Open Ocean Performance Sixties

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The Open Ocean Performance Sixty, or simply Open 60, is a class of trimaran racing yacht defined by the Ocean Racing Multihull Association. These boats are specified to be between 59 and 60 feet long and are intended to compete in a variety of events.

Other prominent restrictions on an Open 60:^[1]

• LOA = 17.88m - 18.28m
• Bowsprit no greater than 2.75m
• Mast Height above water no greater than 30.3m
• Maximum mast chord = 850mm
• Limited to 15 new sails every 2 years.

However, there are few other regulations on the design or materials that can be used for the boat. Due to this, the design of Open 60s is an area of fierce competition and innovation. Custom-designed boats are often built with combination carbon fiber and Kevlar sails, which have the desired properties of both lightness and rigidity.^[2]

Due to their innovative construction and mutlihull design, ORMA 60 trimarians can reach speeds of nearly 45 miles per hour, far faster than the quickest sailing monohull.^[2]

[edit] See also

Ocean Racing Multihull Association. (2003-12-01). ORMA 2004 Class Rules Safety Regulations (PDF). International Sailing Federation. Retrieved on 2006-03-04.

[edit] Footnotes

1. ^ Lenarz, Russ (2003-04-06). ORMA 60 Foot Trimarans, Do they have a future in the US?. Sailing Anarchy. Retrieved on 2006-03-04.
2. ^ ^{a b} Hoffman, Carl. "Taming the Sea Monster", Wired, May, 2006.