Alfa Romeo (yacht)


Alfa Romeo II on her first sail[1]
Career (New Zealand)  New Zealand
Name: Alfa Romeo II
Builder: McConaghy Boats, Sydney, AUS
Commissioned: 2005-07-19
Honours and
awards:		 Elapsed time record set 2009 Transpac: 5d, 14h, 36m, 20s
General characteristics
Class and type: Reichel/Pugh 100 Sloop
Tons burthen: 25.5 tons
Length: 30 m (98.4 ft)
Beam: 5.2 m (17.1 ft)
Draft: 5.1 m (16.7 ft)
Propulsion: Yanmar 250 hp (190 kW) diesel auxiliary
Sail plan: Mainsail (314 m2 (3,380 sq ft)), Genoa (208 square meters (2,240 sq ft)), Asymmetrical spinnaker (805 square meters (8,660 sq ft))[1]
Notes: Carbon fiber, Nomex, Corecell foam

Alfa Romeo can refer to several yachts built for Neville Crichton,[2] the Alfa Romeo automobile distributor[3][4] for Australia and New Zealand. In 2003, Crichton was named Yachting New Zealand's[5] "Sailor of the Year" for his accomplishments with yacht Alfa Romeo I.[6]

Alfa Romeo I is a 27.43-meter (90.0 ft) fixed keel "supermaxi" yacht, launched 2002, which placed first in the 2002 Sydney-Hobart race and the prestigious 2003 Giraglia Rolex cup regatta. Alfa Romeo II is a 30-meter (98.4 ft) carbon fiber "supermaxi" racing yacht. First-to-finish in the 2009 Transpacific Yacht Race ("the Transpac"), she also set a new elapsed-time Transpac race record[7][8] for monohulls. Alfa Romeo III is a 21-meter (69 ft) "mini-maxi" built to compete with other smaller boats in shorter distance races under IRC rules.[9]

Contents

Sponsorship

The Alfa Romeo yachts owned by Crichton are sponsored by Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. of Turin, Italy. They own the Alfa Romeo name and other intellectual properties such as logos, emblems (used on Alfa Romeo III), and manner of depicting the name as shown on the mainsail of Alfa Romeo II in the infobox.

Alfa Romeo I

Alfa Romeo I (later Shockwave, then Rambler)[10] measures 27.43 meters (90.0 ft) LOA, 5.6 meters (18 ft) at the beam, 4 meters (13 ft) draft.[11] She was designed by Reichel/Pugh, and built by McConaghy Boats, Sydney, Australia using carbon fiber composite construction. Southern Spars of Auckland, New Zealand built her carbon fiber mast. She has a fixed bulb keel. Launched in July 2002, she won the 2003 Giraglia Rolex Cup regatta, considered Europe's most prestigious regatta.[12] She was first to finish in the 2003 Fastnet race, although she did not win on handicapped time.[13] In 2002, she was first to finish in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.[14] She was first to finish in at least 74 races around the world.

Alfa Romeo II

Alfa Romeo II (later bought by Igor Simčič and rechristened Esimit Europa 2), the largest of the three boats is a "Reichel/Pugh 100" design measuring 30.48 m (100.0 ft) overall.[15] She features a 44 m (144 ft)[16] carbon fiber mast built by Southern Spars, water ballast, and a canting keel. She has been described as the fastest supermaxi monohull in the world,[17] thought to be capable of 35 knots (40 mph; 60 km/h) downwind in a fresh breeze.[18] Some of the boat's systems are operated via PLCs, automatically stepping up engine speed as power is required to operate the hydraulic ram actuating the canting keel, or disengaging the propeller when it is retracted into the hull to reduce drag.[19]

2009 Transpac Race

Total crew of about seventeen sailors included Stan Honey, navigator; Olympian Ben Ainslie, English Gold Medalist Finn sailor of the 2008 Summer Olympics; and members of the Ericcson 4 crew, recently victorious in the Volvo Ocean Race. According to the July 7, 2009 morning report, Alfa Romeo II broke the Transpac race record for most miles covered in one day, set in the 2005 race by Morning Glory, by sailing 399 nautical miles (459 mi; 739 km) in 24 hours.[8][20] She improved that on both following days; on July 8, 2009, Alfa Romeo II reported 420 nautical miles (480 mi; 780 km);[21] on July 9, 2009, she reported 431 nautical miles (496 mi; 798 km).[22] She was first to finish the 2009 Transpac race, in which she set a new elapsed-time record[7][8] of 5 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes, 20 seconds.[23] She has been first to finish in at least 140 races.[24]

