Javi Cela, the designer of Ginkgo Too, has introduced a new Six Metre design, so we asked him to tell us more:

The new Six Metre design was a development of some theory tested originally on Ginkgo Too.

Based on the evolution of the rating rule (Seaworthiness, the forgotten factor by CA Marchaj, and The six metre-100 years of Racing by Pekka Barck and Tim Street) I made a research on the “d” penalty to shape a lighter boat.

When starting this new design, in adition to the light displacement, I was looking for a different boat handling (more maneuverable, quick tacks, more settings), a very technical sportboat which can easily reach speeds above 10kt, atracting young sailors from other classes. Unsinkable, trailarable with a car, no runners and many more posible gears (code zero, genoa, jib, spi, gennaker).

The Six Metre history has been close to the 12 Metre class from 1958 to 1988, in fact the Six Metre was a bench test for some designs, but the scale factor has induced errors sometimes.

Some interest books were analysed for information (The 12 Metre Class by Luigi Lang & Dyer Jones, and the Comeback, my race for the Americas Cup by Dennis Conner, The Grand Gesture by Roger Vaughan, and some more).

When reviewing all 12 Metre designs, Ted Hood’s approach to designing Nefertiti (US 19) got my interest (Ted Hood, Through Hand and Eye, by Ted Hood and Michael Levitt).

She performed very well against the older 12 Metre boats, Columbia (US 16), designed by Olin Stephens, Weatherly (US 17), designed by Philip Rhodes and modified in 1962 by A.E. “Bill” Luders, and Easterner (US 18), designed by C. Raymond Hunt.   

Hood produced a yacht with greater beam and less displacement. His idea was to build a yacht that was a platform to optimise the sail plan.

In this case, the size of the Six Metre allows the boat sailing in semiplaning condition at certain windspeeds, while the wetted surface reduction is beneficial in light wind condition.

Therefore the midwinds have to be worked to make her an all round competitive boat.

A massive study was made on the mast with the help of Chriss Mitchel and the sailplan was developed by Henrik Soderlund with the help of Albert Swaizwer.

To the date the boat has been sailed only a few days and the targets are very promising.

To find out more about this new design contact Javi on celajavi@hotmail.com