The six big changes to 'Wild Oats XI'
The modifications of Sydney-Hobart favourite 'Wild Oats XI' in a nutshellWhen the new redesign of the famous Sydney-Hobart supermaxi Wild Oats XI was finalised earlier this year, before she splashed in December 2015, there were six significant changes planned.
Here's what the revamped super-maxi underwent during her recent surgery and the mods to her sail area, rig and so on:
>>
The section of the hull forward of the mast would become more
streamlined and provide additional buoyancy. This feature would greatly
reduce the tendency to nose-dive, so the yacht could then be driven
downwind faster and more safely in strong winds. It would also present
the opportunity to increase the sail area (horsepower) and make the
sail-plan more efficient.
>> Upwind speed in light winds
(up to eight knots) would improve as a considerably larger headsail (a
J1) could be set. The new sail measures in at 280sq metres – 20sq metres
larger than a doubles tennis court, and 23% larger than the existing
J1!
>> The bowsprit was redesigned to be significantly
longer than its predecessor. This meant the spinnakers being carried
downwind would be more efficient, and therefore provide more
drag-reducing lift.
>> The longer bowsprit would also
allow for the largest spinnaker to be increased in area by 120 square
metres to 965 square metres. Its total area is now greater than the wing
area of an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft!
>> The DSS
(Dynamic Stability System) hydrofoil wing has been modified to provide
more lift forward and contribute to a reduction in hull drag. This will
also result in an increase in speed when sailing downwind. New, deeper,
daggerboards have also been fitted.
>> Through the removal
of some old non-structural internal components from the hull, and the
use of the most modern materials, the new-look Wild Oats XI hull
is more than 500 kilograms lighter. An additional 300 kilograms has been
saved through the use of new, ultra-light cloth for the manufacture of
the new sails. This fabric is the same as that being used in the
construction of some components for the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft.
Wild Oats XI
is recognised as the most successful yacht in the 71-year history of
the Rolex Sydney Hobart race, but this year she is likely to face her
stiffest competition since being launched in 2005. For example, Jim
Clark’s Comanche set a 24-hour monohull sailing distance record
of 621 nautical miles during the recent Trans-Atlantic race. The
distance covered was just seven nautical miles shy of the total course
length for the Hobart race.
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