The Volvo Ocean 65 Mapfre and Azzam at the start of the 2014–15 Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante in October 2014
Development
DesignerFarr Yacht Design
Boat
Draft4.78 m (15.7 ft)
Hull
LOA22.14 m (72.6 ft)
LWL20.00 m (65.62 ft)
Beam5.60 m (18.4 ft)
Rig

The Volvo Ocean 65 is a class of monohull racing yachts. It is the successor to the Volvo Open 70 yacht used in past editions of the Volvo Ocean Race. It was announced at a conference in Lorient, France, during a stopover in the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race. The yacht was used for the 2014–2015, the 2017–2018 and the 2023 editions. The 2014–2015 Volvo Ocean Race was the first one-design event.[1]

Design

The yacht was designed, by Farr Yacht Design, to be a cheaper and safer alternative to the expensive and fragile Volvo Open 70.

After many safety concerns in the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race, many began doubting the safety of the Volvo Open 70, due to many designers opting for fast designs while failing to meet safety requirements.[2][3] Former Volvo Ocean Race CEO, and four time competitor Knut Frostad hinted at a new boat design to address the current safety concerns in a statement he made during a press conference on April 4, 2012 stating: "It's important that we don't leap to any conclusions about why these breakages have happened. Some of them are clearly not related. However, we will take the current issues into account as we make decisions on rules and technology we will be using in the future." Frostad also went on to say "We have already put in a lot of work, discussing with teams, designers and all other stakeholders about the boats and the rules we will use in the future, and we expect to be in a position to announce a decision on that before the end of the current race."[4]

On June 28, 2012, Knut Frostad revealed the design at a press conference in Lorient during a stopover in the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race. In becoming a one-design event, the new boats are hoped to "significantly reduce the cost of mounting a campaign and bring the size of the fleet to 8–10 boats for future editions."[1] Frostad went on to state an entire campaign for future editions of the race would be around €15 million, and a "ready to sail" boat, including pre-race and race sails would be around €4.5 million in comparison to the €30–40 million region a current campaign can fall into.[5]

Construction

It takes 7 months and 36000 man hours to build, assemble, and paint a Volvo Ocean 65. There are 120 boatbuilders who work with 70 suppliers to outfit the boat.[6]

Yachts

There are currently eight Volvo Ocean 65's. They have all been brought to the same standard between the 2014–2015 and the 2017–2018 race at an estimated upgrade cost in the €1 million range.[7]

Volvo Ocean 65's and teams
Yacht MMSI[8] 2014–2015 Team 2017–2018 Team 2021 Team* 2023 Team
224530860 Spain Mapfre Spain Mapfre Poland Sailing Poland Poland WindWhisper Racing Team
470437000 United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Hong Kong Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag Mexico Viva México Mexico Viva México
235101548 Sweden Team SCA Lithuania Ambersail II Lithuania Ambersail II
319081500 Denmark Team Vestas Wind United Nations Turn the Tide on Plastic
319060300 China Dongfeng Race Team China Dongfeng Race Team Portugal Mirpuri Foundation Racing Portugal Mirpuri Foundation Racing
244780246 Netherlands Team Brunel Netherlands Team Brunel Netherlands Team Childhood I Netherlands Team JAJO
367616310 United StatesTurkey Team Alvimedica DenmarkUnited States Vestas 11th Hour Racing Austria Austrian Ocean Racing AustriaItaly Austrian Ocean Racing p/b Team Genova
319119500 N/A (built new for 2017) Netherlands Team AkzoNobel[9][10][11]

*The Ocean Race Europe

Changes for 2017–2018 race

The yachts featured a 500W Watt & Sea hydrogenerator to reduce emissions and wear on the Volvo Penta Marine engine.[12][13][14]

