infiniti 52 yacht

McConaghy are consistently on the forefront of innovation and technology in the yachting world so when we were presented the opportunity to work with a brand such as Infiniti Yachts the collaboration is a no brainer. The Infiniti range all push the evolution in yacht racing performance by harnessing DSS foils in parallel with cutting edge hull lines creating a super light and strong yacht that has distinct righting moment and power advantages. With McConaghy’s track record  in yacht construction the end product will turn heads in speed and performance.

The Infiniti 52 is the first racing yacht to be designed, engineered and built to take full advantage of Doyle Sails’ Cableless technology. Built around a highly efficient transverse DSS foil, the Infiniti 52 provides proven performance without the risk and cost of more complex class-driven foil solutions. The DSS foil provides the Infiniti 52 significant righting moment allowing the Infiniti 52 to be sailed with a smaller crew, sometimes half the number of a comparable yacht, increasing competitive efficiencies.

The 52ft yacht has been proven to be an ideal size, performing successfully at both inshore racing and coastal/offshore racing. It is large enough to sail comfortably for an overnight, but light enough to exhilarate and excite.

The Infiniti 52 has been designed and engineered to deliver next level offshore racing performance. An ergonomic deck, complete with Harken air winches and deck gear is complemented by a refined interior, making oceanic and offshore racing an experience to be enjoyed rather than endured. With a strong emphasis on watertight and reliable systems, comfortably sized bunks for off watch hours, and impeccable ergonomics, the Infiniti sets a new offshore standard in the 52 foot range.

The Infiniti 52 provides owners with a highly competitive and comfortable yacht that can raced without a full professional crew of 13-15.

Specifications

Displacement

NAVAL ARCHITECT

Hugh Welbourn

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First look: Infiniti 52 – DSS foil 50 footer

• November 30, 2021

The Inifinit 52 will take advantage of a transverse DSS foil to increase power without the drag penalty of a beamy hull and is the first boat designed to do so from scratch

The first DSS foiling Infiniti 52 has emerged from the shed at Composite Builders in Holland, Michigan.

This design is intended to transform offshore racing, combining speed without the need for a big team and therefore reducing overall campaign costs.

It’s the first raceboat designed from the outset for use with transverse DSS (Dynamic Stability System) foils. These offer a jump in both stability and speed, without the complexity of other types of foil.

The foil extends to leeward of the hull and, as speed increases, the lift from the foil translates directly into righting moment. This means that a boat fitted with a DSS foil can produce the same righting moment as a boat with either much greater beam (and so more drag) or a heavier keel (and so more weight).

The Infiniti 52 follows the success of Infiniti 46R, Maverick , which has shown an impressive turn of pace also using DSS foils – though not quite the same transverse system employed on the Infiniti 52.

DSS foils have also been retro-fitted to a number of other designs, including the multiple Sydney to Hobart winner, Wild Oats XI

The first boat has been rigged by NZ Spars and Rigging. It’s currently being shipped to Europe for sea trials with four times Volvo Ocean Race winner, Doyle Sails’ Stu Bannatyne.

The second example is already in production, while the third is scheduled for delivery in time for next year’s Newport-Bermuda race.

Infiniti 52 specifications

LOA: 16.0m 52ft 6in Beam: 4.5m 14ft 9in Draught: 3.6m 11ft 9in Displacement: 7,400kg 16,300lb Upwind sail area: 175m2 1,880ft2 Price: from €975,000 Builder: infinitiyachts.com

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Infiniti 52 – The Big Reveal

HOLLAND, MI USA – Infiniti Yachts revealed the first Infiniti 52 at Composite Builders yesterday. The boat has been commissioned in Holland, MI, and campaigned by Tulikettu Racing from Finland.  

The first Infiniti 52 will be shipped to the UK to undergo sea trials and the team wanted to ensure everything was perfect prior to departure.  The decision was taken to step the rig by NZ Spars & Rigging at Composite Builders , a process that took under two hours from start to finish. Testament to the skills of the designers, builders, and engineers – the mast fitted like a glove.

“The boat was within 3 mm of the designed drawings, everything fitted perfectly ”  – Richard “Bart” Bearda, owner of NZ Spars & Rigging.

