British "Alegre". There is only a small amount of consolation for the competition at the light wind final in Barcelona: the Americans, whose racing team owner Doug DeVos and tactician Terry Hutchinson are also among the engines of America's Cup challenger American Magic, also win the fifth and final regatta of the year. And with it the season championship.

Racing series bursting with stars and expertise

The crew of the US dominators is hand-picked, bursting with professionals with medals from the Olympic Games, America's Cup or SailGP. How purposefully the Americans work in the 52 Super Series is evident in all areas. They operate one of the most comprehensive data collection and performance analysis programmes. A few containers away, Tammo Baldszun from Bremen has been working for Takashi Okura's US team "Sled" since 2018. The tacticians and strategists here are America's Cup experts Francesco Bruni and Murray Jones. The 2021 TP52 world champions have their own sailing expert in Baldszun. "For me as a sailmaker, the job is very exciting. We always work with the latest materials. The 52 Super Series has an educational character," says Baldszun.

Next door, Michael Müller from Kiel trudges into the "Platoon" container. His wealth of experience makes the 39-year-old the only German power player on board alongside Harm Müller-Spreer. The father of five once dropped out of his mechanical engineering studies after being recruited by the first German America's Cup campaign. Müller boosted his professional career with two round-the-world races in the Volvo Ocean Race. Today, he is one of the few internationally sought-after German sailors. In addition to his duties as "Mid Bow" on board, Müller is technically responsible for the sail systems.

German professional sailors appreciate the TP52

Müller, who is also active in the ClubSwan 50 racing series on Marcus Brennecke's "Hatari", is attracted by the development work and the battle for millimetre leads in the TP52 class: "The technical effort is much greater than in a standard class like the ClubSwan 50, where you can buy a boat and sail it successfully with a good crew without much development work. The TPs are more demanding."

This is exactly what Harm Müller-Spreer appreciates. "Outside of the America's Cup, we are at the top of our game here. I can't think of a class in which people work more professionally." The Hamburg property developer knows what he is talking about. The trained sailmaker is an ambitious helmsman, Dragon Gold Cup winner in 2000 and 2001, and the fact that he can compete with some of the biggest names in sailing in the 52 Super Series is an incentive for him.

Audi MedCup as the origin

His TP52 entry was many years ago. At his first attempt in the Super Series predecessor Audi MedCup, which was held between 2006 and 2011, Müller-Spreer had agreed to a marriage of convenience: Platoon powered by Team Germany. The alliance was formed after the 2007 America's Cup between the Hamburg native and the core team of a planned German Cup follow-up campaign centred around Jochen Schümann. Renowned partners Audi and Adidas came on board, where Schümann and Müller-Spreer wanted to take turns at the helm.

The alliance to bridge the sporting gap while waiting for the next America's Cup does not last long with two bosses on board, despite their mutual initial respect. The successes fail to materialise. Müller-Spreer is too seldom at the wheel, gets annoyed and quits again in 2008. Audi ended its title sponsorship four years later. The MedCup is history.

It could easily have been the end of the TP52 success story, but in 2012 a number of wealthy sailing enthusiasts ensured a promising new start: Skype creator Niklas Zennström ("Rán"), the American Amway President Doug DeVos ("Quantum Racing") and the now deceased Argentinian pharmaceutical billionaire and "Azzurra" owner Alberto Roemmers founded a company to organise top-class regattas. The 52 Super Series is created under this umbrella. It works closely with the TP52 class association under the leadership of manager Rob Weiland. "We are connected like twins. We need each other," says Weiland.

Harm Müller-Spreer with two world championship titles after TP52 comeback

Five teams, including the Franco-German co-production Audi All4One, start in May 2012. The popular series reaches its peak in 2015 with 15 participants. Harm Müller-Spreer made his comeback that year, now on his own. First the armoured cruiser look of the new "Platoon" in airbrush design catches the eye, then the good performances. Two fourth places in the 2017 season were followed by the first world championship title. In 2018, he cruised with a new Judel/Vrolijk boat. The second world championship triumph came in 2019.

This year, the German boat was one of the three Judel/Vrolijk designs competing against half a dozen Botín designs, alongside the Turkish "Provezza" and the French "Paprec". The comparison could also have gone in favour of the fast J/V design. However, the long-standing collaboration between Harm Müller-Spreer and tactician John Kostecki is showing signs of fatigue. In the middle of the season, Müller-Spreer drew the consequences and replaced Kostecki with the Italian Vasco Vascotto. "It's like in football: sometimes you have to change the coach or striker," commented the boss on the prominent personnel manoeuvre. With the new line-up, it was enough for a conciliatory third place on the podium in the Superliga season rankings, which operates with its own professional race management team headed by Maria Torrijo.

Plattner family with Tom Slingsby in second place

When asked about his new employer in Barcelona, Vascotto smiles: "It's like Guillermo Parada said: it's funny that an Italian sometimes has to tell a German to keep calm. But we have fun together, we're a great team. And I see room for improvement."

Hasso and Tina Plattner also have their sights set on them. Because the 44-year-old daughter of the SAP founder lives in Cape Town, where she works for the Hasso Plattner Foundation and has felt at home in South Africa for more than 20 years, the family racing yacht "Phoenix" will compete in the 52 Super Series with the sail number RSA 5211. Father, daughter and team manager Tony Norris will take turns at the helm, depending on travelling options. Tina Plattner will contest the final in Barcelona after a long break from sailing of two and a half years, partly due to the pandemic. At her side for her comeback is the most sought-after sailing professional on the planet: two-time World Sailor of the Year, SailGP dominator, Moth World Champion, Olympic champion, America's Cup winner, tactician and mate Tom Slingsby.

Tina Plattner preserved the title chances of "Phoenix"

"Tony and I are the only amateur sailors on board, everyone else is a professional," says the power woman, describing the crew mix on "Phoenix". Together with her partner Tony Norris, the successful rider has turned the father-daughter idea from 2014 into a family mission. On her return to Barcelona, she even managed a brilliant day in the windless week, which was a talking point in the pit lane. Finishing 3-1-2, the "Phoenix" team catapulted itself back within striking distance of the "Quantum" leaders in the battle for victory this season. How did an amateur sailor manage this in the concert of the sailing superpowers?

"I know very few people who can concentrate like Tina," says Tom Slingsby, explaining his boss's greatest strength at the tiller with sincere respect. When asked which sailing conditions she particularly likes, she reveals: "Downwind planning is great! I'm still a bit scared of jibing in strong winds. At the same time, I learn a lot from Tom. He sees things on the water that I only dream about..."

TP52 class was not spared from corona either

In 2019, the Plattners worked very hard to prepare the first two regattas of the 52 Super Series, including the World Championship, for the premiere in South Africa in 2020. The kick-off event took place at the beginning of March. Then came corona and thwarted the plans to boost South African sailing. "It will remain a big regret of my life that the World Championships didn't work out," Tina Plattner looks back wistfully. In the here and now, she enjoys the high level of TP, "even if I have to fight with dad and Tony for the helm". She says: "It's really competitive on the water. What I learn here in a week would take a year or more on other boats." TP52 yachts were a special breed right from the start. Originally developed as a powerful boat for the long-distance Transpac race from San Francisco to Honolulu, the Transpac 52 - TP52 for short - has established itself as the leading monohull racing class without foils in the Super Series. Ambitious owners, clever designers and experienced professionals in co-production are responsible for this.

The development is based on the "Box Rule". Since 2001, the class rules have provided a corset that has been cleverly modernised again and again over the years. With strict regulations, it ensures that the boats can compete against each other almost like in a standardised class. "You create your own boat, but have the sailing pleasure of a one-design," says class manager Rob Weiland, summarising the advantages. At the same time, the class association is currently endeavouring to open up by making its "Box Rule" more compatible with IRC and ORC handicap classifications. It is hoped that this will attract new interested parties to the 52 Super Series and expand the playing field for active owners, for example in the direction of major championships such as an ORC World Championship. The goal of a successful series with a strong, owner-managed class has long since been achieved 21 years after the class association was founded.

The carbon fibre racers with their huge sail areas and long, slender keels are constantly undergoing careful development. Thanks in part to the charisma of the 52 Super Series, they seem to be immune to the zeitgeist phenomenon of change, which is constantly giving rise to new boats and classes.

ClubSwan 50 on the rise

Just like the ClubSwan 50 racers from the one-design division of the luxury shipyard Nautor Swan, which fascinate a number of German owners. Federico Michetti, multiple world champion and successful with Quantum Racing in the 52 Super Series, is not only a professional sailor, but also sports director for ClubSwan Racing. The Milanese knows both worlds and says: "Of course, TPs and ClubSwan 50s are completely different boats. A TP is super high-tech, an exciting development yacht. A Club Swan 50 is a great one design that also offers cruising options. The level of competition in both classes is as high as the atmosphere among the owners is friendly. The 52 Super Series has set the bar very high. It is inspiring and I have a lot of respect for the creators. So the decision in favour of one class or the other is more about what someone wants for their personal sailing journey."

That makes all the difference. Hendrik Brandis, owner of the ClubSwan 50 "Earlybird", Vice World Champion and 2022 Nations Cup winner with Marcus Brennecke and his "Hatari" team, is convinced: "In the Club Swan 50 class, everyone has the same boat and the same material requirements to win. That's not the case with the TPs. That's why the competition with us is broader, in my opinion more exciting and ultimately even more challenging. Only the sailing makes the difference - not engineering and budget."

