2022 Farr X2 hull No.1 hits the water

The Farr X2 is a collaboration between Sydney-based Vicsails and Farr Yacht Design. It has launched as a complete step-aboard package costing $US230,000 ($A323,000) that comes ready to race with all sails and instruments included – the only thing the new owner needs to organise is safety gear.

Primarily set up for two-handed racing with IRC and ORC ratings, and without the compromise of also having to double as a cruiser, Vicsail’s David Sampson says the boat will also be suited to club racing with more crew on board.

“We wanted to build something that was a club sailer with six to eight crew on board but also had the ability to sail with just two people in the Sydney Hobart race,” Sampson said.

“What we’ve done is we’ve tried to make a smaller boat that remains competitive against the bigger boats.”

Hull No.1, named Nexba, will campaign the 2022 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race skippered by 26-year-old Alice Tarnawski and aims to become the first-ever women’s two-handed entry in the race.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia board recently approved two-handed boats’ access to some of Australian ocean racing’s most prestigious trophies including the George Adams Tattersall Cup (awarded to the overall winner of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race), the John H. Illingworth Challenge Cup (awarded to the line honours winner of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race), and lead-up events including the Peter Rysdyk Trophy (awarded to the overall winner of the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race) and the Blue Water Pointscore race series.

The short-handed boats were added to the race last year, with the Marc Lombard-designed 12-metre skiff Sidewinder, skippered by Rob Gough, taking out the first-ever line honours for the category.

The category should help build the entry list for the classic 623-nautical-mile passage race down Australia's south-east coastline - vital considering the larger boats such as the TP52s that tend to hog the media limelight - and with around a dozen crew each, all the talent - needed to enter the event.

The Farr X2 is built as a racing boat, with attention given to durability. For instance, either or both of the twin rudders will kick up of the boat hits an unidentified floating object, and can be re-deployed by inserting a new sacrificial pin that is used to keep them down.

Vicsail said it was happy with the initial shake-down run on Sydney Harbour this week.

“We finally enjoyed the first sail to test systems and operation,” it said. “With the sleek shiny hull, large sail plan and stunning North Sails on show, Nexba turned heads along the way. 

“The feeling out on the water and back at the dock afterwards was exhilarating.”

Vicsail has already sold eight of the first 20 Farr X2s it plans to build in its initial run to a mix of Australian, European and North American customers who see the benefit of a dedicated racing yacht.

Once built, Farr X2 hull No.2 will also compete in the upcoming Pacific Cup passage race from San Francisco Bay on the US west coast to Hawaii.

The first European boat is expected to arrive in time for the British summer.