The foil-driven sailing yacht is the first of two hulls currently in build in America.  Designed by Infiniti Yachts, engineered by Gurit, and manufactured at Composite Builders, the Infiniti 52 is the first racing yacht designed, engineered, and built around the award-winning Dynamic Stability System.  

The proprietary DSS transverse foil provides proven performance without the risk and cost of more complex class-driven foil solutions. The system provides the Infiniti 52 significant righting moment allowing the yacht to be sailed with a much smaller crew of 7-8.  Infiniti Yachts hopes to change the way that people experience Grand Prix Sailing. This is also the first racing yacht to be designed, engineered, and built to take full advantage of Doyle Sails Cableless technology . The Infiniti 52 series is equipped with Harken air winches and Grand Prix deck gear. World-class partners include Gurit, Composite Builders, Doyle Sails, Harken, Isotop, Design Unlimited, NZ Spars & Rigging, Offshore Rigging, Racetec Rigging, Diverse Performance Systems, and Waypoint Racing.

The first Infiniti 52 will be delivered in October where she will undergo extensive sea trials and crew training with Stu Bannatyne, Doyle Sails expert and Volvo Ocean Race Veteran (8 Campaigns, 4 wins.) She is anticipated to participate in the RORC Transatlantic Race in January 2022. “We were all very impressed by the team behind the Infiniti 52.  We have an ambitious set of offshore goals, and this is the future-proof Grand Prix yacht required to achieve them. We are thrilled to be part of the revolution and look forward to racing this fast, fun rocket that will be easy to sail with a smaller crew.” Arto Linnervuo, Skipper.

Hull two is under construction at Composite Builders for delivery at the end of 2021.

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Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those who have the same passion for sailing as we do. Sailing is in our DNA, where the water unlocks our sense of adventure. We are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for close to four decades, and while our world changes around us, our commitment to sailors who seek the same enjoyment and adventure as we do hasn’t.

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HOLLAND, MI USA  – The first Infiniti 52 left Composite Builders yesterday to be fully fitted out in Gosport, United Kingdom.

The foil-driven sailing yacht is the first of a series of Infiniti 52’s and will be campaigned by Tulikettu Racing from Finland.  The yacht is scheduled to arrive in the Solent in early October to be completed. Stu Bannatyne, Doyle Sails Grand Prix Sales and Volvo Ocean Race Veteran from New Zealand (8 Campaigns, 4 Wins.) will oversee extensive sea trials and crew training.  She is anticipated to participate in the RORC Transatlantic Race in January 2022.

The Infiniti 52 is the first racing yacht designed, engineered, and built around the award-winning Dynamic Stability System (DSS).  The system provides the Infiniti 52 significant righting moment allowing the yacht to be sailed with a much smaller crew of 7-8.  Infiniti Yachts hopes to change the way that people experience Grand Prix Sailing.

The Infiniti 52 is significantly more refined and detailed both in structure and systems compared to the Infiniti 46 which I was construction manager for.   The team here at Composite Builders is working flat out to deliver the second hull by the end of the year. it is always a pleasure to see a team come together, particularly one with so many younger aspiring yacht builders bringing their energy to the process. Dave Monks, Construction Manager

The Infiniti 52 series is equipped with Harken air winches and Grand Prix deck gear. World class partners include: Gurit, Composite Builders, Doyle Sails, Harken, Isotop, Design Unlimited, NZ Spars & Rigging, Offshore Rigging, Racetec Rigging, Diverse Performance Systems, and Waypoint Racing.

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© Infiniti Yachts 2021

INFINITI 52

Infiniti 52 is the first monohull offshore racing boat, in which the foil and its benefits have been used as the starting point for the whole yacht design.

TULIKETTU RACING

• About Infiniti 52

The naval architect of the Infiniti 52 is Britain’s Hugh Welbourn, a legend in the yachting industry and pioneer of the foiling sailing yacht. Other design team members come from various parts of the world. The manufacturer of the hull is Composite Builders in Michigan, U.S.A., a boat yard known for its top carbon fibre materials, skills and quality.

The company is led by Brian McInnes, who is a true veteran in the sport with multiple America’s Cups and Volvo Ocean Races behind them. Mast, rudder, DSS-foil, keel, electronics, sails and other parts come from across the globe from countries including New Zealand and France. The final assembly and commissioning of this truly global yacht will take place in the UK by January 2022 over seen by our long-time performance partner Marine Rigging Services.

