Sea, Sail & Surf news
Launching
Mike Sanderson first sails new Kouyoumdjian’s Open 60
New Pindar monohull first sails in New Zealand • " first few days of testing have gone really well"
mardi 3 juillet 2007 –
At 60 foot long, with a 4.5 metre draft and over six metres wide, Pindar has a soaring wing mast which is able to rotate side to side, as well as being raked forward and aft using telescopic outriggers, enhancing her performance on all points of sail. Pindar’s towering mast allows her a much larger sail area than her predecessors, which together with advances in keel design promise to ensure that the new Pindar is far more powerful than either of Pindar’s two previous Open 60s. Pindar has an innovative hull shape incorporating deep chines into the back section of the boat, which afford greater power and stability when the boat is sailing heeled over.
Project managed by Tom Faire and built by TP Cookson’s boatyard in New Zealand over an eight month period, the hull was constructed from a carbon composite using a male mould. The design and build process amassed 25,000 man hours of building, with hundreds more spent in research and testing. The new Pindar comprises sails made by Hadleigh Prendergast at North Sails NZ, with her mast and rigging supplied by Southern Spars and Future Fibres.
Mike Sanderson, who skippered a Juan Kouyoumdjian designed Volvo 70 to victory in the recent Volvo Ocean Race, has been a key consultant throughout the project, overseeing the build from his home with Pindar’s Emma Sanderson (née Richards) in New Zealand over the winter. Sanderson, who was recently appointed Team Director of the British America’s Cup America's Cup #AmericasCup syndicate, TEAMORIGIN, was present in Auckland, New Zealand, for Pindar’s first sail.
Mike Sanderson : “The new Pindar Open 60 comprises many new technical developments which make this boat one of a new breed in the world of Open 60s. Combining lessons learnt from other boats and classes, in terms of sails, rigging, hull and keel design, we have created what I believe will be an absolute weapon. She’s very different to Pindar’s previous two Open 60’s, with an interesting transom design and a very different rig set up. The first few days of testing have gone really well, and I look forward to Pindar’s arrival in the UK when the team can tune her up for racing.”
Juan Kouyoumdjian : “This boat is a very powerful Open 60. With her telescoping outriggers she has an interesting rig concept as well as deep chines, which affect the boat’s performance dramatically when she is heeled. It has been exciting developing the new Pindar and I’m looking forward to seeing her out racing.”
Andrew Pindar, Chairman of the Pindar Group : “The Pindar team has been working really hard to get the boat ready and they have done a superb job. Mike Sanderson has taken the boat out in the Hauraki Gulf, off Auckland, with Brad Jackson, Mike Cookson and a talented array of America’s Cup America's Cup #AmericasCup and Volvo Ocean Race sailors. She’s an amazing boat and we look forward to seeing what she can do.”
A prominent supporter of international sailing, this is Pindar’s first ever new build racing yacht. Pindar’s Open 60 will be shipped to the UK later this week with the intention of competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race, before taking part in various other training events in the build up to the Transat Jacques Vabre Transat Jacques Vabre #TJV2015 this November. An official naming ceremony and UK launch will take place in the UK this summer.
Press info Pitch PR / www.pindar.com/teampindar
Pindar Group and sailing sponsoring
Pindar is a leading print and electronic media company who employ 2,000 people in three continents worldwide. The family-owned company was founded in 1836 in Scarborough, UK, where its head office remains today. Pindar has an enviable track record in sports sponsorship and successfully support a number of initiatives that focus on helping individuals realise their sporting potential. Ambassadors include record-breaking round-the-world yachtsman, Mike Sanderson, recently voted ISAF World Sailor of the Year, World Number One Match Racer Ian Williams, Emma Sanderson (née Richards) MBE, five times World Marathon Canoeing Champion Anna Hemmings and sailing prodigy, Hannah Mills.
Pindar’s Ocean Racing History :
Sept 1995 : Global Challenge 1995-1996, Pindar supported Challenge 67 ‘Concert’
Nov 1999 : Transat Jacques Vabre 1999, Emma Richards & Miranda Merron win Class 2 aboard (on Pete Goss’s ‘Aqua Quorum’)
June 2000 : Europe 1 New Man Star (Plymouth to Rhode Island, USA), Emma Richards wins single handed Class 2 (on Pete Goss’ ‘Aqua Quorum’)
August 2000 : Round Britain and Ireland Race, Emma Richards & Miranda Merron win 50 foot class (on Pete Goss’ ‘Aqua Quorum’)
Sept 2000 : Global Challenge 2000–2001, Pindar supported both Challenge 72s ‘Spirit of Hong Kong’ and winners ‘LG Flatron’
July 2001 : EDS Atlantic Challenge 2001, Helena Darvelid skippers an all female crew aboard Open 60 ‘AlphaGraphics’
Nov 2001 : Transat Jacques Vabre 2001, Emma Richards & Miki Von Koskull finish 9th, aboard 60 ft multihull ‘Pindar Systems’
Sept 2002 : Around Alone 2002-2003, Emma Richards becomes first British woman and youngest competitor aboard Open 60 ‘Pindar’ (formerly Josh Hall’s ‘Gartmore’)
October 2002 : Emma Richards becomes first woman ever to complete a single handed west to east crossing in a monohull aboard Open 60 ‘Pindar’ (formerly Josh Hall’s ‘Gartmore’)
June 2003 : Pindar purchase 18 month old Owen-Clarke design Open 60, formerly ‘Hexagon’ renamed ‘Pindar AlphaGraphics’. The yacht is campaigned over the following three years
Nov 2003 : Transat Jacques Vabre 2003, Emma Richards & Mike Sanderson
May 2004 : ’The Transat’ 2004, Mike Sanderson finishes 3rd overall
Sept 2004 : Global Challenge 2004-2005, ‘Pindar’ Challenge 72
August 2005 : Fastnet Race, 5th Open 60
August 2005 : Celebrity Pro-Am Round the Island Race, Cowes Week, 1st place
April 2006 : Guadeloupe – Antigua Race, 1st place
April 2006 : Rolex Antigua Sailing Week
June 2006 : Newport – Bermuda Race
April 2007 : Stanford Antigua Sailing Week – Pindar’s Volvo 60
July 2007 : Pindar’s first ever new build Open 60 is launched in New Zealand
Dans la même rubrique
Vendée Globe : Jonny Malbon’s news Rogers Design 60’ on construction
Velux 5 Oceans : Sir Robin Knox-Johnston finishes his last round the world race
Velux 5 Oceans : Historic double victory for Bernard Stamm
Velux 5 OCEANS : Leg 3 underway for last 4 solo global sailors
