New proposal from Beneteau for easier and more affordable yachting. Since the summer of 2013, everyone has been talking about the prototype of the new wing-sail and its testing. This could be the beginning of a new era in yachting.
Since 2007, Beneteau has been developing yachting for both new generations of yachtsmen and countries where sailing has been practiced since childhood. Many innovations of the Yacht of the Future program have already appeared.
The yacht of the future
The new Sense hull shape, which was later used on Oceanis yachts, significantly reduced roll and improved the ergonomics of the yacht’s exterior and interior. The comfort and safety on board have won the hearts of the public.
Beneteau’s exclusive Dock & Go system, which synchronizes sail drive and bow thruster, enables worry-free port maneuvers. Now even a child can moor a 50-foot yacht regardless of the wind and current.
Focused on simplication, many modern developments make yachting more accessible. Integration of GPS, navigation programs, automation of some maneuvers greatly simplify life for beginners of yachting and reduce the physical efforts of the team.
Following this philosophy, the new Wing Sail project involved significant human and technical resources. The developers, led by Bruno Belmont, Manager of the Yacht Strategic Division of the shipyard, were tasked with improving the sail and making it easier to use.
Fateful meeting
Crab Claw Sail, Junk, Kite or Wing Sail: The developers observed and analyzed existing studies of different types of sails. The original work was focused mainly on improving performance rather than making it easier to use, while Beneteau worked hard to reduce complexity and increase performance at the same time.
A meeting with Guy Beaup, an inventor from Grenoble, took place in the summer of 2012 and took the development of Beneteau to the next level. “When I need something, before asking where I can buy it, I try to figure out how I can do it myself” – this is how Guy answered the question of how most of his inventions appeared. When this 25-year-old newcomer to the world of yachting was about to take a trip by sea, he built his first yacht.
Several years later, he designed his second yacht for longer voyages with his family. Lack of yachting experience played into the hands of the inventor – he considered each question from scratch, with an unbiased look. As a result, he created the yacht Matin Bleu with a wing sail. After completing his 60,000-mile journey around the world, family yachting became a major innovation in yachting.
Beneteau immediately decides to buy out the patent for this sail and make its creator a partner at all stages of the prototype development. Collaboration with the sailing workshop Incidences added to the project development team.
The Sense 43, the youngest sister of Beneteau’s newest sailing yacht series, was the natural choice for the first trials. The yacht’s size and evolving rig philosophy were perfect for this task. The first launch last September was promising, but development of this level will require months of testing and work on the yacht plan. Our goal today is to equip certain Beneteau yachts within 18-24 months.
This fast-paced project will allow beginners to master yachting easier and with great pleasure. For 130 years, Beneteau shipyard has been developing new projects, making yachting available to the general public.
Chief Editor
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