Tulikettu #1 Sea Trials, Gosport

Tulikettu’s hull, mast and rigging are made of carbon fibre resulting in a target weight of less than 7000kg, which is extremely light for a 52ft sailing yacht. Infiniti 52 is also the first yacht designed and engineered to maximize the competitive advantage of Doyle’s cableless sail technology. With only half the headstay loads of a typical modern 52ft racer, there is scope for dramatic weight saving in all of the hull and rig structures. The special feature of the boat will be the one-piece patented DSS (“Dynamic Stability System”) foil that slides through the hull of the boat from side to side.

“Infiniti 52 is the first monohull offshore racing boat, in which the foil and its benefits have been used as the starting point for the whole yacht design. The foil generates lift as it goes through the water. The result of which is lifting of the hull, reduced heel and most importantly increased righting moment. This allows the boat to be designed with a narrower beam thus reducing the weight of the yacht. By adding water ballast and powered winches further weight savings are made by reducing crew weight”

The boat will have nine crew members in the first race, and according to Infiniti Yachts, she is easy to handle and can also be sailed with a crew of six, which is special for a 52ft racing yacht. This is why the yacht has all the potential to not only revolutionize the future of offshore racing, but also cruising, as many of these features have already been successfully applied to building cruising yachts. Infiniti Yachts claims the 52 model will be a basis for a new racing class among the ever popular 52-feet racing yachts. It is also a matter of time until cruising sailors find foiling and create a demand for new generation cruising yachts with less heeling, better stability and much more speed such as Infiniti 52 Cruiser which will have all the creature comforts with the addition of the DSS foil which can be pulled in for convenience and safety when coming in to a marina.

“There’s no need for a professional crew due to all these elements. Infiniti 52 is available and within the reach of amateur crews operating with a reasonable budget. Arto Linnervuo’s crew is the first crew in the world to sail with this exceptional, historical boat”

says Gordon Kay, a founder of Infiniti Yachts responsible for the boat building process on behalf of Infiniti Yachts.

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Infiniti 52: Electrifying DSS Performance Straight Out of the Box

The first Infiniti 52  Tulikettu  has been undergoing sea trials in the Solent , following delivery to her new Finnish owner Arto Linnervuo, in anticipation of a busy offshore racing program. Already during her first sea trials, she has hit 28+ knots, with more than 30 anticipated and she has impressed her crew with her easy speed and bow-out attitude.

Designed by Hugh Welbourn, the Infiniti 52 is the first foil-assisted high-performance/racing yacht developed for semi-custom production. A brand new entry to the race boat market’s busy 52ft sector, it is unique in several ways. Firstly it is one of the few designed from the outset specifically to be campaigned offshore, rather than inshore windward-leeward racing. But most significantly it is the only 52 fitted with a Dynamic Stability Systems ( DSS ) retracting lateral foil, the same technology as used on Canova, Sailing Yacht of the Year at the 2020 Superyachts Award, and the Quant 23 , the 2016 European Yacht of Year.

To recap DSS’s benefits: when the foil is deployed just beneath the water to leeward, it provides ‘righting moment on demand’; providing more lift the faster boat (and foil) pass through the water, just like adding crew weight to the rail or ballast to the keel. The net result is a significant speed boost.  

The Infiniti 52’s DSS foil isn’t designed to make the boat fly, but it does significantly reduce displacement and drag, again increasing speed.

Most importantly, 15 years old, the DSS system and the subtleties of the foil’s shape, section, aspect, curvature and location are now highly refined (in CFD, tank testing and, most importantly, verified through 10,000s of race miles). Understated and over-delivering, it remains the simplest, most reliable foil system, requiring no complex rake or other mechanical controls: It is deployed (via a rope on a winch) and left to do its job, no hydrodynamics PhDs or Olympic medals needed. It was these features, together with not wishing to take the overly large step into a fully flying yacht, that attracted Tulikettu’s owner.