TP52 class is closely linked to the America's Cup

TP fans see it differently: they love the 52 Super Series as the little sister of the America's Cup. As a world league for those who are looking for their own technical and sailing challenge parallel to the foiling generation racing away. The TPs are similar to the Cup business: only those whose team masters all aspects from design and management to hardware and software through to top sporting performance are successful.

Quantum Racing's team boss Doug De-Vos is currently bringing both worlds together, announcing the Quantum Racing powered by American Magic project "to join forces". DeVos wants to give young sailors better training opportunities, declaring the initiative to be "vital" for the future of US sailing - and thus also strengthening the 52 Super Series.

Anticipation for the next seasons is already growing

In 2023, the eleventh season will feature events in Saint-Tropez, Scarlino, Menorca, Barcelona and Puerto Portals. A visit to the American west coast is on the cards for 2024.

The final act of the anniversary season heralds the start of the next decade. Almost 500 sailors and guests gathered in the Gothic-style halls of the historic Llotja de Barcelona trading centre to celebrate the past and future of the 52 Super Series. The lasting and emotional way in which the series is presented by German Marketing Director Lars Böcking, his team and the international TV crew was also evident in every detail of the party. Ribera del Duero was served - from 2012, of course - and it was no coincidence that half of the America's Cup was celebrating not far from the future Cup harbour. The overlap between the big and small regatta sister remains significant. The Cup will be held in the Catalan capital for the first time in 2024. The anticipation of this always resonates in the 52 Super Series. In Freddy Mercury's words: "Barcelona. Such a beautiful horizon. Barcelona. Long live high!"

The 2022 season championship

Nine teams from six countries competed at Formula 1 level for world championship medals and the season championship in 2022:

In its 10th anniversary season, Quantum Racing was the measure of all things with world championship title number five since 2012 and its fifth win of the season. Germans were also successful with the "Phoenix" (fourth in the world championship, second in the season) and the "Platoon" (runner-up in the world championship, third in the season)

Cheaper and less crew: the series Swans are an attractive alternative to the professional class. Comparable at first glance, but two worlds apart on closer inspection: the Grand Prix yachts in the 52 Super Series and the One Designs in ClubSwan Racing. A successful start in the Swan Circuit is possible from scratch with a good team, whereas entering the 52 Super Series requires more experience, technical development work and a larger budget. Building a new TP is more expensive than buying a ClubSwan 50, and an ambitious TP52 project can consume up to 30 sails per year for regattas and training with a comparable number of races. The 50-foot Swan does not even need half of such a fancy wardrobe. There are currently nine crews in the TP class, and around twice as many in the Swans. Both groups have fun.

ClubSwan Racing: ClubSwan 50

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About the Project

Future Fibres dominates the TP52 Super Series , which has become the premier professional grand prix circuit in the world. It is an exciting class of yacht that races grand prix circuit style without handicap, attracting substantial spectator and media attention. TP52s are flat-out racing platforms; fully crewed, high performance monohulls capable of racing in both buoy regattas and offshore races and have reached race speeds of up to 32 knots. Future Fibres has been a supplier with our ECsix rigging to most of the yachts since the circuit began. Whilst in 2018 Future Fibres’ solid carbon RAZR rigging was custom designed and supplied to all nine newly built TP52 boats.

Designer: Team choice LOA: 52 ft Mast Height: 22.5 m

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THE BEGINNING BY TOM POLLACK

The TP52 Class Association was started in 2001 by owners who wanted to race a Grand Prix sailboat that is fun, safe and reliable. TP52’s are flat out racing platforms, fully crewed, high performance monohulls capable of racing in both buoy regattas and offshore races. The 2800 pound weight limit provides for approximately 14 crew members with the flexibility to bring along a guest or a sponsor in the back of the boat and out of harms way. TP52’s race in true time, the first boat across the finish line wins. TP52’s are designed to be raced by both amateur and professional sailors alike. TP52’s elected not to use water ballast, canting keels, running back stays; preferring to keep it simple, safe & reliable. There is no time credit to build a slow TP52. They can easily exceed 25 knots off the wind with the record being 32 knots in a race set by 4 TP52’s racing down the California coast in 2003. Upwind, they are very stiff and fast as approximately 60% of the weight of the boat is in the metal fin & lead bulb. TP52’s have won most every bluewater regatta they have entered including; overall wins in the 2004 Bermuda Race, 2004 Chicago to Mackinac and the 2003 Transpac race to Hawaii. In buoy racing, they have won the 2005 Key West Race week, 2003 Miami SORC and the 2002-04 St. Francis Big Boat Series against the best boats in the world.

Growing The TP52 Class has grown steadily over the last 4 years. In 2004, World Class sailor Ken Read was instrumental in guiding new East Coast based owners into the class. The “Esmeralda” program Ken was associated with swept all the regattas she entered making her owner, Makoto Uematsu of Japan, a very happy man. In the summer of 2004, H.M. Juan Carlos, the King of Spain and his friend Jose Cusi, decided to join the TP52 class propelling many new owners and sponsors into the class for 2005. As a direct result of the King of Spain’s involvement, 27 of these carbon fiber machines will be racing all over the globe by the end of 2005. At last count, there will be 27 TP52’s on four continents in 13 countries; (China (1), Japan(1), USA(12), Chile(1), Greece(1), Ireland(1), Great Britain(1), Spain(4), Netherlands(1), Monaco(1), Italy(1), Austria(1) & Norway(1). No doubt, more are on the way for 2006. King Harald of Norway will be joining the TP52 class in 2006 with his top notch “Fram” team.

Exposure The TP52 Class permits sponsors to take advantage of advertising their names & products on what has become perhaps the greatest grand prix media sailing platform in the 50’ size range the world has ever seen. The media in the Mediterranean is eagerly anticipating a new type of Grand Prix racing and the TP52 Class represents a breath of fresh air. Sponsors and the general public will have instant results when a TP52 crosses the finish line. No more complicated handicap formulas to explain. In one wave of a scepter, the face of Grand Prix racing in the Mediterranean has been changed forever. For the first time in history, everybody is on the same page when it comes to level racing in the 50’ size range. While rule making authorities held endless meetings on who was going to control the next big thing, the TP52 Class took root and has spread like wildfire.

Construction and planning TP52’s are tough carbon fiber machines custom designed & built to the TP52 Rule & ABS requirements. Owners hire their own builders and designers. The competition among the designers & builders is fierce, but also very healthy for the class, and sailing, as a whole. In addition, owners may select their sail maker, spar builder, winch maker and electronics packages. Owners are also free to hire professional crews or invite their friends aboard. The TP52 Class regulates the person at the helm in class events outside the Mediterranean. Owners and Category 1 sailors have traditionally been at the helm of TP52’s for the past three years. In September 2004, the TP52 MedFleet asked for, and received unanimous permission by the TP52 Class to allow professional Category 3 sailors on the helm in the Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean, the TP52 fleet will offer trophies for both amateurs as well as professionals. The owners in the TP52 Class are a fantastic group of people who thrive on competition in formats more challenging than just 2 mile windward leeward races. The TP52 Class does not limit the number of professionals aboard, cockpit layout, equipment, the flexibility of having a support boat. If so required for specific events or on request of Regional Fleets the TP52 Class allows restrictions on professionals, sails and other issues.

All TP52’s worldwide must comply with the box rule in terms of length overall, beam, displacement, draft, construction, sail area, make of engine & saildrive, etc. The TP52 Class Association was formed by owners who wanted to control their own destiny. Every member of the TP52 Class has a vote and the box rule will only change if 2/3ds of the owners agree. Stability of the TP52 Box Rule has been a key ingredient to the class’s growth worldwide. No rule making body has the authority to change the TP52 Box Rule, except the owners themselves. However, the box rule is not inflexible should the need arise.

In order to promote close racing, the TP52 displacement range is 500 pounds (16,500-17,000lbs.) and the class has a Vertical Center of Gravity (VCG) limit of -2.70 feet above measured waterline. The VCG limit (on both hull & mast) is intended to encourage a longer Grand Prix shelf life by not turning the class into a hull construction competition. The owners are free to modify their boats within the limits of the box rule. All boats must have a class issued TP52 official measurement certificate in order to race. A rigorous measurement process controlled by TP52 Class Chief Measurer Andrew Williams and class approved fleet measurers insure that all the boats are “in the box.” Mr. Williams is an ISAF & ORC certified measurer and most recently was in charge of measurement of the sailboat classes at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.

By setting a fairly tight “Box”, TP52’s have very similar performance characteristics, yet the owner has some room to customize for local conditions. TP52’s are built with carbon hulls and honeycomb cores. The carbon fiber masts are built very strong to carry the masthead roller furling jib loads. TP52’s are beautiful examples of modern boat design and construction techniques coalescing to produce an excellent, all around, grand prix racing yacht. Unlike the America’s Cup or Volvo Around the World race boats which only race once every 4 or 5 years, the TP52’s schedule is year round on a global scale providing the owners, sailors and sponsors a lot of value for their time & money. Approximately 70% of the races on the TP52 schedule are allocated for traditional buoy racing with the remaining races being coastal, point to point and/or offshore.

