COMPETITION YACHT
 The
Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America Open-50 racing yacht is designed for fast,
rough, hard sailing. It is the most powerful open-class yacht
ever designed by famed French naval architect, Jean-Marie
Finot. Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America is a lightweight speed machine custom-built
using the most modern boat building techniques. It sports
a canting keel, dagger boards, fore and aft water ballast
and a carbon fiber mast. The yacht has reached speeds of more
than 30 knots and covered 333.2 miles in a 24-hour solo run,
considered to be the fastest ever aboard an Open-50 monohull.
Taking into account the ferocious Southern Ocean and the
intricacies of various weather patterns, safety is a primary
objective aboard the Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America yacht. IMOCA, the governing
organization for open-class racing, has established new rules
for positive righting moment to protect competitors from any
possible stable capsize.
Brad Van Liew knows the extreme performance
ability of his new Open-50 yacht all too well. Among the many
impressive performances during the last Around Alone race,
was the duel for 2nd place between Van Liew aboard Balance
Bar and Mike Garside aboard
Magellan Alpha. The fantastic battle between these two competitors
resulted in an enduring friendship. After finishing a heroic
3rd place in the Around Alone 1998-99 event, Van Liew sold
his boat and later decided to set his sights on a 1st place
victory. He looked to his old rival Garside for the vehicle
to win. The Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America team has purchased Garside's Open-50
for the Around Alone competition of 2002-2003.
The Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America team will perform a complete refit and
optimization of the Open-50 yacht at Chaleston Boatworks,
in preparation for Around Alone 2002-2003. Weight control
being a crucial aspect of the competition yacht, all materials
will be highly scrutinized to ensure the most competitive
results. You can follow the progress of Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America's
Open-50 online here or through our monthly newsletter. Sign
up here!
BOAT SPECS:
- Length:
50 feet
- Width:
16.24 feet
- Draft:
13.52 feet
- Displacement:
11,464 pounds
- Mast:
72.83 feet, fixed
- Designer:
Groupe Finot
- Material:
Carbon / Nomex 120
- Builder:
JMV industries
HULL
The hull is moderate in its proportions with high freeboard
at the bow to prevent the boat from digging its bow in when
surfing the waves of the Southern Ocean. The hull is preimpregnated
carbon cooked at 120° Celsius with the bottom in monolithic
construction with longitudinal ribs for re-enforcement. The
topsides and deck are carbon nomex sandwich. The hull remains
well balanced with heel and is designed to be easily driven
by autopilot.
KEEL
The keel is canting. This is done with 2 large hydraulic rams.
In normal conditions, the maximum angle of the keel is 35°.
In the exceptional condition of a rollover, the angle of the
keel is 45°, which will roll the boat upright if inverted.
Water ballasts particularly at the stern complete the stability
of the boat, in order to provide better stability while reaching.
ORIGINAL DESIGNER
The original designer of Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America's Open-50, Groupe
Finot , is the dominant design firm of shorthanded boats
in the modern era. Finot's success is based on finding the
right balance between speed and durability and this is the
product of intelligent development, not luck. Finot recognizes
the hidden dangers of these yachts including their immense
speed, fatigue levels during competition and the various obstacles
in the ocean that may appear while racing. Ultimately, Jean-Marie
Finot feels there is an absolute Limit of Positive Stability
(LPS). He leaves room for designers to present their own solutions,
but in matters of structure he is clear; few have the experience
and the data to understand what is demanded of these boats.
This alone makes his commitment to safety a priority while
designing these remarkable machines.
ONGOING DESIGN TEAM
Alan Andrews Yacht Design
plays a crucial role in the optimization of Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America's
Open-50 yacht. The yacht was originally built in 1998, which
leaves four years of design development to be considered in
preparing the racing yacht for Around Alone 2002-2003. IMOCA,
the governing body for open-class racing, has implemented
new rules of stability and performance, which call for a comprehensive
review of the yacht design and adaptations to configuration.
Brad will take advantage of Andrews' research in Open Boats
to improve the Open-50's performance. Alan and his team will
be hands-on team members throughout the race, making sure
the Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America yacht is powerful and safe. The wining
experience of Alan Andrews will provide Brad with a competitive
advantage on the racecourse.
OPEN-CLASS YACHT RACING
Open class yacht racing revolves around the principle of freedom.
There are few inhibiting regulations, allowing teams to explore
design innovations. Many such discoveries have been popularized
in the recreational boating environment, such as furling units
and auto pilot development.
International Monohull Open
Class Association (IMOCA) is the governing body for the
Open-50 and Open-60 racing circuit. A schedule of the world's
toughest offshore events determines a world champion each
year in the series, currently sponsored by Mutuelles du Mans
Assurances (MMA).
The Around Alone yacht race is the only solo round-the-world
event that incorporates the U.S. market. In fact, the Around
Alone event was conceived by a small group of friends in a
Newport, Rhode Island pub some 20 years ago. Since then, it
has flourished into a major international sporting event attracting
the best offshore sailors in the world and the international
media. Learn more about the Around Alone race… Click
here!
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