Typically though with all these foil assisted craft I expect to see a 15-20% improvement in performance over the next few months as the guys learn the boat and how it likes to be sailed. Hugh Welbourn, creator of DSS, Infiniti Yachts designer

Central to Welbourn’s design philosophy is ‘easy speed’ and this has touched all areas of the Infiniti 52, most aided by the DSS foil. For example while there is a trend in offshore yacht design to have ever greater hull volume and form stability, especially around the bow, this is unnecessary on a DSS boat as the conditions when it is beneficial are when the DSS foil is generating maximum righting moment. Thus the Infiniti is a ‘small’ (ie relatively low volume) 52 with noticeably less freeboard. It has a modest deck chamfer, a significant chine and a very flat underbelly. With the foil adding righting moment in ultimate stability conditions, the keel bulb doesn’t need to be as heavy, thereby keeping displacement light, again increasing speed.

The highly successful Infiniti 46  Maverick  (class winner in the Rolex Middle Sea Race twice; in the RORC Transatlantic Race ; Newport Bermuda Race, and overall winner of the SoCal 300), has all the ‘bells and whistles’, including twin ‘flip out’ DSS foils, plus a canting keel and canard. In comparison, the 52 is simpler with a single DSS foil sliding laterally across the bottom of the boat within its case. Instead of a canting keel and canard, it has a fixed keel and 600kg water ballast, split into twin tanks each side aft to add grunt upwind. While the canting keel/canard is effective, it comes with complexity and a fixed weight, whereas water ballast can be jettisoned at any time, maintaining light displacement. The DSS foil is designed to be deployed and then left to do its job, but the water ballast does also permit the boat to be trimmed slightly stern down, which of course adds an angle of attack to the foil, increasing its lift.

Less obvious is that while sailing upwind, the DSS foil may provide less lift, but one of its secondary features comes into play – in addition to reducing heel, the foil also significantly reduces pitching by up to 40%, thereby improving the stability of the wind’s flow over the sails and maintaining driving force, especially when the sea state gets lumpy, improving VMG.  

Gordon Kay, Infiniti Yachts founder:  “On the Infiniti 46 we did over 30 knots four times in one night. This is a much bigger boat and less impacted by the waves, so will comfortably do 30+ knots. I also expect to see high averages at good angles as we have all the sails to do that too. Then it will be down to developing techniques as it is good averages that win races, not top speeds! — Gordon Kay, Infiniti Yachts founder

Since the Infiniti 52 is optimized for offshore usage, much effort has been made to keep water out. Thus the mast is deck-stepped and with no apertures – all lines run out of the bottom of the spar through the deck and then aft to the cockpit through channels on either side of its shallowest of cabin tops. This also reduces windage aloft.

The Doyle sail wardrobe has been designed by Kiwi pro sailor Stu Bannatyne with number-crunching from Stefano Nava. The mast from New Zealand Rigging has three tapering spreaders, held up with carbon fiber ECsix rigging. The 3m long bowsprit, above the reverse sheer bow, permits six tack points from the big downwind gear and jib tops at the end of the bowsprit to the furling J4/staysail and storm jib on the foredeck. This enables separation between the headsails to be optimized when sailing triple-headed.

The sails, made in carbon/Technora aramid, benefit from Doyle’s ‘structured luff’ technology that shares the load between the forestay and luff, reducing the overall load at the masthead (thus enabling structure/weight to be removed from the spar).

One of the biggest developments has been the push-button operation of the powered Air 300 winches from Harken (which has supplied all the deck gear) and the hydraulic package from Diverse. On what is a quick boat, this enables the fastest possible trimming, via neat waterproof, deck-mounted switching units from CZone.

While a full-on, thoroughbred offshore racer, the keel foil, and single rudder are relatively large and forgiving, and the hull shape not overly sensitive to heel angle, recognizing that Tulikettu has an enthusiastic owner-driver and a semi-professional crew. This can be adapted for different crew configurations, for example, if the boat is to be used for doublehanding.

At a time when many rating rules are attempting to ‘protect the fleet’ – constraining the ability of boats to fly by effectively limiting the amount of vertical lift their foils can produce, the DSS configuration has the benefit of just falling within these limits. The Infiniti 46  Maverick , for example, has been regularly competing under IRC in RORC races and under ORR in the Transpac.  Tulikettu , and the Infiniti 52 hull 2 that is soon to be completed, will do the same.

