TOFINOU 9.7

The latest daysailer from this well-known French yard updates the concept of the hugely popular Tofinou 8 with a more spacious, modern design, while retaining the brand’s key attributes and jaw-dropping style.

Foam sandwich construction – a first for the company – means this boat is the same weight as its smaller stablemate, despite an extra 1.1m of overall length and 0.5m of beam.

As a result ,when reaching it starts to lift up on the plane in only 12 knots of true wind and the prototype has notched up 17.5 knots boat speed in 20 knots of breeze.

However, the design also recognises great sailing is often found in gentle conditions. The rig is sized for the boat to reach under Code 0 at the same speed as the true wind in breezes from 5-10 knots.

Compared to the Tofinou 8 the extra size makes for a more flexible vessel that can be sailed alone, cruised for weekends away, or raced with a crew of five. Swing, vertically lifting and fixed fin keels are offered, with the latter having a deep single rudder in place of the twin rudders of the other versions.

Price €120,000 ex VAT. www.tofinou.com