Sweet… TFV 940

Här har vi en utmanare om att ta platsen efter Mumm 30 i Tour de France à la Voile. Tidigare har vi spanat på JPK 998. Den här gången är ett samarbetsprojekt mellan FoX Technology (FoX 9.50) and Pauger Carbon (RC44).

9.40 x 2.99 x 2.10 m
Displacement: 2300 kg, ballast: 1200 kg
Mainsail: 36.80 m² + genoa: 27.80 m² + spi max: 110 m²

FoX Technology and Pauger Carbon are delighted to present their joint proposal for the replacement of the M30 as official one design of the Tour de France à la Voile, the TFV 940

For the first time of its history this one of a kind race, which is one of the leading European keelboat racing events, is taking the opportunity to develop its own one design, ideally and specifically developed for the demands of the race. This is not a modernized version of an existing design but a truly and genuine new boat designed for the very specific brief edited by the organization and the competitors. The boat needs to combine light weight and steering finesse to reward the most demanding skippers, together with power and volume for the offshore reaching legs.

FoX Technology and Pauger Carbon have decided to hit strongly with a boat making extensive use of carbon composites. Using the experience of Pauger Carbon with light weight, high performance carbon boats such as the RC 44, the team has designed a boat whose composite structure is made of carbon pre-preg reinforcement at more than 80% while still meeting the maximum price limit!

Refraining from increasing length and draft as an easy way to boost the performances, the team has worked hard to preserve moderate dimensions in order to guarantee the versatility on the water and transportation on land. The structure being therefore stronger and lighter thanks to the use of carbon reinforcements, it has been possible to increase the ballast ratio in order to deliver sparkling performances at every point of sail. Light wind pace is thus also guaranteed, as requested by the brief, in spite of an added boat weight due to increased pieces of equipment.

The boat indeed features some dedicated and sealable storage for the safety equipment and anchor, as well as for the liferaft (accessible from outside). A 20 Hp engine was also selected in order to provide decent delivery speed on the windless offshore legs. The interior features a larger and uncluttered volume to ease sail handling and gear stacking, as well as a pipecot on each side.

On deck, the cockpit sized for a crew of 6 features a standard gear package with the main track and main trimmer now sitting behind the helmsman. The hull shapes that features a chine at the stern to boost the power also achieves near to maximum beam from the shroud chainplates all the way to the transom, to provide efficient hiking at every point of sail. The rig is a simple 2 spreader carbon mast with a 2m bowsprit for the large asymmetric spinnaker. The masthead also features and extended backstay crane, to allow for a larger main roach.

The one-design nature of the boats will be guaranteed by the extensive use of pre impregnated reinforcement and female tooling produced from CNC cut plugs, as well as from the successful experience that Pauger has enjoyed with the production of the RC 44.

All in all, the team believes they are presenting an attractive alternative, with a fast, elegant and easily transportable design involving the best today’s technology.