The new Formula 40?

RMW Marine introduce a new 40ft one design catamaran

RMW Marine will be looking after the construction at their facility in Devon. Female moulds will be used in the construction which will be in carbon fibre with high density foam core and epoxy resin - this includes not just the hulls but the crossbeams, bulkheads and ring frames. The displacement is anticipated to be 1,200kg - so significantly lighter than a Formula 40 cat which had to be built to a minimum weight limit of 1,800kg.

Design-wise there is little radical about the boat. Fundamentally it is a scaled up Formula 18. It has two hulls connected by twin crossbeams. The forward crossbeam is used to step the 18.6m tall tapered rotating carbon fibre aerofoil-section mast, also built by RMW Marine. Protruding forward from the maststep is a 8m long carbon fibre bowsprit to carry the tack of the upwind and downwind headsails.

In terms of foils there are conventional daggerboards. These are asymmetric, but designed so that they can be inverted in case of collision damage. The rudders will be transom-hung and the only really novel part of the cat's design is that the rudders will have hydraulic-operated T-foils - technology from RMW Marine's involvement in the International 14 circuit (as well as being used on the 60ft trimarans). These should reduce pitching as well as helping to keep the transoms in the water when sailing downwind.

The sail wardrobe will comprise a 75sqm mainsail, 25sqm no1 genoa and 15sqm no2 genoa, all made in mylar with Kevlar reinforcing. There will also be a no1 ¾ oz spinnaker of 110sqm and a smaller 1.5oz no2 of 70sqm, both made in Dynalite. In comparision Formula 40s used to be allowed a maximum upwind sail area of 90sqm and 180sqm downwind.

Halyards will be a mix of Vectran and Spectra for light weight while the standing rigging will be Kevlar. The deck gear package will be by Harken with Spinlock clutches.

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