Designed to be sailed offshore with a crew of as few as seven, the program for  Tulikettu is to compete in some RORC races in the Channel and the North Sea Race before heading up to the Baltic for Gotland Runt and the RORC’s new Baltic 600 race. This is the build-up to the Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race and the Rolex Middle Sea Race, before the Infiniti 52 heads transatlantic for next year’s RORC Caribbean 600.

With the Infiniti 52 hull 2 due for launch at the end of this year, Infiniti Yachts has expanded its production capabilities by appointing a European builder for the Infiniti 52 to look after clients outside of the USA.

The countdown has begun for the new ICE 66 rs

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The Revolutionary Infiniti 52 Racing Yacht launching summer 2021

June 22, 2021.

This summer, our affiliated company Infiniti Yachts, will be launching its revolutionary foil-driven sailing yacht, The Infiniti 52.

This will be the first racing yacht designed, engineered and built around the award-winning Dynamic Stability System (DSS). The DSS transverse foil provides proven performance without the risk and cost of more complex class-driven foil solutions. The system provides the Infiniti 52 significant righting moment allowing the yacht to be sailed with a much smaller crew of 7-8.

The Infiniti 52 will not only incorporate the DSS transverse foil but will also be the first racing yacht to be designed, engineered and built to take full advantage of Doyle Sails Cableless technology as well as having Harken air winches and Grand Prix deck gear.

Skip Mattos, Harken GrandPrix Sales and Project Manager said,  “The Infiniti 52 is designed for peak performance, without compromising handling and comfort, capable of F1 speeds with incredible ease.”

Designed by Infiniti Yachts, engineered by Gurit, and manufactured at Composite Builders the team are aiming for delivery later this summer.

America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race Veteran Brian MacInnes are leading the Infiniti 52 construction team at Composite Builders.  “Having raced at the top of the sport for 30 years and knowing what it takes to win I was seriously impressed by the Infiniti 52 and the team that has developed it. A yacht like this is the reason we set up Composite Builders, to be able to build the best on the market.”  Said McInnes.

The Infiniti 52 harnesses this energy in a beautiful design that belies its racing pedigree. It is a cutting-edge design based upon proven technology with an unparalleled breadth of experience in this industry including world-class partners: Gurit, Composite Builders, Doyle Sails, Harken, Isotop, Design Unlimited, NZ Spars & Rigging and Waypoint Racing.

Driven by a relentless passion, the team at Infiniti hopes to change the way that people see and experience Grand Prix sailing.

Extraordinary boats: Infiniti 52 – an incredible story and boat

The Infiniti 52 is a DSS foil-enabled offshore racer capable of 30 knot speeds the first boat Tulikettu was lost at sea, presumed sunk until…

When it comes to displacement, racing yachts today cover the widest spectrum – from fully flying AC75s to the heavyweight J Class. In between lie light displacement and planing boats, and now, filling their own unique sector, are yachts fitted with a lateral foil, or retractable Dynamic Stability Systems (DSS) foil, the latest of which is the Infiniti 52.

The Infiniti 52 follows on from the company’s Infiniti 36 and Infiniti 46. The first example of this Hugh Welbourn-designed offshore racer, Helsinki lawyer Arto Linnervuo’s Tulikettu , was launched in early 2022.

She was s ea trialled on the Solent in the spring of 2022 where she managed 28 knots, while her creators anticipate the design is capable of regularly achieving 30-plus knots.  

Sadly Tulikettu suffered a severe collision during a delivery trip off north-west Spain at the end of April 2022. Her crew abandoned ship and after an unsuccessful search she was presumed sunk.

However, in an incredible turn of events, Tulikettu was spotted by a passing yacht. That yacht’s crew reached out to the team via their social media channels and the search operation was immediately restarted.

Tulikettu was found on Saturday, June 4, approximately 100 nautical miles west of Cape Saint Vincent, the southern tip between Lisbon and Gibraltar. The yacht was towed to the port of Portimão where she underwent a thorough inspection and assessment of damage sustained.

In another incredible turn of events, the damage was not as significant as was originally thought and the boat was able to be repaired and relaunched. She recently completed the very heavy weather 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, so any fears of another failure will have been very much allayed.

Tulikettu taking part on the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race. Photo: Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

The basics of the DSS foil are generally understood – deployed to leeward, it provides lift that is ‘dynamic’, ie the faster the boat goes, the more lift and righting moment the foil automatically generates. It’s like having extra crew miraculously appear on the rail or bulb weight increase whenever a gust hits.

