Swan’s one-design Club gets bigger

This 80ft Juan K-designed red missile is the latest in Nautor’s Swan’s burgeoning Clubswan one-design range, and plugs the gap between its popular CS50, the foil-assisted CS36 and the spectacular CS125 currently in build. Another ambitious and innovative project from the Finnish brand, the CS80 is aimed at becoming the ultimate in owner-driver one-design racing.

Nautor’s group vice-president Enrico Chieffi said they wanted to “introduce a new concept into the world of Maxis and invigorate owner participation on an international level.” An expert team has been assembled for the project, which includes Pure Design’s Giovanni Belgrano on the engineering and Nauta Design for the interior, while the builds have been subcontracted to raceboat specialists Persico Marine in Nembro.

This 80-footer shares styling and shape similarities to the CS36 and CS125 and again includes a distinctive C-shape foil. This foil rotates out to either side to act like a set of curved daggerboards – sailing the CS36 we found it reduces leeway upwind and adds righting moment/power downwind.

The CS80 will be capable of setting 440m2 of sail upwind which, considering its projected displacement of just 18.2 tonnes, should ensure a high adrenaline ride. A canting keel, which also lifts to reduce draught from 6.3m to 4.5m, will doubtless pose a technical challenge for the build team, along with a retractable bowsprit, retractable drive system and internal spinnaker retrieval system. The first CS80 is in build and Nautor’s aim is to have three on the startline of the Maxi

Rolex Cup in 2022.