Every sailor who has been on the helm of a TP52 agrees these are fantastic boats to drive upwind and downwind. They feel like a giant dinghy. Due to their light weight, the steering on the twin carbon wheels or tiller is finger tip control. TP52’s are as fast as good 60’ footer upwind and a fast 70’ footer off the wind. Around the buoys they are great fun to sail as they have no runners or overlapping jibs and use the forestay’s hydraulic cylinder to maintain consistent mainsail shape. Whether it’s blowing 5 knots or 30 knots, the mainsails of the TP52’s always look perfect! Off the wind, the passing lane is huge as the TP52’s sail hot angles which creates a lot of leverage. Closing speeds on opposite gybes downwind can approach 40 knots giving the crews and spectators a real thrill.

Being only 52’ long, “first to finish” is not a priority. TP52’s do not race against the clock like some of the larger Maxi’s (boring), they race against each other. No one can simply build a larger TP52 and win in this class. Owners know they are buying into a controlled development class and understand how to play the grand prix game. The TP52 Class is for owners & sponsors who want to play a top end game. The owners in this class have all been around the block before and want to be part of an organized class with strong management that has their long term interest at heart. The TP52 Class is not for the faint of heart, but you don’t have to be a billionaire to win either.

The philosophy of the class is to provide a platform the market supports and not to legislate down to the nitty gritty detail that drives everybody nuts. It is a warm open class that allows both professionals and amateurs to compete on the same venue. The TP52 Class welcomes the participation of sailors from all walks of life to compete in class events according to class rules and the universal TP52 box rule.

Tom Pollack Tom Pollack has been the Executive Director of the TP52 Class for 6 years. In october 2007 Tom retired from this function and was awarded by the TP52 Members the Honarary Membership title. Tom was a member of the US Sailing Team in Flying Dutchman Class (1984-88) and has sailed since he was 5 qualifying him as a “Sailing Aficionado”. Tom is known as a “no nonsense, result oriented manager” who the owners have depended on to successfully steer the class.

RECENT HISTORY BY ROB WEILAND

2007 certainly was the “intermediate year”. With the epic centre of TP52 racing moved solidly to the Med and the racing and all that comes with that reaching new levels of quality a new requirements and standards were felt to be needed by the Class Members. In 2006 it was decided that the TP52 Bylaws and Class Rule were in need of updating and so it came that the Members voted in favour of a revamped TP52 Bylaws and TP52 Rule at the October 2007 Annual Meeting.

From then on the official names are TP52 Class, the TP52 Bylaws, the TP52 Rule, the TP52 Annual Class Meeting as the supreme governing body of the class made up by the Regular Members, who from their midst choose the Class President and the TP52 Executive Committee.

2007 certainly not was an “intermediate year” when it comes to the activities on the water. A highly succesful MedCup with as many as twenty one TP52’s racing was followed by the best TP52 Globals sofar. In Porto Cervo sixteen TP’s competed under challenging circumstances to see Artemis take the well deserved title.

As it was it is the last TP52 Global Championship. The Class received the ISAF recognized status late 2007 and from now on their main event will carry the title World Championship.

For 2008 we expect a six event MedCup and the Worlds in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. With more than fifty TP52’s build worldwide, all of them still racing, the Class sees two devellopments, TP52’s level racing under the TP52 Rule in the Med and TP52’s being optimised for and mainly handicap racing under IRC elsewhere. It is felt that the needs of those two options can be catered for by the TP52 Class, or at least that the TP52 Class is available for all owners of a TP52 to help them cater for their needs. Research is done and ongoing on how the interests of both options can be best served and how the TP52 can be made most suitable for both options without compromising the original concept of the TP52 Class. Also the debate is ongoing on what  structure is the best to support regional racing.

The end of ABS as the scantling rule for offshore racing is foreseen and whilst the TP52 Class is certainly not the first to recognise this, it is amongst the first to look into what comes after ABS and come with proposals to that effect to its members.

In 2009 the members decided to definitely go for a complete overhaul of the TP52 Rule for 2011. The 2011 TP52 will be a faster, lighter, modern racing yacht. It will have less crew and the option to carry besides the crew a guest. In 2009 and 2010 the TP52 Class had twelve members. We hope that with the recession slowly coming to an end the TP52 Class will grow again. In 2009 and 2010 we had five events Audi MedCup and the TP52 Worlds organised by the MedCup organiser, WSM.

Especially in 2010, when many of the high profile AC teams choose to join the class racing, the level of racing was very high and intense. With the AC likely going the multihull route we foresee these teams to rearrange their priorities and the TP52 Class return to the mix of owner/driver and pro driver teams that we had in 2008. In a way that should help to get more teams competing. It is lonely at the top as they say. Nevertheless to become the best in a TP52 fleet will never be easy. You really are with the top of our sport if you lead in this class.

In 2011 six TP52’s were build to the 2011 TP52 Rule. Proving the decisions that we made were right. The recession is still with us however and wherever you look in yacht racing it is slow progress, if not survival of the fittest. With the best show in town, the Audi MedCup, and the best vehicle to race in, the TP52, we expected to be allright.

But at the end of 2011 MedCup split from their sponsor and stopped the event. With very little time to organize ourselves for 2012 three members, Doug DeVos, Alberto Roemmers and Niklas Zennström, decided to set up a management entity to take control of our marketing and events that will be in action from mid 2012, so effectively from 2013.

For 2012 we chose to do a mix of existing events and events that we organize ourselves with the help of the leading yacht clubs in the Med. With Trofeo Conde de Godo, Sardinia Cup, Copa del Rey and the Valencia Worlds included in a series of four events, to be raced with a mix of TP52s and IRC52s on real time, this will be another entertaining as well as highly competitive season.

During the 2012 PalmaVela the three members via the recently appointed marketing manager (Jacaranda Marketing) announced the introduction of the 52 Super Series. This concept will be worked out and marketed in the months to come. For the TP52 sailing it meant that the mix of racing with IRC52s will be continued into 2013. The 2013 program was announced and as novelty included two events in the US: Key West Race Week and the Gaastra TP52 Worlds in Miami. Then 52 Super Series continued in the Med with Conde de Godo in Barcelona, the Marina Ibiza Royal Cup, Copa del Rey and the Week of the Straits in Porto Cervo. During the year it was announced that 52 Super Series appointed Agustin Zulueta as CEO and guaranteed the series to continue up till 2017.

On that basis and with the introduction of the 2015 TP52 Rule, guaranteed to be kept stable for three years, a solid basis was put in place for 2014 – 2016 as well as to order new boats to race with from 2015. The 2014 Super Series saw the first of these new boats, the Brazilian flagged Phoenix, tuned down to the level of the 2014 TP52 Rule, but another stimulance to build new for 2015.

Again racing started in the US, now called the US 52 Super Series, with Key West Race Week and the US Championship in Miami. Then the Barclays 52 Super Series, a four event series, started with the Rolex Capri Sailing Week with nine boats on the line. Followed by the TP52 Worlds in Porto Cervo, Copa del Rey and the Zenith Royal Cup Marina Ibiza as great closing location.

For 2015 a five event Super Series is planned, venues are: Valencia, Porto Cervo, Portals Nous, Palma and Cascais. Eight to ten new boats are expected to race in 2015, together with three to five existing boats. The Class is back on track, now the mission is to keep it that way.

In the end it was nine new boats! And twelve boats competing in the 2015 Super Series. Great not to be worried about enough boats turning up to race and concentrate on how to manage a fleet this size. Azzurra became the 2015 top boat and World Champion. Best owner driver boat was Sled, very good for a team new to the Super Series.

In 2016 we saw a five event series: Scarlino, Porto Cervo, Portals Nous, Menorca (TP52 Worlds) and Cascais. From Cascais the teams shipped to Palm Beach to prepare for a start of the 2017 Super Series with two events in Florida (Key West and Miami. After Miami the fleet shipped back to Europe for four more events (TP52 Worlds in Scarlino, Porto Cervo, Portals Nous and Mahon). Both in 2016 and 2017 we saw on average 10-11 boats racing and the boats and teams over time getting closer and closer in performance.

Now at the end of 2017 like in 2015 nine new boats are being built for competing in the 2018 Super Series. While our class president Niklas Zennström and team Rán is taking a break from TP52 racing we see quite a few former members returning and new members joining, which will make 2018 a much less known quantity and really exciting to see how all the new boats and new teams will pan out.

Eleven teams raced in the 2018 series. Luna Rossa, finishing 4th overall, got better over the season and won the final event in Valencia but the overall podium was for Quantum (1st), Platoon (2nd) and Azzurra in 3rd. The Plattner family joined with a new Phoenix and Souza Ramos (Onda) rejoined but just for one year.

In 2019 it was again 11 boats in the series and 8 of them racing the full series. The Plattner family at times racing two boats, Tina helming one and Hasso the other. Bronenosec joined with a new boat. This time it was Azzurra winning the overall title, Platoon 2nd and Quantum Racing 3rd. We were all very much looking forward to 2020 with the first two events planned to take place in Cape-Town, South Africa.

Once in Cape-Town, early 2020, with 10 boats racing exceeded our expectations in so many ways, Covid struck and event 2 aasnd indeed all racing for 2020, a 6 event series, had to be cancelled. Azzurra won that event, Hasso Plattner’s Phoenix was 2nd and Quantum Racing 3rd. It was to be Azzurra’s last event, with Alberto Roemmers (94) no longer fit enough to enjoy his team it was a good decision but in many ways also sad to no longer have the team in the series her owner helped to create. As things go, Azzurra became Interlodge and is still with us helmed by her new owner, Austin Fragomen.

