The WallyCento maxi racers offered by Wally just got a bit more competitive. At least that’s what Philippe Briand says of his new P100 design for the class. The P100 purports to be faster and is certainly flashier, with a distinctive “roller coaster wave” design element on deck.
As a reminder, the WallyCento series was initiated a few years ago to allow Wally owners to race against one another more competitively. The yachts are box ruled, meaning specific parameters govern length, beam, displacement, and other factors to get the best performance. Wally determined an LOA of 30 meters (98 feet) to 30.48 meters (100 feet) is ideal, as is a beam between 6.5 and 7.2 meters (21 to 23½ feet). Furthermore, displacement should be 45 to 50 tons, and draft should remain between 4.5 and 6.2 meters (nearly 15 feet to 20 feet), depending on whether the yacht employs a fixed or lifting keel. Furthermore, with Wally’s approval, owners can tap the construction expertise of a handful of fiberglass yards around the world, plus the designer. Wally oversees the process either way.
For the P100, the Briand studio assessed several configurations via computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies as well as velocity prediction program (VPP) analysis. (In brief, CFD studies are performance tests done on computer. VPPs calculate a boat’s theoretical speed under various conditions.) The team settled on a 100-foot LOA and 22’10” (7-meter) beam. The beam as well as freeboard are slightly reduced compared to current WallyCentos like Magic Carpet. Speaking of the latter, while she’s a good performer, the P100 should be better. Briand says that, thanks to a two-ton lower lightship displacement, that being 48.45 tons, the P100 should best Magic Carpet’s speed by 20 seconds over a mile. Upwind sail area: 7,040 square feet (654 square meters). Downwind sail area: 14,370 square feet (1,335 square meters).
Aesthetics are important for all WallyCentos, too. That’s why you’ll find teak decking on the P100. The planks form a distinctive “roller coaster wave” (above), as Briand puts it, which the studio further says helps keep volume lower. Inside, Briand’s team calls for furnishings comprised of carbon fiber, both to keep weight down and to evoke a sportscar-like atmosphere. Though we don’t have renderings, the studio pledges that the P100 will retain a decidedly yachty look here.
Besides the details outlined above, the P100 has a few other key points. We’ll let Briand’s own illustration do the explaining:
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