But many of the DSS foil’s characteristics are less obvious. For example, the foil providing righting moment ‘on demand’ allows the keel to be both lighter and shallower with less need to follow the trend of maximum hull volume and a scow bow providing form stability. This equates to a lighter, not to mention better looking, boat.

The shape and configuration of the DSS foil has been refined over years with computer modelling, tank testing and tens of thousands of race miles. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/Infiniti Yachts

In light conditions, when the foil on the Infiniti 52 isn’t doing much, it can be retracted leaving a ‘regular’ hull shape. However, the Infiniti 52 comes into its own when sheets are cracked and the breeze is above 10 knots – thus its true forte is coastal and offshore racing.

Another subtlety of the DSS foil is how it ‘locks’ the boat to the water, not only reducing heel, but also pitching. A side effect of this is improved flow across the rig and the foils, increasing their efficiency, especially upwind and/or in waves.

However, there are several myths and misunderstandings surrounding the DSS foil. It does not produce massive (or indeed any) lee helm when it is deployed. While,the DSS foil provides righting moment on demand, it also creates significant lift beneath the boat. Thus most of the time it is reducing displacement and speed-sapping hull drag, but there are times (and I can attest to this first-hand) when suddenly it goes quiet on board and for a few seconds you are fully flying, IMOCA-style.

Below: the DSS foil gives the Infiniti a much more bow-out attitude compared to other 52 footers. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/Infiniti Yachts

Third parties have unsuccessfully fitted small DSS foils forward on racing yachts with the sole aim of keeping the bow out. While a properly positioned Welbourn-designed DSS foil achieves this too (compare the videos on social media of the Infiniti 52 at pace to that of the Pac 52 Fox at St Thomas International Regatta) this is but one small part of what the foil is designed to do.

Critics of the system argue that the DSS foil ‘cannot be as good’ as the foils used on IMOCA 60s or America’s Cup yachts as they are not trimmable. For example, there are no complex hydraulics to adjust rake.

However, that fails to appreciate the difference in approach: the DSS foil is designed to provide, on the one hand, a turbo boost to performance at times, while on the other being simple and easy to use (you pull the foil out and that’s more or less it) thus allowing it to be used by regular sailors without physics degrees or supreme athleticism. And far from the lack of trimmability making the DSS foil ‘dumb’, it takes a keen eye and some wisdom to appreciate the subtlety of its shape, curvature, and section, as well as how it relates to the water plane, the centre of buoyancy, and the boat’s centre of effort.

Obviously a DSS foil doesn’t provide benefits in all conditions. The foil is usually retracted upwind unless there are waves and when sailing VMG downwind in up to 15 knots: less boat speed equals less lift.

Thanks to the DSS foil, typical heel angles are less than 20° and as a result it was considered there was no need to have twin rudders. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/Infiniti Yachts

Taking on TP52S

Fifty-two feet is an interesting length for a new pure racing design as it allows direct comparison with Super Series 52s and Pac 52s. In comparison to the former, the Infiniti 52 has a slightly taller mast, deeper keel and is fractionally heavier. Kiwi pro sailor and sailmaker Stu Bannatyne is well placed to make comparisons: he sailed extensively on the Infiniti 46 Maverick (class winner in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, RORC Transatlantic, Newport Bermuda, etc.) but among his many accolades also won the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600 on Christopher Sheehan’s Pac 52 Warrior Won .

Bannatyne notes that even the offshore-orientated Pac 52s to date have come from hull moulds of boats designed for windward-leewards in the 52 Super Series. By contrast, the Infiniti is one of the few 52-footers designed for offshore racing from the outset.

The case for the DSS foil runs discretely across the cabin sole. On larger boats it can be hidden beneath soleboards. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/Infiniti Yachts

“If it was to line-up against a Super Series boat in 12 knots upwind or anything similar, it would probably be a bit slower,” notes Bannatyne. “Anything outside of that – any reaching or downwind sailing, the Infiniti should be faster and as soon as you get powered up reaching and running it should be a good chunk faster. And not just in conditions where the DSS foils are being used – it should be faster in all underpowered conditions, when the Infiniti has lower form stability and therefore lower drag.”