Covid continued to move the goalposts but finally from summer 2021 we were racing again and we managed a 3 event series based on all 3 events being held in Spain to be least vulnerable on logistics. This was to be the best year for Sled sofar, realizing the “Double”, winning both the Rolex TP52 Worlds as well as the 52 Super Series. Again we had eleven boats racing, of which 9 scoring for the series. It was very uplifting to see the support and enthusiasm after all the covid hassle. In Puerto Portals we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the TP52 Class with an Invitational event which attracted 7 TP/IRC52s. Great to see 16 TP52s on the starting line once more. From the 7 it was the Whitcraft family’s Vayu that decided to do one more event of the series that year and from there to join the 2022 series in full. Great addition, with 5 and sometimes 6 family members on board and certainly often very well in the result’s mix.

Now, the 2022 Super Series is just behind us. We finished off the 10th Anniversary year of the series in Barcelona with 10 boats racing and a great party. The Members at their Annual Meeting decided to “freeze” the class rule for another 3 years to offer certainty and stability to those interested to join and/or to build new. This was a Doug DeVos year, never before he had the time to helm Quantum Racing this much, 4 out of 5 events, and winning the “Double” with his team certainly was an emotional moment, even for this battle hardened team. Phoenix did not make it easy for Quantum Racing till the very last day and finished 2nd overall with in 3rd Platoon. In Barcelona we saw Provezza finish on the podium in 3rd. No bigger smiles will ever be seen than from Ergin Imre and his team when doing well. The party was one not to forget, and lasted till the next morning, for some…… 2023, HERE WE COME!!

Rob Weiland Rob is the TP52 Class Manager, a function that was created by the TP52 Executive Committee on request of the Members in 2006. The now (2022) 71 year old Dutchman has worked for over twenty five years as project manager for the construction of racing and cruising yachts before joining the TP52 class in 2006. Running the daily affairs of TP52 Class is certainly different from project managing new builds, but the experience of the past still comes in handy at times.

• CRUISING YACHTS
• Coming Soon

This striking design introduces our latest ideas, concepts, technology advances and race success from the HPR grand prix arena into this established class.

Having been involved in multiple MedCup and World Champions designs over the years we look forward to re-entering the class with some new concepts. We are currently developing a ground breaking design package for the new 2015 TP52 rule. We have welcomed the changes proposed in the new rule which push for higher performance and helps keep the Super Series at forefront of monohull development, seemingly inspired by recent HPR developments.

Recent high performance racing yachts from CDP like the C40 MKI, C40 MKII, and C47 and the C 60 are dual HPR and IRC optimised boats which push the performance envelope and challenge the conventional IRC grand prix optimised design thinking Using our in house software and extensive ongoing hydro and aero research and development, we have ensured that these lighter higher performance boats are in fact very successful under IRC/ORCi and arguably, these boats have and continue to change the current grand prix design landscape between 40-100feet.

With this in mind, the rule update plays to our strengths, and critically allows us to utilise the HP-IRC CFD and performance prediction tools we have been developing over the years. This, along with a very successful background in TP52 and GP42 classes allows us to use lessons learned in these projects to create a very competitive and refined package for 2015.

We are currently deep in the development phase, assessing hull forms and variations, alongside the new appendage configurations. In parallel we are working on updating our aerodynamic models which directly influence key hydro and rig design decisions. Simultaneously we are working on the deck layout with a view to improving ergonomics, sail handling, and reducing windage and VCG.

More information to follow soon.

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The Carkeek 100 is a record breaker, designed to win under IRC either offshore over long distances or inshore around the buoys.

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This striking design introduces our latest ideas, concepts, technology advances and race success from the HPR grand prix arena into this

Our C72 mini maxi is state-of-the art incorporting many innovative features following extensive research over the past 6 months. We are looking

The C60 HP-IRC yacht is optimized for all-round sailing and is a strong offshore contender, moded for the 2013 Sydney Hobart race.

The C54 HP-IRC is perfect owners requiring a more all-round platform to a TP 52, especially in coastal and offshore scenarios. More info soon.

The C47 is a powerful grand prix racer optimized to the HPR-IRC racing rules. Created with similar performance charachterstics of the C40 MKi and Mkii.

The C440 is one of our latest designs aimed at mid range size HP-IRC bracket. More info coming soon.

The new C40 Mkii is an evolution of the successful C40 Mki and introduces our latest ideas for fast sailing.

The 52 SUPER SERIES

world’s leading grand prix monohull yacht racing circuit

The series in detail

The 52 SUPER SERIES was established in 2012 and quickly became renowned as the world’s leading grand prix monohull yacht racing circuit. 2022 saw the tenth anniversary celebrations back in Barcelona where it all began at the Trofeo Conde de Godo regatta in May 2012.

And now 2024 sees the circuit as strong as ever with an extremely high level of very evenly matched competition at the front of the fleet but new teams still joining up to challenge themselves. In 2021 Thailand’s Team Vayu joined, Hong Kong’s Team Alpha Plus came in for 2023 and in 2024 we have welcomed two new teams France’s Teasing Machine and Brasil’s Crioula Team.

Originally the circuit grew from the ashes of the TP52 MedCup which finished in 2011 when the principal sponsor withdrew.

The 52 SUPER SERIES was developed as an initiative by three key stakeholders, respectively the owners of Quantum Racing, Azzurra and Rán Racing who enjoyed their racing in the TP52 so much, and could see a future in which the owners dictated the direction of the 52 SUPER SERIES; embracing all that they had enjoyed about the class and making racing for like-minded individuals and crews available in locations and venues enjoyed by all. Now the circuit usually consists of five regattas per season in Europe with regular early year events in the USA.

The TP52 came to Europe in 2005 when it was adopted by a group of owners who were disillusioned by IMS racing and the type of grand prix boats which the measurement system encouraged. These fast, light, very powerful monohulls felt more like high performance dinghies, raced in real time – first past the post wins – and yet complied to a box rule design. The box rule bound the boats to a set of key dimensions but still left the design offices and the race teams with scope to exploit their own ideas and initiatives. The careful management of the Box Rule has encouraged steady evolution of the TP52 so that it has progressively become faster and more exciting to sail with fewer crew, and fewer sails thereby keeping costs down.

It’s all about the people

The 52 SUPER SERIES is run by a relatively small and dedicated team of individuals who each have a long history of experience in grand prix sailing and other sports.

The management structure is typically flat with each department working closely with one another in a friendly and efficient environment, all sharing the same goals and vision. We are proud that the team remains very small compared with other major grand prix circuits.

52 SUPER SERIES Management:

Overall responsibility for the running of the circuit, delivering on strategic aims and financial and legal responsibility.

Race Management:

On the water management of racing is headed by Principal Race Officer Maria Torrijo and the fair and equable application of the Racing Rules of Sailing are managed by the World Sailing umpire team headed by Miguel Allen. To ensure the maximum continuity from event to event and season to season, the same core team operates from year to year with as few changes as possible.

Class Manager and Class Measurer:

Are responsible for ensuring the boats follow the measurement rules and prepare and deliver future strategy and direction for the class. Rob Weiland is the long serving Class Manager and Pablo Ferrer the even longer serving Class Measurer.

Operations:

Operations look after the planning and logistics, everything from shipping and the regatta site to branding, prizes and picnics.

Sustainability:

The 52 SUPER SERIES takes its commitment to sustainability seriously. Our Sustainability Officer is Lars Böcking.

Marketing and Communications:

The 52 SUPER SERIES marketing and communications is run by Jacaranda Marketing who initiated some of the concept for the circuit. The department is headed by Lars Böcking assisted by Andi Robertson, and country PRs Javier Sobrino (ESP) and Gabriel Lillo Cutini (ITA).

52 SUPER SERIES TV:

52 SUPER SERIES TV is delivered by German company Chimbovision headed by Michael Trapp along with core team Stefan Lehmann and Javi Salinas.

How it works

The format, ruleset and more

What is the 52 SUPER SERIES?

The 52 SUPER SERIES is an in-shore, monohull, fleet racing circuit. It is based on a tightly controlled, carefully managed box rule. This measurement defines certain key speed producing dimensions – such as sail area, hull length, beam measurements, displacement, keel depth, rig height and weight, but leaves enough latitude for designers and teams to express their own ideas. It can be considered to be similar to the Formula 1 of monohull yacht racing because teams can design build and campaign their own boat to their own ideas, as long as it fits to the ‘horsepower’ and build rules. So every boat is different, even if the evolution of the rule means the current boats are very similar and sail at almost exactly the same speeds.

But, unlike handicap racing, the 52 SUPER SERIES races are on a simple first-past-the-post format, real time racing with no post-race time compensation. Owners and crews love the high speeds, the exceptional power to weight ratio, the dinghy-like feel on the helm and the need to pursue small incremental advantages to win races. It truly remains a unique proposition within the sport of sailing. The 52 SUPER SERIES is the best monohull racing in the world.

Competition Format

Each of the five regattas consists of around ten races, with a mixture of windward-leeward and coastal courses depending on the venue. Usually there might be four days of windward-leeward races and one day of coastal courses, but this may be more in a location where the coastal racing is special. Over the course of the season all results stand – there are no discards – and typically that means around 45 to 50 races in the season.

Windward-Leeward Races

Each windward-leeward course usually consists of four legs of a ‘sausage’ shaped loop. The upwind-downwind axis will be 1.5 to 2.2 nautical miles according to the wind strength. The fleet starts upwind and usually finishes downwind. Duration of each windward-leeward is close to one hour, upwind legs slightly more than 15 minutes and the faster downwind legs a bit less.

