Ultimate Boat Company Reveal Plans for its Mixed Double-Handed Offshore Keelboat

11th May 2021

Afloat.ie Team

The new design keelboat will feature a scow bow

The new design keelboat from the Ultimate Boat Company will feature a scow bow

The Ultimate Boat Company is racing ahead with its revolutionary sustainable material, DANU, as the composite material of choice for its mixed double-handed offshore keelboat aimed at Paris 2024 Olympics.

DANU is the patented and recyclable composite material developed by The Ultimate Boat Company (UBC). Together, with a world-renowned team of naval architects, sailing world champions and elite offshore race winners they have developed the ‘Olympic 32’ sailing yacht for the inaugural double-handed offshore keelboat event. They remain optimistic that it will feature in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants sustainability to be a critical aspect of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be the first-ever carbon neutral games. World Sailing, the governing body of sailing sport worldwide, has led the way with its own Sustainability Agenda which will require 90% of the weight of an Olympic boat needs to be recyclable by 2028. If selected, UBC’s ‘Olympic 32’ sailing yacht will be the first composite racing yacht to achieve this stipulation – and it will do it in time for 2024.

UBC has partnered with the internationally renowned French design house, Finot-Conq Architectes, and with world-renowned offshore yachtsman, Mike Golding OBE on this exciting project. UBC, the UK start-up, has invested heavily in the development of its DANU composite material over the last few years to ensure that it can be incorporated into the yacht’s design and engineering ahead of its showcase on the world’s stage of Olympic Sailing.

The concept completely reimagines the standards for double-handed offshore yacht racing and superior performance through innovative design, naval architecture and UBC’s innovative DANU composite material, reinforcing its position as the ultimate low impact and circular boat manufacturer.

This keelboat will feature a scow bow, and David de Prémorel from Finot-Conq said, “This racing yacht has been specifically designed for the inaugural mixed double-handed offshore keelboat event at the Olympics. It has been developed to be super-fast upwind and downwind. Which will make this event as engaging and exciting for spectators to watch as it will be for the competitors to sail.”

Published in Mixed Offshore Keelboat, Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing

Published in Mixed Offshore Keelboat

Tagged under

Mixed offshore keelboat

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Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat

For the first time in sailing's Olympic history, a Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat event will be on the slate at the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition.

The Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat will join kiteboarding, windsurfing, multihulls, singlehanded and doublehanded dinghies and skiffs, promoting the diversity of the sport. This, in turn, will support World Sailing's desire to promote and grow universality in all disciplines and increase female participation with gender-equal medals and athletes.

Offshore sailing is the ultimate test of endurance, skill, discipline, navigation and critical decision making.

Embracing a major part of sailing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will enable new stars of the sport to come to the forefront.

Qualification

Offshore sailing is a universal discipline that every World Sailing Member National Authority (MNA) can participate in.

Up to 20 nations will be on the start line at Paris 2024 and sailors from every continent will be represented. To qualify for the Olympic Games, continental qualification events will be held and competition for a spot will be hotly contested.

Equipment

For qualification events, World Sailing will approve a list of one-design boats that are already regionally available and can be accessed as a charter boat. Boats will be equalised to ensure fair competition.

For Paris 2024, World Sailing's Council will select a list of different Equipment it considers to meet the key criteria by 31 December 2020 and then make a decision on the Equipment, selecting from the list, no later than 31 December 2023.

MNAs, Class Associations and Manufacturers have all been invited to propose Equipment for the list and a World Sailing Working Party will evaluate each proposal. A recommended list will be presented to Council for approval in November 2020.

This recommended Equipment list will ensure that event organisers, MNAs and the sailors have opportunities to train and compete in Equipment that is readily available and affordable within their continent and country. It will also ensure each MNA has a fair opportunity to prepare for qualification events and eventually, Paris 2024.

Format

Starting and finishing in Marseille, the Mixed Offshore event is expected to last for either three days and two nights or four days and three nights off the French coastline and whoever crosses the finish line first will be declared Olympic champion.

The race course and length will be announced in the lead up to the start so the competition can take advantage of the latest weather forecast. Current options proposed include long and short courses heading towards the West and East of France.

Safety and Security

The French Navy and Mediterranean forces have extensive experience of supporting major oceanic sailing races. They will provide safety and security at Paris 2024.