2009 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

In 2009, she was the first to finish the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.[25]

Alfa Romeo III

The Alfa Romeo III measures 21.4 meters (70 ft) LOA, 5.08 meters (16.7 ft) beam, and has a 4.80-meter (15.7 ft) draft. As were Alfa Romeo I and Alfa Romeo II, she was also designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by McConaghy Boats; her 31.5-meter (103 ft) mast was also built by Southern Spars. She has a conventional fixed bulb keel and was launched in mid-2008. Her interior design is styled after the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, in red, silver/gray, black and white, with a companionway ladder which resembles the car's grill.[26] Rated as an IRC Mini Maxi, she displaces about 14,700 kilograms (32,000 lb). The IRC Mini Maxi division accommodates yachts between 60 to 79 feet (18 to 24 m) LOA. In September 2008, she was twice first to finish in Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup competition, with Torben Grael skippering.[24][27]

Though her LOA is about 9 meters (30 ft) shorter than Alfa Romeo II, her beam is comparable, to enhance stiffness, or resistance to heeling, and she carries a long sport-boat type protruding bowsprit from which she sets an asymmetrical spinnaker. With this "mini-Maxi" Crichton seeks closer competition on the race course. He noted that with only perhaps ten of the supermaxi yachts (potential competitors of Alfa Romeo II) in existence, getting them all on the same race course at the same time had been difficult. The more affordable mini-Maxi, Alfa Romeo III, will engage more competition in stronger[28] fleets.[9]