A throwback to our past

The 52 SUPER SERIES is set up thanks to the initiative of the Roemmers Family (ARG, Azzurra/Matador), Doug DeVos (USA, Quantum Racing) and Niklas Zennström (Rán Racing) in collaboration with the TP52 Class Manager Rob Weiland (NED) and Lars Böcking (GER) of Jacaranda Marketing who put the concept together.

The ideal is to deliver a mix of venues and regatta styles that owners and crews enjoy sailing at and to pursue even, close, friendly grand prix racing. Four owners initially commit to the full season of five regattas in Spain and Sardinia, Azzurra, Quantum Racing and Rán and Tony Langley (GBR) of Gladiator 


The first event in this inaugural year is Barcelona’s Conde de Godó Trophy where the ‘core four’ are joined by Audi All4One. Quantum Racing win the top trophy. Quantum Racing win also in June at the Audi Sardinia Cup 2012, defeating the hosts’ Azzurra by three points after seven races. Six boats compete, the ‘core four’ have added competition from Paprec Recyclage (FRA, Jean Luc Petithuguenin) and Powerplay (BVI, Tony Cunningham).

The circuit travels to Palma for July’s Royal Cup back to back with the Copa del Rey. Eight boats race at the Royal Cup which is won by Rán Racing, newcomers are Aquila (AUT) and Ergin Imre’s Turkish team on Provezza.

Finally at the Audi Valencia Cup in September Audi Azzurra Sailing team win the last 2012 regatta. Quantum Racing in fourth clinch the first 52 SUPER SERIES overall title.

In 2013 the 52 SUPER SERIES goes global….In a bid to encourage the TP52 owners to travel, for Europeans to race early season in the USA and the American owners and crews to come race in Europe, the US 52 SUPER SERIES is set up. This spans two regattas – Key West Race Week and a 52 World Championship, in America in January and March.

Azzurra win the US 52 SUPER SERIES and are pipped in Miami on the last race by Niklas Zennström’s Rán Racing which became 2013 World Champions. The core of the European circuit is formed by the popular events at known venues. Barcelona is followed by the Royal Cup in Ibiza, Copa del Rey culminating in the Audi Week of the Straits in September at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

Quantum Racing win in Barcelona ahead of Gladiator with seven boats racing, including Interlodge and Rio from the USA. Ibiza is a new venue for the 52 SUPER SERIES and Quantum Racing make it back to back wins in the eight boat fleet at these events. Gladiator are second again. At the Copa del Rey Quantum Racing extend their unbeaten record to three regattas with Rán Racing second and Azzurra third. Rio take fourth from a spirited battle with Provezza.

At the Week of the Straits a win by Azzurra on their home waters was not enough to stop Quantum Racing from being crowned 2013 52 SUPER SERIES champions after winning three from four events. The bubbling interest in the class is reflected in a nine boat entry. Rán Racing are third overall and Gladiator fourth.

Barclays and Zenith join the 52 SUPER SERIES as partners. The successful formula for the US 52 SUPER SERIES remains and seven boats race at Quantum Key West and at the 52 US Championship. Quantum Racing win both American regattas and the mini-series.

The Barclays 52 SUPER SERIES starts in Capri in light winds, where the 52s visit for the first time, travels to Sardinia for the Audi TP52 World Championship in June, the MAPFRE Copa del Rey in August in Palma culminating in the ZENITH Royal Cup Marina Ibiza in September. Twelve different 52s race in Europe and Quantum Racing win overall.

Azzurra open with a win in Capri at Rolex Capri Sailing Week ahead of Vesper (USA), Newly launched Phoenix, the first of the new generation 2015 boats for Brazilian owner Eduardo de Souza Ramos, wins the first race of the season and finishes fifth at their first regatta. Quantum Racing only pip Rán Racing to third place by one single point. From an exciting week in Sardinia Quantum Racing win the TP52 World Championship title ahead of Phoenix in second with nine boats racing.

At the Mediterranean showcase MAPFRE Copa del Rey Quantum Racing reign ahead of Rán Racing which won four races from the ten starts.

Finally in Ibiza Quantum Racing do enough to win the regatta ahead of Azzurra while Takashi Okura’s Sled – preparing for a full, new boat campaign in 2015 finish fourth.

With nine new boats launched for the start of the season, all faster and more exciting than ever, representing the very latest generation of designs to the carefully managed TP52 class rule, 2015 proved to be a landmark season in the history of the class and the 52 SUPER SERIES.

Five boats were built to Botin Partners’ designs – Alegre, Azzurra, Bronenosec, Quantum Racing and Sled and four to Vrolijk designs – Gladiator, Platoon, Provezza, Rán. They joined the 2014 Phoenix, XIO Hurakan which was formerly Quantum Racing and Paprec which was the previous Rán.

Because the new generation of boats were being built through the winter the 2015 season started not in the USA at Key West but instead was a conventional Europe only circuit comprising five regattas in Spain, Italy and Portugal.

Quantum Racing, the winners of the back to back titles in 2013 and 2014, made changes. They fulfilled a desire to have their enthusiastic and skilled DeVos family members – the team owners – steering their boat as much as possible.

Father Doug and son Dalton alternated at different regattas – and actually split the Copa del Rey helming role. The changes early in the season were not easy and added another layer of challenge to the requirement for continuity and consistency.

The first regattas were all about getting up to speed and familiar with small details of each new boat as fast as possible.

The season opened in Valencia at the Ford Vignale Sailing Week where Niklas Zennström’s Rán Racing won ahead of Andy Soriano’s Alegre which made a remarkable debut in the class, taking second place at just two points behind after 11 races.

Azzurra hit their stride on their home waters and won the Audi Settimana delle Bocche with a three points cushion.

But it was at Puerto Portals and the TP52 World Championships where they built a real points lead. Azzurra won the world title and their second regatta on the bounce but they were 14pts ahead of second placed Platoon at the end of racing.

Quantum Racing found their mojo at the 34th Copa del Rey where Terry Hutchinson sailed as tactician with Dalton DeVos starting as helm and Doug DeVos finishing the deal. Azzurra led until the final day when Quantum Racing won the Copa del Rey with a double bullet final day.

At the Cascais Cup in Portugal Azzurra clinched the season title with a day to spare and Quantum Racing won the regatta. Quantum Racing took second for the season and Takashi Okura’s Sled secured third on the final leg of the final race of the season.

The 52 SUPER SERIES is in tip-top health. More boats, a visibly higher standard. Better, closer racing. Some well-known faces come home. Great new venues. A fantastic, friendly atmosphere ashore. Tension until the end of the season as competitive rivalries peak and trough all the way through the fleet. The 2016 52 SUPER SERIES season will be remembered for all of these reasons.

This was a long season. Points racing at the five regattas may have started in May in Scarlino and concluded in Cascais in October, but preparations started in Valencia in March when teams got together for some informal training. Gaastra Palma Vela in late April had a full TP52 entry as crews sought to ensure they were fully primed and ready to hit the straps straight away in Tuscany.

The fleet size grew for 2016. Twelve boats raced in Porto Cervo at the Audi Settimana delle Bocche and at the 52 World Championship in Menorca.

After something of a sabbatical in 2015, Niklas Zennström’s Rán Racing returned for the full set of regattas. New teams to the circuit this season – Peter Harrison’s Sorcha (GBR) and Richard Cohen’s Phoenix (USA) – tested the temperature of the circuit at two events, enjoyed it, and sought to do more in 2017.

Doug DeVos’s Quantum Racing (USA) were convincing overall winners of the 2016 season title. Finishing second to Azzurra (ITA) in 2015 was a spur to raising the bar even higher. They made key crew changes – tough decisions, pre-season.

The hard-driving Terry Hutchinson marshalled the team throughout and profited from owner-driver DeVos steering three regattas. They came out of the blocks hard and fast. Winning in Scarlino, they proved furiously consistent. A run that saw them add three more regattas and the 52 World Championship to their belt.

Azzurra took second overall, winning the final regatta of the season, while the battle for third went to the wire, Rán Racing securing third overall on the last race of the last day.

It was long, it was tough, it was incredibly competitive, but most of all; 2017 was fun.

Perhaps for some teams, the highs were higher and the lows lower, but such is the nature of the 52 SUPER SERIES these days. Teams can take nothing for granted. When, even a year or two ago, there was a form book – a rough hierarchy. Now it is open season on podium places.

For the first time, the 52 SUPER SERIES championship title was decided over six regattas, two in the USA and four in Europe. The season started in January in Key West and finished in Mahón, Menorca in September. In theory, April and half of May should have been quiet and this year August was given over to a proper summer break, but for all, the season felt long and pretty relentless, a fine test of a true champion.

It proved to be a fascinating title race; one that really inspired interest and excitement from around the world. For the first time since the circuit started out with just four boats in 2012, there really were three teams fighting for the overall title, and it really did go to the wire.

Hindsight is 20/20 vision, but who on the dock in Key West would have put a sizeable bet on Platoon coming out as the most consistent team over the first half of the season? And who didn’t expect Quantum Racing to simply copy / paste their successes of 2016?