Partners and equipment

Suppliers and Equipment
SupplierEquipment
North Sails.[15]Sails
Southern Spars[16]Mast
Future Fibres Rigging Systems [17]ECsix carbon rigging
Future Fibres Rigging Systems [18]TorqueLite 2.0 Furling cables
North Technology Group [19]Forestays in the removable furling sail
Inmarsat [20]data and voice transmission equipment
Gottifredi Maffioli[21]3000 meters of running rigging
Equiplite[22]Main halyard block, barberhaul blocks, and lead blocks
Mastervolt[23]alternators, regulators, batteries, chargers and power management systems
Diverse Yacht Services[23]system integrator for electrical systems
Cariboni [24]Keel Canting mechanisms and keel bearings
Harken[24]Winch systems
Iron Brothers[24]Keel and bulb
Volvo Penta Marine Engines[25]75 horsepower Volvo Penta D2-75
KZ Racefurlers[26]furlers
Spinlock [27]Clutches and jammers
Watt & Sea Hydrogenerator

Specifications

Features[28]Measurements / Notes
Hull length20.37 m (defined as 66 ft)
Length waterline (design)20.00 m (defined as 65 ft)
Length overall (incl. bowsprit)22.14 m (defined as 72 ft)
Hull beam5.60 m (18.4 ft)
Max draft4.78 m (15.8 ft)
Boat weight (empty)12,500 kg (27,557 lb)
Keel arrangementCanting keel to ±40° with 5° of incline at axis
DaggerboardsTwin, reversible, retracting asymmetric daggerboards
RuddersTwin under hull with spare that may also be transom hung
Aft Water BallastTwin 800L ballast tanks under cockpit sides at transom
Forward Water BallastSingle centerline 1000L ballast tank forward of mast
Rig Height30.30 m (99.4 ft)
Rig ArrangementDeck stepped, twin backstays with deflectors
Bowsprit Length2.14 m (7 ft)
Mainsail Area163 m2 (3 reefing points, 6 battens)
Working Headsail (J1) Area133 m2 (Fixed with hanks on the permanent forestay; horizontal battens)
Upwind Sail Area296–451 m2 (Mainsail and Jib 1 or Masthead Code 0, plus Jib 2 or Jib 3)
Downwind Sail Area578+ m2 (Mainsail and A3 gennaker, additional staysails are permitted)

Comparison to Volvo Open 70

Features[29]Ocean 65Volvo Open 70
Length19.80 m (65 ft)/20.37 (66 ft)21.50 m (70.5 ft)
Beam5.60 m5.70 m
Max Draft4.78 m4.50 m
Boat Weight12,500 kg14,000 kg
Righting moment (RM 25) including stacking and Water Ballast33,000 kg/m40,000 kg/m
Cant Angle40°40°
Rig Height30.30 m (99.4 ft)31.50 m (103.3 ft)
Freeboard at Mast1.72 m1.60 m
Mainsail Area151 m2175 m2
Working Headsail Area135 m2 (J1)200 m2 (G1)
Bowsprit length2.15 m (7 ft)1.82 m (6 ft)
Number of sails (including storm sails)710
Water Ballast1x1000L (Centerline, Fwd) 2x800L (Aft Wing Tanks)1x1600L (Centerline, Aft)

Reception

After unveiling the boat design, the reception was mostly positive.

Positive

Former competitor and skipper, Grant Dalton stated the new design "attacks the single problem that surrounds our sport at the moment, and that is ridiculous cost."[1]

Negative

The most negative feedback to the announcement of a one-design came from yacht designer Juan Kouyoumdjian whose designs had won the previous three editions of the race (2005–06, 2008–09 and 2011–12).[30] He stated his disapproval of the Volvo Ocean Race becoming a one-design event. Juan addressed the main issue of Volvo Open 70's being expensive stating that he could "definitely confirm" the boats he designed fell into the €5 million range, and that despite trying to make the race more accessible to sponsors and more of a testament to a sailors skill, rather than budget, "the richest will always win." Despite his criticism, he also went on to confirm that in the event that the Volvo Ocean Race became a one-design event, he had already been approached to optimize the Volvo 65 design for a "potential future team."[31]