While the Infiniti 46 has twin DSS foils that ‘flipped out’, with one on each side, the 52 has a single DSS foil that slides laterally across the bottom of the boat within a casing. Instead of the 46’s canting keel and canard, the 52 has a fixed keel and 600kg water ballast, split into twin tanks each side aft. This provides stability upwind and Welbourn says he prefers this arrangement as the added weight of the water need only be brought on board when required. The water ballast also permits crew numbers on the Infiniti 52 to be reduced to between seven and 12 depending upon the race.

The carbon fibre wheels are made by French company Isotop, who also built the rudder, DSS foil and foil case. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/Infiniti Yachts

Offshore focus

Compared to a TP52, for example, the Infiniti 52 has a much smaller cockpit with a sliding companionway hatch, while considerable effort has gone into preventing water getting below, such as avoiding apertures in the deck. In case of dismasting while at sea, the mast (from New Zealand Rigging) is deck stepped.

Offshore capability has also affected the sail wardrobe from Doyle, with a broad inventory, including many reaching sails. To permit varied cutter-type headsail configurations (up to three sails can be hoisted up front at a time), there are six tack positions from the spinnaker flown from the end of the 3m long bowsprit to the furling J4/staysail and storm jib mid-foredeck.

The net result is a boat that is one of the world’s fastest 52ft monohulls: particularly impressive is its ability to hold sail in 20-plus knot winds with the TWA just forward of the beam. While Tulikettu had been optimised for fully crewed offshore, the 52 could be reconfigured for short-handed offshore racing.

Infiniti 52 specifications

LOA: 16.0m / 52ft 6in Beam (max): 4.5m / 14ft 8in Draught: 3.6m / 11ft 9in Mast height: 21.5m / 70ft 6in Weight: 7,200kg / 15,873lb Water ballast capacity: 600kg / 1,322lb Mainsail area: 103m² / 1,108ft² Headsail area: 68m² / 731ft² Spinnaker area: 278m² / 2,992ft²

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Abandoned Infiniti52 Tulikettu found and recovered intact off the Portuguese coast.

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Published on May 1st, 2022 | by Editor

Infiniti 52 lost in the North Atlantic

Published on May 1st, 2022 by Editor -->

Built in the USA , the first Infiniti 52 to be delivered has been lost in the North Atlantic after colliding with an unidentified floating object (UFO). Designed by Hugh Welbourn, the monoull is the first foil assisted high performance racing yacht developed for semi-custom production.

Along with a keel, the boat is fitted with a Dynamic Stability Systems (DSS) retracting lateral foil which protrudes out the sides of the hull, just beneath the water to leeward. The DSS provides ‘righting moment on demand’ and provides more lift the faster boat (and foil) pass through the water, just like adding crew weight to the rail or ballast to the keel.

The net result is a significant speed boost, but high speed leads to high damage in a collision. The Tulikettu Racing Team, which christened this first boat in October 2021, share what happened :

It is with great sadness, that we must report an incident that occurred in the North Atlantic while Tulikettu was sailing from Cascais, Portugal back to the Team Base in Gosport, United Kingdom. All four delivery crew members survived the situation unharmed, and have returned to the United Kingdom with their loved ones.

The yacht collided with an UFO on April 18. The EPIRB was launched on April 20 at 00:54 am UTC. Will Jackson, Tulikettu shore team manager, supported the Person-In-Charge via a continuous satellite connection. On April 20 at 10:45 am UTC, the entire crew was evacuated to an oil tanker that had been diverted to assist, and Tulikettu had to be abandoned at sea.

A salvage operation commenced on April 21 with a high-powered tug sent to search the area with direct assistance from a spotter plane. The search efforts continued 24/7 with support from MRCC Turku and MRCC Delgado. The multinational team worked together producing daily drift calculations to assist the sea and air recovery specialists. However, hope of recovery has faded after intensive searching, and the Tulikettu Team stopped the search late on April 29.

“We managed to sail almost 5000 nautical miles aboard our magnificent yacht, which was long enough time to conclude that the new Infiniti 52 exceeded all our expectations for the performance of the boat,” noted Arto Linnervuo, Tulikettu Racing Team owner. “I will never forget the feeling when Tulikettu leaned on its foil and lifted herself above the waves for the first time reaching effortlessly boat speeds of 28 knots without help from surf waves, and the wind speed didn’t come even close to our boat speed back then.