Five different boats won regattas. Only Azzurra won two events. Ponder that for a second. That is nearly half of the regular, core fleet proving they can win regattas. Beautiful self-contained Scarlino delivered a new World Champion in Platoon; Porto Cervo the most exciting, dramatic and unpredictable final day; Puerto Portals is always fun and good racing; and Mahón in Menorca brought the season to a fantastic finale on a suitably challenging race course, sailing from a popular location.

Rolex came onboard as sponsors. We delivered a great programme for guests from all over the world for XS Energy Drinks. We made sustainability entertaining, essential and informative, and live 52 SUPER SERIES TV was an outstanding success. Bring on 2018, sooner the better!!

The 2018 season proved to be a very strong year with nine new boats built, some on the strength of the announcement that the America’s Cup would be raced in monohulls. Quantum Racing worked as the core of the future American Magic team while the emblematic Prada team joined, cherry picking tactician Vasco Vascotto from the successful Azzurra team. Brazil’s Eduardo de Souza Ramos returned to the circuit with a new boat which he sailed with Brazil’s legendary Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt and a young crew. Hasso and Tina Plattner joined the circuit too, Ed Baird joining as tactician for Tina. The circuit visited Croatia, Zadar and Sibenik for the first time ever. Quantum Racing won in Sibenik at the first regatta of the season, Luna Rossa taking the honours in Zadar, narrowly beating Tina Plattner’s Phoenix who were in the match until the last races.

At the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais Quantum Racing collected the title with Azzurra second and Alegre third.

In August Quantum Racing impose themselves in the sea breezes on the Bay of Palma racing out of Puerto Portals, winning again but only three points up on Azzurra.

The season finishes in the popular Spanish America’s Cup venue of Valencia where Luna Rossa sign off from the circuit with a win but in second place Quantum Racing win the 2018 circuit title, a winning swansong for the departing Terry Hutchinson.

The season started with a popular return to Menorca which served up an enjoyable variety of wind and sea conditions. Platoon served notice of the strength and depth of their title challenge by winning here in May from a close battle with Provezza, the Vrolijk designs taking first and second. Puerto Sherry in Andalucia is a new venue to the circuit and the Atlantic waters prove challenging to read as the tidal currents play a part and the breezes are hard to decipher.

Provezza follow up their second place in Menorca by winning on the Bay of Cadiz, rising to the top on a highly charged, super close final day, final race where any one of three boats could have taken the title.

It was breezy with some big waves in Cascais where Cameron Appleton found his winning ways as he new tactician on Quantum Racing, narrowly pipping Azzurra by one single point.

As the Rolex TP52 World Championship moved to Puerto Portals on the Bay of Palma, Platoon proved a cut above the rest and won the world title for the second time in three years, establishing themselves as favourites to win the 2019 overall circuit title.

But at a climactic Costa Smeralda where Takashi Okura’s Sled were unstoppable winning six races from nine starts, it was Azzurra who clinched the 2019 52 SUPER SERIES title on home waters.

The 2020 season saw the 52 SUPER SERIES break a new territory as the circuit visited Cape Town, South Africa for the first time ever. To see the international fleet lined up ready for Odzala Discovery Camps 52 SUPER SERIES the at the dock on the V & A Waterfront with the iconic Table Mountain as a backdrop was a very special moment in the history of the world’s leading grand prix monohull circuit.

The regatta was partly facilitated by the Plattner family who had both the home town favourites Phoenix 11 and Phoenix 12 racing in the ten boat fleet which comprised teams from seven different nations.

The regatta delivered in every way. The legendary Cape Doctor breeze came in on cue. Hasso Plattner’s team gave home fans something to cheer about by opening with a 1,3,1 and leading the regatta but over the piece it was the consistency of the defending 2019 season champions Azzurra which was enough to see them win the Cape Town title with new tactician Michele Paoletti taking over from Vasco Vascotto in the afterguard of the Italian-Argentine team of the Roemmers family. Phoenix 11 took second and Quantum Racing third.

As the fleet left Cape Town all the talk was of the Rolex TP52 World Championship which was due to take place a month later. Little did anyone really know how the global pandemic would take hold……

The 2021 circuit was cut to just three regattas in the Balearics, confined to Menorca and the Bay of Palma. That in itself produced a very intense, compact high pressure season which went down to a thrilling last day which could not have been scripted better from the outset. The class and circuit came back with a bang in July in Puerto Portals, Mallorca. Celebrating two decades of the TP52 a 20th Anniversary Invitational regatta was incorporated into the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week. This wonderful initiative was not just to highlight and share the success of the class over the years, mustering as many teams of different backgrounds racing on boats built to different design generations, but it gave them a chance to experience the 52 SUPER SERIES at its best, in the hope that some might be inspired to join in in the future.

Nine boats raced in the 52 SUPER SERIES fleet and seven enjoyed racing in the Invitational regatta. Terry Hutchinson returned to the Quantum Racing crew joined by 34 year old Argentinian 470 Olympic medallist Lucas Calabrese as new strategist. Vasco Vascotto is back in blue, at the back of Bronenosec partnering Morgan Larson. On Gladiator there is a Best of British as Giles Scott sails with Paul Goodison in the afterguard. Tom Slingsby debuts on Phoenix which is helmed by Tony Norris as Tina Plattner has a back problem and travel out of South Africa is also very problematic. And back in the fold with the championship winning ex-Azzurra are Austin and Gwen Fragomen after a five years hiatus. Their new Interlodge has Tony Rey, Rod Dawson and Juan Vila in the afterguard. Seven teams answered the Invitation to race and celebrate the TP52s history in the Med. Perhaps the most successful global campaigners of recent years, Karl Kwok’s Beau Geste crew was led by Gavin Brady. Italy’s Marco Serafini’s XIO come as 2019 ORC World Champions triumphing in Sibenik ahead of Roberto Monti’s Air Is Blue which is also in the Portals fleet. Newcomers are the Thailand flagged Vayu on the former Team Vision Future. Finland’s Samuli Leisti leads an innovative programme which used their TP52 zer0emissions (formerly USA 17) as a billboard to spread sustainability messages as does Barclelona’s Tony Guillou on BlueCarbon.

The highlight of the week, of course, was a fabulous race Friday for the combined fleet of 16 boats all competing on the same race course. It was a truly stunning reminder of the fun of bigger fleet racing, a simple fun moment of celebration and reflection. Sled set out their stall by taking the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES regatta title. With Mr Okura unable to travel it was left to Murray Jones to steer with Francesco Bruni joining the crew fresh from the Luna Rossa America’s Cup. After more than 17 months with no circuit races and no training there was some rust evident to start but overall the level was higher and more even than ever before and in light winds consistency was hard to maintain, scores were very up and down. The foundations of the Sled win were a 1,1,2 in the middle of the tight, short, six race event but they collected some big scores too, notably a seventh in the last race. Nonetheless they won by a point over Quantum Racing whilst Phoenix marked themselves out as contenders with third.Karl Kwok’s Beau Geste won the Invitational by a comfortable margin.

To Menorca in August Phoenix have Ed Baird as tactician for a light winds week when only five races can be sailed. Andy Soriano’s Alegre team start super strong, winning three races on the bounce. Quantum Racing are over the start line and are not able to recover, their resulting 11th proves a heavy, heavy burden on such a short, sharp season. But nothing is easy, nothing can be taken for granted in this fleet on the Menorca track. Alegre go 7,10 on the last day leaving the door open for the well oiled German machine that is Platoon who win the Menorca title.

November sees the big finale, the Rolex TP 52 World Championship is at stake. Hosted by the RCNP the fleet find the Bay of Palma is nothing like we have known over the 10 years of the 52 SUPER SERIES. Tom Slingsby and the Phoenix throw down the gauntlet straight off with two stunning victories but they then falter a bit letting in Sled, who have a 5,1 middle of the week. With everything on the line Phoenix looked like they could steal both titles on the first race on the Friday when they were lying second, closing Quantum Racing fast but their kite blows up and they dropped from second to sixth. Sled finish with a race win Friday which gives them a lead of a single point going into the final day. But with 35 knots winds there can be no racing on the final day both titles go to Tak Okura’s jubilant Sled team. They win the Rolex TP52 World Championship by a single point from Quantum and Platoon tied on the same points. And the season title goes to Sled, also by one point, becoming only the third team ever to win the overall, finally breaking the Azzurra, Quantum Racing duopoly.

After a truncated, short 2021 season which, though light on events, proved compact and exciting with the circuit and world titles going to the wire, the 2022 52 SUPER SERIES did not disappoint, not by a long shot.

Ten years on from the first regatta in Barcelona the curtain was lifted at a new venue, beautiful Baiona in Galicia where the welcome was among the warmest ever. The race course area was bordered by verdant, green spring colours and the race area was challenging, offering options and opportunities to all.

We returned to Cascais, Portugal where the conditions were slightly atypical but it blew up big, on cue on the last day. Puerto Portals in late July was text book Bay of Palma sea breezes. For many the welcome surprise of the year was a breezy, boisterous September regatta back in Tuscany for the first time since 2017 at Scarlino. Then the late Autumn breezes struggled to be turn up off the Catalan capital where preparations for the 37th America’s Cup were starting to take shape. But Barcelona hosted a fabulous ten year anniversary dinner and prize giving which, most of all, proved a great opportunity to look back at ten wonderful years.

And the fleet has emerged from the last couple of years in very good shape. The commitment of our group of owners is undimmed, a testament to the competitiveness of the class, the warm convivial atmosphere on the dock, and a menu of different venues which are mix of new and old favourites. Significantly every team won races this season and more teams finished on the podium at different regattas which is probably the biggest, ongoing motivation.

