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The Boat |
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Length overall
Beam
Draft
Displacement
Upwind sail area
Downwind sail area
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50' / 15.24m
15' / 4.6m
13'5" / 4.1m
13,000 lbs./ 5900kg
1,900 sq'/ 177m'
3,500 sq'/ 325 m'
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Design
Engineering
Build
Project management
Sails
Mast
Deck hardware
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Owen Clarke Design
SP Engineering
McConaghy Boats
Alan Nebauer/Owen Clarke Design
Quantum New Zealand
Carbontech
Harken and Spinlock
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Work on Kip's Open 50 Artforms began in 1999 with a four-month preliminary design and concept study that produced sufficient information to send a tender package to a series of yards, sparmakers and sailmakers worldwide. The bid was won by Sydney's famous builders, McConaghy Boats in March 2000.
Design choices. All project choices are driven by different criteria, normally a combination of cost, time and experience. In this case we had all the time in the world, a good but not exhaustive budget, and an experienced sailor, but one with no previous single-handed experience. Kip wanted the best possible platform on which to sail on, as he would be keeping the boat for a considerable time.
The hull and basic yacht characteristics are not something that can be changed easily, whereas the rig can be upgraded over time. The choice on the rig has been to build a conservative classic carbon spar with composite stays, rigged with rod rigging V's and D's for initial longevity and cost effectiveness. This builds in security and allows the option to later upgrade to PBO or change the rig to extend its racing life.
Construction. Construction began in 2002 when a build slot materialised at McConaghy Boats. The yacht was on a slow build with a team from the yard, and was worked in around the larger maxi sleds. The result has been ample time for Owen Clarke to design features from testing and development of her larger Open 60 cousins, and has resulted in a standard of finish and level of detail rarely seen in open class.
Project management. Alan Nebauer was hired by Owen Clarke to manage the build on behalf of the client. Alan, a boat builder, is better known in Australia for his participation in the 94/95 BOC race (Newcastle Australia) and his project management of the same boat in the 98/99 Around Alone (as Balance Bar) after he'd sold her to Brad Van Lieu.
Materials and moulds. Artforms is constructed from SP Prepreg Carbon and a Nomex honeycomb sandwich. The hull and deck were laid up in split centreline female moulds to save weight, and the utilisation of custom wood and small tooling were used throughout for the same purpose. Bow pole, rudder and dagger board stocks were built in female moulds with internal pressure bags to save weight by improved fibre consolidation and void content.
Hull. Devotees of the Open 60s will recognise much of that class in Artforms. She is relatively wide beamed as yachts go and her stern shape is characterised by that beam being carried almost all the way aft.
Bowsprit. From the bow there is a 6' bowsprit on which spinnakers and code sails are flown. This bowsprit is capable of being canted either side for off-wind running conditions.
Canting keel. The main canting device is the now standard open class canting keel that can be rotated to windward. In this case it is a fabricated steel fin and lead bulb moved by a single hydraulic ram. When sailing upwind the hydrodynamic side force normally created by that keel is instead developed by the lowering of one of two (port and starboard) asymmetric daggerboards.
Rigging. The mast has been built by Carbontech in Australia and is a two spreader masthead configuration with a genoa, solent and staysail capable of being flown on separate stays. This fore and aft rigging is PBO and manufactured by Future Fibres.
Cockpit. The cockpit is noticeable for its trench rather than enclosed style and twin tillers. Much debate went into both choices; it was felt that at 50' tillers were a cost- effective and light solution to a yacht which would spend a great deal of time on autopilot. Artforms isn't designed just to sail single-handed, and the additional space afforded by the trench cockpit will make her easier and more pleasant to sail in the fully crewed environment. A powerful winch package specified by Harken US is aimed at making Kip's life easier during manoeuvres and reefing.
Below deck. Down below the front of the boat is empty except for the standard forward ballast tanks just in front of the mast in the sail compartment. Moving aft, space is considerably more confined than in the 60' class with the living compartment measuring just 6'6" long by 13" wide. In this cramped space is fitted two pipe cots, a day berth/chart table seat, chart table and simple galley with a single burner stove. The chart area sits atop the systems compartment that contains the 27 hp main engine, hydraulic and electrical systems. The level of detailing and the standard of finish is reflected in McConaghy's reputation for producing light but stylish racing machines.
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