“I have been through many sleepless nights as I have wondered what else we could have done to find our beautiful new beast. Very slowly my thoughts are beginning to look at the future, which gives me strength in this devastating situation.

“Losing such a revolutionary vessel that had attracted so much attention and interest across the global sailing community is, after many years’ work, one of the most difficult moments in my life, but giving up on our goals and my dream to win something big together with my all-Finnish offshore racing team on the international grand prix offshore racing scene would be much worse. The more wet rags on the face, the harder I want to achieve our goals.

“A Formula One team would not stop racing after crashing its new car in the winter tests. Therefore, I have made the decision to continue our Team efforts as soon as possible in collaboration with Infiniti Yachts.

“In the meantime, the Team will continue to train and compete together with the other offshore racing yachts of our sailing club, Xtra Stærk Ocean Racing Society, including our Xp44 and JPK 10.30 yachts proven to be successful. We will explore the possibility of chartering other competitive boats. God damn it, we will be back!”

Gordon Kay, founder of Infiniti Yachts: “The Infiniti 52 showed every sign of being the best yacht to have been fitted with DSS ever. Her behavior and balance were impeccable and speed easy to find. Having spent so long developing and building the Tulikettu her loss is a significant disappointment, notwithstanding hull 2 is well underway and hull 3 is expected to start in a few weeks.”

Brian McInnes, boat builder Composite Builders: “I speak for the whole team at Composite Builders and all of the people involved in getting Tulikettu on the water, how heartbroken we are to hear of the unfortunate accident with this beautiful yacht. In its short life the boat’s performance had exceeded expectations!

Unfortunately, we are seeing more instances of collisions with foreign objects at sea, and the effects this is having on the health of our oceans and the sailing community. We are happy that the crew are safe and hope to see Arto and his team back on the water very soon.”

Stu Bannatyne, Tulikettu Racing team’s coach and Doyle Sails representative: “I was in total shock and saddened to hear about the loss of Tulikettu. The few times I sailed on the boat during early sea trials were truly exciting and she gave more than a few glimpses of her very impressive performance through a range of conditions.

“An absolute pleasure to drive and trim, Tulikettu was I think a genuine step forward in technology and performance for an offshore 52 foot race boat. I understand that Arto is very keen to be able to get back into a new Infiniti 52 as soon as possible. This is great news and completely understandable! I look forward to the opportunity to join him once again.”

Tags: DSS , Infiniti 52 , Infiniti Yachts , rescue

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Next Generation Racing Yacht – Infiniti 52

Article adapted from sailingscuttlebutt.com When it comes to hubs of high tech sailboat construction in the USA, not many would identify a small Michigan city along the shore of Lake Macatawa as the place to be, but just around the corner from Tulip City Brewstillery in Holland is Composite Builders.

Working closely with Gordon Kay, AB Marine supplied the zero drag Custom GORI Race 457mm x 330 LHS to suit the Beta 45 SP60 saildrive on the Infinity 52 (TP52)

Primarily known for the Tulip Time Festival, which has been ranked as America’s third largest town festival, the Dutch heritage of Holland is now home for boat building too.

After gaining some notoriety during the 36th America’s Cup as where Stars+Stripes Team USA had their AC75 partially built before they ran out of funds, Composite Builders has now pushed into the daylight the first of two Infiniti 52s they are building.

The foil-driven sailing yacht is the first racing yacht designed, engineered, and built around the innovative Dynamic Stability System (DSS) which provides proven performance without the risk and cost of more complex class-driven foil solutions. DSS provides significant righting moment allowing the yacht to be sailed with a much smaller crew of 7-8.

The first Infiniti 52 will be shipped to the UK to undergo extensive sea trials and crew training. She is anticipated to participate in the RORC Transatlantic Race in January 2022.

“We have an ambitious set of offshore goals, and this is the future-proof Grand Prix yacht required to achieve them,” said skipper Arto Linnervuo. “We are thrilled to be part of the revolution and look forward to racing this fast, fun rocket that will be easy to sail with a smaller crew.”

Hull two is under construction at Composite Builders for delivery at the end of 2021.

Read more about it at sailingscuttlebutt.com and livesaildie.com