Thailand’s Whitcraft family and their Vayu programme proved you don’t need a brand new boat and a team of America’s Cup winners to do well, to have fun, to keep learning and improving and to challenge yourself against the best monohull sailors in the world.

And it is delightful to welcome back the Petithuguenins and the French Paprec team. They laid the foundations for their 2023 season by competing in Barcelona with a modern generation boat which is new to them. And in Barcelona they too had every reason to look back fondly at ten years on the 52 SUPER SERIES and to look forwards too.

Baiona was worth the wait. A big local investment brought grand prix racing back to this area of Galicia for the first time, to a proud historic club which has three times challenged for the America’s Cup. The racing arena is ringed by high hills and islands and although it is located in the Portuguese trade winds, it proved a light, shifty racecourse with flat waters. Owners and teams certainly loved being somewhere new and different, authentic and down to earth. Vayu started with two back to back second places. The Plattners’ South African team on Phoenix, who came so close at the end of 2021, led after the first two days. But in the shifty conditions, which seemed not to maintain a pattern from one race to the next, they had a weighty mid regatta sequence whilst Doug DeVos and the Quantum Racing team strengthened their consistency. A win on the penultimate day, in part courtesy of intel from local knowledge ace Roberto ‘Chuny’ Bermudez, gave Quantum Racing the edge going into the last day. They took second behind behind Andy Soriano’s Alegre in what proved to be the final race on the Saturday, but endured a nervous period when a final race was started during which rivals Phoenix were initially leading and they were ninth. But the race was abandoned and the American flagged team won the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week, the first title of the season by seven points.

By design, the Rolex TP52 World Championship just down the coast in Cascais, followed hard on the heels of the Baiona opener. There was a huge sense of anticipation as the fleet returned back to the Portuguese sailing capital, minds filled with memories of big winds and waves on the open Atlantic.

After missing out because of the health situation when they did the double in Palma in November 2021, the Sled crew were determined to do all they could to retain the world title with Mr Okura back on the helm. But with some measure of real continuity guaranteed by Doug DeVos steering all of Quantum Racing’s 2022 regattas – with the exception of Portals – the US team were also at full strength.

Nine teams mustered in Cascais, three of them with experience of having won the worlds Quantum Racing, Sled and Platoon. The last time the Rolex TP52 World Championship were sailed in Cascais, in 2018 in big breezes it was Quantum Racing which prevailed, after winning also in 2014 and 2016. This time Cascais saved the big winds until the final Saturday showdown. Otherwise it was a light to moderate week. After the first four light winds races Quantum Racing had established a strong consistency with Platoon holding second. Vayu, as they did in Baiona, opened strongly and were third after the second day. The most obvious pattern over these first races was teams having one good result and matching it to a bad one.

But Quantum Racing carried a three points lead into the final day when the breeze really finally switched on and the surf rolled in. With a win and a sixth on the Saturday Quantum Racing improved their Cascais winning record, remaining unbeaten there on all three occasions the 52 SUPER SERIES has visited. But this was the first time that owner driver Doug DeVos was steering. Platoon took second, again seven points behind the winners whilst Andy Soriano’s Alegre maintained their good record in Portugal taking third.

To Puerto Portals in the height of summer and the Bay of Palma actually was unusually tricky. With exceptionally warm temperatures experienced over the previous month or so, the high sea temperatures affected the generation, and the mixing of the usually very reliable sea breeze. So whilst Mallorca for the 52 SUPER SERIES Puerto Portals Sailing Week might normally be considered the race area best known to the teams, it proved to be a much more challenging week than expected.

Arriving with a 12 points circuit lead over Platoon and back to back regatta titles, the impetus was very much with Quantum Racing. With DeVos absent, fulfilling his preferred annual commitment to compete on the Chicago Mac race, Tactician Terry Hutchinson spoke positively pre-regatta about how they had practiced pre-season in Valencia with him steering and Lucas Calabrese calling tactics and they had raced a J/70 class event at Charleston Race week to fine tune their comms.

But it was Tom Slingsby and the Phoenix team which proved unbeatable on the Bay of Palma where they had come so close at the end of the 2021 season. Day 1 shaped the week with the South African flagged team coming ashore with a first and a third whilst Quantum Racing languished in eighth, Sled matching Phoenix for points.

With Cameron Appleton calling tactics, Austin and Gwen Fragomen’s consistent Interlodge topped the table in the middle of the week, but on a breezy offshore final day, with the N’ly wind blowing to 25kts Phoenix’s two second places were enough to give them their first ever 52 SUPER SERIES regatta title. Their margin, 12 points, was the biggest of the season, finishing ahead of Sled and Provezza.

Returning to Tuscany in September for the Royal Cup for the first time in five years there was no clear feeling as to what the winds might do. And so it was something of a welcome surprise when the winds blew every day and the choppy seas added another testing dimension. Vasco Vascotto, three times winning tactician, joined Platoon as Harm Müller Spreer’s German flagged team sought to get their season title challenge back on track, whilst Australia’s young double Olympic medallist Will Ryan took over the strategist role on Andy Soriano’s Alegre after Ado Stead stepped down to spend more time with his family. On the Quantum Racing Doug DeVos was back on the helm, but their long time mainsheet trimmer Warwick Fleury was absent due to a health problem which was to rule him out in Tuscany and in Barcelona. Chris Hosking took on the mainsheet job whilst pitman Rodney Ardern was called home with a family member accident and was replaced by Curtis Blewitt. And the odds were not as strong for the team which had won in Baiona and Cascais.

Takashi Okura’s Sled sailed an exceptional regatta, the afterguard mix of Francesco Bruni and Murray Jones, backed up by navigator Andrea Visintini seeming to read the breeze and see things other teams did not, Visintini calling it a ‘special magic’. The 2021 circuit champions led Quantum Racing into the final day by one point. But once again the four times 52 SUPER SERIES champions had the edge and won the Royal Cup bu five clear points and headed to the season’s finale in Barcelona with a five points margin over Phoenix. Sled took second overall whilst Platoon finished strongly with a second and a first on the final to steal third step on the podium.

The atmosphere in Barcelona was electric for the big finale. Quantum Racing had the inertia, Phoenix were desperate to win a second regatta title of the season and wrestle the title from rivals Quantum whilst other top teams like Sled, Platoon, Alegre, Provezza were all keen to finish the 2022 season with a regatta win.

Phoenix welcomed back owner-driver Tina Plattner to the helm for her first 52 SUPER SERIES regatta since February 2020 in Cape Town. But while the scene was set for an historic showdown for at the tenth anniversary event, the winds did not really turn up to play their part as most had hoped. Slack, gentle breezes never really reach double figures over the three days racing was possible.

Quantum Racing won the one and only race on the opening day to extend their circuit lead. But a three race second day saw the Plattners team keep maximum pressure on Quantum with a first, second and third whilst the US crew amassed 14pts from the day. But with the pressure on Doug DeVos and crew won the only race of what proved to be the final race of the season whilst Phoenix jumped the start gun and could do nothing in the very, very light conditions to recover from tenth.

With four regatta titles from five in 2022 Quantum Racing extend their 52 SUPER SERIES strong of season titles to five, an appropriate and popular result for a team which was forced to work harder than ever for this title. Phoenix finish runners up by 12pts with Platoon third overall.

All about the class

The TP52 in Europe has come a very long way since it was designed to a box rule to produce a series of evenly matched lightweight high performance flying machine for the Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Hawaii.

In 2005 a group of renowned owners chose to build TP52’s to develop a new high performance class because they were no longer content to race on handicap.

It has become the de-facto top monohull inshore race class in the world appealing to the very top level professional sailors, discerning owners and teams. The all carbon fibre boats with powerful sail areas and deep slender keels remain very close in performance.

They are light, have a high power to weight ratio and most of all offer exceptional fun for the crews who enjoy the physical and mental challenge of the 52’s.

Downwind in stronger breezes they will regularly surf at well over 20kts.

The tight controls imposed by the design rules ‘box’ allow sufficient freedom for the different designers to express their ideas, yet the fleet has remained very closely matched.

Each year has seen subtle new ideas generated for each new design, ensuring that there is just enough incentive to keep building new boats. Over 60 have been built. And the purity of racing is in real time, first past the line wins is still at the heart of the new 52 SUPER SERIES.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Fastest race boat? Meet Wally’s new TP52 beater, the wallyrocket51

• Toby Hodges
• October 4, 2023

Wally Yachts has unveiled a new one-design racing yacht, the wallyrocket51. Toby Hodges takes a look at what Wally hopes to be the fastest race boat

Product Overview

“This will be the fastest boat in the world on corrected time,” Wally founder Luca Bassani announced at Ferretti Yachts’ global unveiling of the wallyrocket51 in September. On paper, the one-design racer should be faster than the top racing yachts in IRC and ORC classes, yet rates lower. Its potential for prizes (and fun) therefore looks highly promising.

‘Faster and less expensive’ is the slogan.

It’s a surprise move from the iconic Italian brand, which has latterly been focussed on large power yachts and performance cruising superyachts . This is its smallest new Wally since the 37ft Wally Nano daysailer 15 years ago, and by far the most race oriented.

And it’s deliberately pitted in this size range to line up against the most competitive class, the TP52s . “The benchmark boat to beat is the TP52,” Bassani confirms, “but Wally will always be faster.” He calculates that in a one hour race the wallyrocket51 will be 20-30 seconds quicker in real time and 40-50 seconds quicker on corrected time. That’s not bad over a typical two hour race!

