The sailing world has been buzzing about Hodgdon Yachts’ Comanche ever since word emerged during her build at the Maine-based shipyard. She is the 100 Super Maxi for avid yachting and racing enthusiast Jim Clark, who the general public know better as the founder of Netscape. The racing yacht was born to break records. Well, more accurately, she was born to smash records, all over the world.
Comanche is seen here off the coast of the Carolinas going through her paces. Onne van der Waal, the noted photographer who shot the video, clocked her speed at 30 knots more than once. That high speed shouldn’t come as a surprise, given who else has contributed to her creation. Hodgdon Yachts’ Comanche bears naval architecture from Van Peteghem Lauriot Prévost (VPLP) and Guillaume Verdier. Each design studio has previously collaborated on racers.
All we can say is, the competitors at the upcoming Sydney-Hobart race, where Comanche will participate next month, better get ready. Starting December 26, it’s among the toughest and most influential races in the world, covering 628 nautical miles. Ken Read, the helmsman for the racing yacht, says Clark also wants to break the transatlantic speed record aboard.
“This boat isn’t for around the buoys,” Read tells the magazine Sailing World. “We want to tick off every major race.”
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