Design & construction

Her hull is vacuum infused and foam cored, with solid laminate around the keel and saildrive. Carbon fibre is used in the grid system beneath the floor. This helps spread the load from the keel and keelstepped mast, and increases the rigidity of the hull. The standard keel (tested) is T-shaped and cast iron with a draught of 2.15m (7ft 1in), the performance T-keel has a lead bulb on a cast iron fin and a draught of 2.38m (7ft 10in). kit into the void of the coaming above can hold quite a bit, although personally I like a deep locker to keep all the cruising clobber together and lock an outboard away out of sight of prying eyes.

Genoa and mainsheet winches are Lewmar 50ST on this boat, size 40 and 45 are standard. Lewmar 45ST Race winches sit either side on the companionway to control the under deck halyards.

Instrument pods form back rests for those sitting nearest the helm. While the mainsheet track is recessed the lines to haul the traveller aren’t.

Outboard the cockpit combing offers a comfortable angle to sit on even while the boat is level; a cut-out at the inboard edge of the cockpit seating provides bracing for feet. Going forward the deck is clear, thanks to the genoa tracks alongside the

The distinctly wedge-shaped cockpit is wide, but has good handholds for moving around

The instrument pods are just forward of the helm and mainsheet winches are to hand

The traveller track itself is recessed but the control lines could trip any unwary crew