Further information

Class Rules and Specifications.[32]

Refit Scope for 2017.[33]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Volvo Ocean 65.
  1. 1 2 3 "Volvo Ocean Race Official Website: "Volvo Ocean Race to enter new era with 65-foot one-design"".
  2. ↑ "Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Official Website: "ABU DHABI TO HOLD OFF, AVOID BOAT-BREAKING CONDITIONS"".
  3. ↑ "Volvo Ocean Race Official Website: "Team Sanya to ship to Miami as fastest route back into race"". Archived from the original on 2012-05-22.
  4. ↑ "Volvo Ocean Race Official Website: "Volvo Ocean Race CEO expresses concern at breakages"".
  5. ↑ "The Daily Sail: "Introducing the Volvo 65 one design"".
  6. ↑ ""Volvo Ocean 65 by the numbers"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-07.
  7. ↑ "AkzoNobel to race brand new VOR 65 in Volvo Ocean Race 2017–18 – MySailing.com.au". Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  8. ↑ "Free AIS Ship Tracking of Marine Traffic – VesselFinder". vesselfinder.com. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  9. ↑ Race, Volvo Ocean. "Simeon Tienpont". Volvo Ocean Race. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  10. ↑ Volvo Ocean Race (2017-03-08), Team AkzoNobel to race in brand new boat in 2017–18 | Volvo Ocean Race, retrieved 2017-03-08
  11. ↑ "New One-Design for the Volvo Ocean Race". www.sailingworld.com. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
  12. ↑ Race, Volvo Ocean. "Volvo Ocean 65s to feature new hydropower units as part of one million euro refit per boat". Volvo Ocean Race. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  13. ↑ "Wind, water and solar power: a revolution – Yachting World". Yachting World. 2015-07-15. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  14. ↑ "Matthew Sheahan". Yachting World. 1 Dec 2016. Retrieved 2023-04-04 – via PressReader.
  15. ↑ Race, Volvo Ocean. "The sails". Volvo Ocean Race. Retrieved 2017-02-02.
  16. ↑ Race, Volvo Ocean. "The rigs". Volvo Ocean Race. Retrieved 2017-02-02.
  17. ↑ "Volvo 65: Identical and optimal composite spars and rigging". Retrieved 2017-02-02.
  18. ↑ "Volvo ocena race selects TorqueLite2.0 for 2017–18 edition". 30 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  19. ↑ Dawson, Donna. "Volvo 65: Identical and optimal composite spars and rigging". www.compositesworld.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "Our Race Technology • the Volvo Ocean Race". Archived from the original on 2017-02-04. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  21. ↑ "Volvo Ocean Race boats hit new peaks with Gottifredi Maffioli running rigging" (PDF). www.gottifredimaffioli.com. November 18, 2014.
  22. ↑ Equiplite. "EQUIPLITE | One Design Volvo Ocean 65". equiplite.eu. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  23. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-02-04. Retrieved 2017-06-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. 1 2 3 "Login Required". www.sname.org. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  25. ↑ "Volvo Penta – On land and at sea". volvopenta.us. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  26. ↑ "KZ Racefurlers announced as official supplier to Volvo Ocean Race 2017–2018". KZ Marine Group. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  27. ↑ "Remote Operation Clutches & Jammers – Hardware Support – Support". www.spinlock.co.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  28. ↑ "New specifications on Volvo Ocean Race's website". Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  29. ↑ "Volvo Ocean 65 Features" (PDF).
  30. ↑ "Groupama in the Volvo Ocean Race Official Website: "Juan Kouyoumdjian, the architect of Groupama 4 within Groupama sailing team"". Archived from the original on 2013-01-18.
  31. ↑ "Juan Kouyoumdjian talks to VSail.info about the Volvo Ocean Race (Part I)". VSail.info. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  32. ↑ "Volvo Ocean 65 Class Rules" (PDF). 3 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  33. ↑ "Volvo Ocean 65 Scope of Works" (PDF). 3 February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
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