See also

Wild Oats XI

References

  1. ^ a b "ALFA ROMEO 2" (in en-GB). JamesList.com. http://www.jameslist.com/AdvertPrint/26387. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  2. ^ "Neville Crichton - Success in business and at the helm" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=387. Retrieved 2009-07-20.  Neville Crichton bio piece
  3. ^ Unattributed (2000-10-30). "NZ Alfa and Fiat now Ateco's" (in en-GB). Drive: It's Nonstop Cars. drive.com.au. http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1906&vf=1. Retrieved 2009-07-06.  Crichton's ATECO Automotive also distributes Citroën, Ferrari, Fiat, Kia, and Maserati automobiles.
  4. ^ Also see ATECO company website for lines imported and distributed.
  5. ^ "Sailor of the Year Archives" (in en-GB). Yachting New Zealand. http://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/CMSContent.aspx?PageID=42d747a8-8b1f-4f50-be7f-004dc3a4848a. Retrieved 2009-07-21.  "Yachting New Zealand" is the sailing sport's governing body for New Zealand"
  6. ^ Andrews, Louise (2003-11-28). "Outstanding Ocean Race Owner/Driver Wins Sailor of the Year" (in en-GB). News. International Sailing Federation. http://www.sailing.org/news/7678.php. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  7. ^ a b Unattributed (2009-07-10). "Alfa Romeo Poised For New Race Record" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Maxi Yacht. Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=19269. Retrieved 2009-07-16.  This reference clearly points out that it is the 100-foot (30 m) boat which raced in the 2009 Transpac. The boat is actually 98.4 feet (30.0 m) long; its design is called a "Reichel/Pugh 100." For reference to the boat consummating the new record, see Transpac race news.
  8. ^ a b c Rowe, Edward (2009-07-11). "Sydney Hobart favourite Alfa Romeo smashes Transpac Race record" (in en-US). Sail-World.com. TetraMedia Pty.Ltd.. http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Sydney-Hobart-favourite-Alfa-Romeo-smashes-Transpac-Race-record/58872. Retrieved 2009-07-17.  Scroll to page bottom; shows Alfa Romeo II major victories, including 2009 Transpac finish.
  9. ^ a b Unattributed. "Neville Crichton 'Changes Gears' With Mini Maxi Alfa Romeo III" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Maxi Yacht. Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.myalfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=18997. Retrieved 2009-07-06. 
  10. ^ "Antigua Sailing Week: Clash of the Titans! ICAP Leopard vs. Rambler". Antigua. caribbeanracing.com. 2008-03-25. http://www.caribbeanracing.com/artman/publish/article_971.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-11.  As Rambler, she is owned by George David.
  11. ^ Unattributed (2002-11-20). "Alfa Romeo Aims for Sydney to Hobart Glory" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=283. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  12. ^ Unattributed (2004-06-17). "Austrailan Yacht Wins Europe's Most Prestigious Race" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=1332. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  13. ^ Unattributed (2003-08-08). "Alfa Romeo Wins the Fastnet and Takes Ocean Racing's Trifecta in Eight Months" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=546. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  14. ^ Unattributed (2002-11-29). "YACHT RACING; Alfa Romeo Finishes First in Sydney-Hobart" (in en-US). Sports (New York Times): pp. sec. 8, p.12. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/29/sports/yacht-racing-alfa-romeo-finishes-first-in-sydney-hobart.html. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  15. ^ She was designed as a 98ft yacht but was later extended to 100ft to measure at the upper bound of the new 2008 maxi rating rule
  16. ^ Unattributed. "New Super Maxi 'Alfa Romeo' Set To Smash Records" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.myalfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=17972. Retrieved 2009-07-06.  (Shows mast height and other dimensions of Alfa Romeo II)
  17. ^ Unattributed. "Kiwi Super Maxi Wins Yachting's World Cup" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.myalfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=18438. Retrieved 2009-07-06. 
  18. ^ Hanlon, Mike (2005-07-14). "The technology behind the new superyachts" (in en-GB). gizmag.com. pp. p2. http://www.gizmag.com/go/4432/2/. Retrieved 2009-07-06. 
  19. ^ "Alfa Romeo II" (in en-GB). Sail-World NZL. www.kiwispy.com. http://www.kiwispy.com/Offshore/AlfaRomeo.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-24. 
  20. ^ Fitzpatrick, Lynn (2009-07-07). "Transpac race milestones" (in en-US). Transpacific Yacht Club. http://www.transpacrace.com/medianews/general-transpac-news/174-transpac-fleet-milestones.html. Retrieved 2009-07-08.  (Distance covered from 6AM day preceding to 6AM day of report)
  21. ^ Race Committee aboard Alaska Eagle communications vessel (2009-07-08). "Daily Standings July 8, 2009" (in en-US). 2009 Transpac Race. Transpacific Yacht Club. http://www.transpacrace.com/docs/2009racedocs/Standings09/TP09.S08.TXT. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  22. ^ Race Committee aboard Alaska Eagle communications vessel (2009-07-09). "Daily Standings July 9, 2009" (in en-US). 2009 Transpac Race. Transpacific Yacht Club. http://www.transpacrace.com/docs/2009racedocs/Standings09/TP09.S09.TXT. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
  23. ^ Fitzpatrick, Lynn (2009-07-11). "Alfa Romeo Smashes Transpac Record by a Day" (in en-US, portion haw). Finish reports. Transpacific Yacht Club. http://www.transpacrace.com/medianews.html?start=15. Retrieved 2009-07-16.  Alfa Romeo II is a monohull and set a new monohull elapsed time record. She came within about five hours of breaking the multihull elapsed time record 5d, 9h, 18m set in 1997 by Bruno Peyron with his Commodore Explorer.
  24. ^ a b Unattributed (2008-07-13). "Neville Crichton 'Changes Gears' With Mini Maxi Alfa Romeo III" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=18997. Retrieved 2009-07-08.  This reference cites 139 1st-to-finish races; the 2009 Transpac marks #140.
  25. ^ Unattributed (2009-12-28). "Alfa Romeo takes line honours" (in en-GB). Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/news.asp?key=4593. Retrieved 2009-12-28. 
  26. ^ Alfa Romeo III interior photos.
  27. ^ Unattributed (2008-09-10). "Promising Start For New Alfa Romeo 3" (in en-GB). Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team. http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/default.asp?action=article&ID=19037. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  28. ^ "Stronger" in the sense of a greater number of individual entries of similar types

External links