The wallyrocket51’s sleek deck lines

Wallyrocket51, TP52 killer?

The 1ft less length is critical in allowing the design team to optimise the hull and appendages to get a rating bonus in other areas, such as the wallyrocket’s very light displacement, water ballast and a trim tab on the keel.

What really sets this new project apart from just marketing hyperbole, is that the naval architecture is by Botin Partners, the same designers behind some of the most successful TP52s. This studio’s designs have won 12 consecutive season titles, so it knows all the secrets of the class and design rules.

“It’s designed by Botin against a Botin. In light winds it will be faster in any condition,” says Bassani with a knowing smile.

The ultralight displacement of 6,250kg will be key to achieving such a promise. It compares with the TP52’s minimum displacement (governed by its box rule) of 6,975kg or the 8,250kg of the ClubSwan 50 . While there will be less crew aboard too…

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The water ballast system has a 550-litre capacity, the equivalent of five crewmembers on the rail. It takes 80 seconds to fill, 60 seconds to ditch, and just 10 seconds to transfer from side to side.

Meanwhile, an adjustable trim tab on the trailing edge of the keel will help it go faster and higher, and crucially, not sideways, says Bassani. The aim of the trim tab is to produce lift upwind for a smaller keel stem profile to help produce neutral leeway. Aligning water flow with the boat also means less drag, hence Wally’s claims that it will sail higher and faster than the competition.

While it’s’ designed for 11 crew (935kg), the wallyrocket51 can actually be crewed with 8 or 9 aboard with the addition of a fully electric winch package, says Bassani. Nevertheless they have gone with twin grinding pedestals to avoid a higher rating penalty (the aft pedestal can be replaced by an electric motor for more shorthanded racing ).

Vasco Vascotto, one of the world’s most successful regatta sailors, and Argentinian Olympic sailor Guillermo Parada, are project developers, who have helped shape the one-design series as well as make the design easier to handle and fun. Vascotto believes the wallyrocket51 is something everyone is looking for and wants: “A yacht able to perform in all regatta fields, but at the same time that maintains the design and that is fun.”

The aft grinding pedestal can be replaced if electric winches are fitted for shorthanded sailing

Carrau expands further on this: “We looked at everything, from windward-leeward courses in 6 to 25 knots of wind, to the classic offshore 600-milers such as the Rolex Middle Sea , Rolex Giraglia, RORC Caribbean 600 or Fastnet Race … Indeed, our simulations show that she can beat her competition under IRC or ORC in any of those inshore or offshore scenarios.”

“The wallyrocket51 is very close to our hearts and has eluded us for years as we sought to develop a design that could win any regatta in the world,” continues Wally’s managing director Stefano de Vivo. “We have cracked it at last.”

The first wallyrocket51 is in build at Wally’s new carbon fibre specialist facility within Ferretti’s gargantuan 70,000m2 yard in Ravenna. This includes two new ovens to cook yachts up to 50m. “No one else has this facility,” says Bassani.

Hulls will be built in pre-preg carbon with Corecell foam, while Nomex is used as the core for the deck. Wallyrockets will sport high modulus Southern Spars masts, Future Fibres AeroSix rigging, and carry 164m2 of upwind sail and over 360m2 downwind.

So what about the cost – the ‘less expensive’ part of the slogan? ”It costs around €2m to run a TP52,” Bassani estimates, “but you will be able to run this for less than a third of that.” He puts this largely down to TPs needing those extra crew numbers over a full season of events. And that Wally will have strict rules on expenditure, which a one-design format helps control.

They will offer their staff to look after the boats, so he sees some clients doing long charters too.

Wally has prided itself on being a market innovator, claiming it is ‘30 years old but 20 years ahead’. As an example, it cites the beach terrace concept Bassani came up with in the late 1990s and which is used by many new designs today.

So why now? Why try to top a class which is already 20 years old? Bassani says that there is a need for a new racing class, something exciting but smart and reasonable. While secondly, he adds that: “fast and easy was always Wally… and we need to go back to fast!”

Wally has a network of owners and knows what they are looking for. With its new WallyWhy power range as potential motherships, Bassani believes the wallyrocket51 will be the perfect complement for racing. “It’s more fun and much less expensive than a 40m performance cruising sailing yacht,” he says, adding that such a superyacht is three to four times the price of a 90ft WallyWhy 200.

The first two wallyrocket51s are slated to launch in the summer of 2024.

Wallyrocket51 specifications

LOA: 15.5m LWL: 14.68m Beam: 4.32m Light Displacement: 6,250kg Draught: 3.50m Water ballast: 550kg

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The Musings of a Hopeless Wanderer

Engaging in the eternal search for the meaning of life...or a good time.

• Netherlands

Monday, September 3, 2018

Tackling moscow by train and boat.

Our first full day in Moscow started fairly late since we were still catching up on sleep.  Around 1, we finally were able to get our act together and get out the door. 

We stopped by a cafe to get some breakfast and headed over to the Red Square.  Since the festival is going on, we had to go through metal detectors.  Once we cleared security, we reached the State Historical Museum which provided an entrance to the Red Square.

We walked the length of the Red Square, passing by the Kazan cathedral.

Under normal conditions, the Red Square is a large walking area with the State Historical Museum on one end and St. Basil's on the other end.  On the sides is the Kremlin wall on one side and then the GUM shopping mall and the Kazan cathedral on the other side.  Presently, the walking area has been considerably narrowed and the fesitval grounds occupying a large space between the Kremlin and the mall.

We even asked a stranger to take our picture!

After walking around the Red Square, we had to leave to meet up with our Metro Tour.  

Moscow has famously pretty metro stations so metro tours are quite popular.  We booked a relatively inexpensive tour through a tour group which met outside of the Red Square.

On our way, we passed by the Kremlin gardens and the tomb to the unknown soldier and the eternal flame.

We soon met up with our group which, fortunately, was only 5 people.  Our guide told us that we were going to visit 8 stations during the 1.5 hour tour.  

Honestly, a lot of the stations blended in to me so I won't be able to give you a detailed description of all of them.  However, I did learn that there are 222 metro stations and the trains come every 2-3 minutes reliably.  For that reason, Moscow > DC. 

One of the first metro stations we visited had bronze statues all over of various depictions.  Many of the statues had superstitions tied to them.  For example, for a statue of the dog, it's held that if you rub the nose of the dog, you'll have good luck.  Consequently, most of the statue is tarnished - except for the nose.  I joked to Tomas that they probably rotate the "good luck" portion of the statue to ensure the entire statue gets polished.

However, I do remember some of the stations.

Novoslobodskaya is a station adorned with stained glass on the walls.

There was also Belarusskaya, which paid tribute to Belarus.

Another station which name I cannot remember but had pretty mosaics in the ceilings.

My favorite station was Komsomolskaya.  It's the busiest station and a hub for other connecting trains.  It was built during Statlin times and he wanted the station to embody beauty to set a good first impression to Russia.

I'd seen pictures of it beforehand since it's the most famous but it's so much more impressive in person.

Look at these ceilings!

Overall it was a very interesting tour.  Not sure of any other city which could offer a metro tour.  DC certainly can't...

After the tour, we headed back of the hotel to rest for a bit.  We had purchased tickets to a tour hour boat down the Moscow river.  The tickets were good for any time on any day and the boats left every 20min.  We decided to knock the tour out that day and headed over to the pier.  

We arrived at the pier and saw a boat by the company we had purchased from boarding.  We approached and they shook their head and said it wasn't the right boat. 

So we waited for another boat.

Another boat came along by the same company we had purchased from so weapproached them.  Again - we were told it wasn't the right boat and the boat we were looking for was coming.  

A third boat came along which was NOT by the company we had purchased from.  By this point, it had been longer than 20min waiting and I was starting to suspect that the correct boat was actually one of the ones which turned us away.   We approached the 3rd boat to ask if they knew which boat we should be on.  However, when we approached,  they waved us aboard without scanning our tickets.

So, we boarded the 3rd boat....which was definitely not ours.

We settled into an upper deck, open air table to take in the views.

We passed by pretty buildings.

The somewhat impressive cathedral of Christ the Savior.

This random statue.

After about hour on the cruise, Tomas remarked that it had been about an hour so we should be turning around soon.  I reminded him that we actually had no idea how long this cruise was or where we would be dropped off.  Since we were on the wrong boat.

Fortunately, it did turn around and took us back to the pier.  

For dinner, we decided to go to this burger place, Black Star Burger, which our guide told us about.  Tomas really liked his - I thought mine was OK.  It was a decent size patty with a mountain of Cole slaw on top.  We've realized that apparently Russians dislike getting their hands dirty while eating so some restaurants will give out gloves to use.  This particular restaurant gave out black gloves.

Tomas modeling our dinner.

Since little mum has been asking about pictures which show my feet, I assume she wanted to see my new shoes.  I recently bought Allbirds which are suppose to be super comfortable walking shoes which you wear without socks and can be washed.  I didn't wear them too extensively beforehand, so that was probably my first error.  I also didn't bring another pair of good walking shoes,  which was likely my second error.  The Allbirds were great the first two days without socks.  Midway through the third day, my right foot was quite unhappy. Left foot was a trooper. So, now I have a bandaid on the heel of my right foot and wear socks.  

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