Introducing the new Figaro

New singlehanded offshore one design unveiled at Paris Boat Show

The French Figaro circuit is widely regarded as the place where budding singlehanded sailors get to cut their teeth prior to moving up into the bigger classes. It is here, sailing one designs that the only thing that matters are the multiple disciplines involved with racing offshore singlehanded be their boat for boat race tactics, weather forecasting, sleep management, etc.

For the last 11 years, the Figaro class has been sailing a fairly average 30ft one design Beneteau. These have lasted well, but have been feeling increasingly dated and so it is that for this coming season a new boat has been introduced in the form of a new Marc Lombard design - the Figaro Beneteau 2, built by the world's biggest production boat manufacturer, Beneteau.

The Daily Sail had a crawl around the new boat with Sam Davies, who plans to take part in the Figaro circuit this year.

The concept of the new Figaro is for a boat that is more modern than her predecessor, has better performance and is better for singlehanding, whilst also having the ability to be sailed comfortably with a full crewed. So in short, the boat is not nearly as radical as a Mini or an Open 60. As the photos show on the next pages the boat is a marked improvement on her predecessor with a more modern keel, twin rudders and many of go-faster features.

While some people expresed the opinion that the boat should have been more radical, Sam Davies says this doesn't bother her. "The whole style of the Figaro is that it is about tactics and navigational skill more than honing around on a fast boat out of control. If you have something too radical like an Open boat the boat handling is quite specific to that boat - you would have to spend a lot of hours learning to handle a boat like that. Then someone like Ado Stead can race against trimaran sailors and after a short space of time anyone can sail it because there is nothing radical and specific to that boat. So I think that’s good because it puts everyone up against each other in a fair situation."

The stern of the boat has more beam than the old boat making for a wide cockpit. There are twin helm positions to port and starboard with easy access to the mainsheet and with an autopilot head on each side. In the centre, beneath the tiller are the transfer and inlet valves for the water ballast.

A significant difference between the new and old boats is that the new Figaro has an electric pump to help transfer the 250lt of ballast. Previously you needed to have spent the winter pulling pints in the pub to handle the manual pump, although this was an integral part of the Figaro sailing experience.

All the lines are led aft from the mast to a bank of jammers and there is a spring boom support. A significant improvement is the carbon mast, which should help the righting moment of the boat. There are a few tweaky things such as a fine tune on the mainsheet and athwartship headsail sheet leads to alter the slot.

"Because it is a one design and not like a Mini where you can’t take all the weight out, you’ve got a boat where I reckon to sail fast you’ll have to do quite a lot of work on setting the rig up, sail shapes and trim," says Sam. "It will be interesting to see how quickly people get that sorted out."

There was some debate in the class about whether the new Figaro should have a conventional pole or a bowsprit arrangement like the Minis and Open 60s. In the end the former was chosen, although designer Marc Lombard hints that there is the possibility of this being changed in the future. Sam says this doesn't make much difference to her because of the amount of time she has spent on the bow of fully crewed boats.

Down below the boat at the show was unfinished. There is a shallow chart table behind the main bulkhead. In evidence was the NKE pilot - electronics from this French manufacturer is being fitted as standard. Forward of the main bulkhead is the sail bin.

The two pipecots are in the tunnels aft either side of the cockpit. Outboard of this on either side are the water ballast tanks. In the stern is the steering quadrant and the autopilot drive unit, along with the plumbing for the water ballast.

With the first race of the season in April, skippers are understandably jumping up and down to get hold of the new boat. The first are to be delivered at the end of January and priority is being given to those boats entering the first events of the season, the Tour de Bretagne and the Trophee Banque Populaire Europeenne two handed race down to Dakar in Senegal.

The new Figaro 2 is being sold in Europe by Beneteau agents and UK dealer Ancasta are selling it for £63,726 (ex VAT).

For photos of the new Figaro see the following pages...

Figaro 2003 Programme 6-13 April Tour de Bretagne St Malo- St Quay-, Perros Guirec, Brest, Port la Foret, Lorient, St Nazaire. 2 handed. 27 April Trophee Banque Populaire Europeenne, St Nazaire, Porto Santo Dakar. Organised by the same people as Transat AG2R. Restart 60 hours after the arrival of the first boat. 2 handed. 7-9 Fully crewed race - La Grande Motte 13-28 June Générali Méditerranée - singlehanded 28 July-23 August - La Solitaire du Figaro - singlehanded 18-28 September La Route du Ponant St Gilles Croix de Vie/Perros-Guirec (singlehanded) 3-5 October - fully crewed race Douarnenez