Farr chosen to design Abu Dhabi Volvo yacht
By IBI Magazine/David Robinson
US racing yacht designer Farr Yacht Design (FYD) has been chosen by the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) consortium to design its Open 70 yacht for next year's Volvo Ocean Race. The consortium is being backed by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Emirate will also serve as a destination in the race at the end of the second leg, which starts in Cape Town.
"FYD was selected because of its ability to tailor to our specific requirements and its strong commitment to research and design, which has been ongoing since the conclusion of the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race," said His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, ADTA director general. "We anticipate being able to announce the appointment of the yacht-builder early September after finalising selection of six tender qualifiers from throughout the Middle East, Europe and the Far East."
FYD is undertaking a five-stage research and design process with the final geometry to be completed for a late September build start. The company has over 25 years of racing yacht design experience, during which it has won more than 40 world championships and other successes at international grand prix events including the Volvo Ocean Race, America's Cup, Vendee Globe and Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
The FYD team, led by company president Patrick Shaughnessy, brings significant expertise to the table, having worked extensively with the Telefonica team in the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race — an experience it believes is critical to making Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing a competitive force. "In preparation for and during the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race, every member of the FYD team spent considerable time sailing Volvo Open 70s.
"The experience we gained has allowed us to view the design challenges a little bit differently. That real world experience adds to an always evolving set of tools that we bring to bear on any R&D project," said Shaughnessy. "The 2011/12 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race will be a great sporting challenge and we feel that a well-managed process can deliver competitive advantages. The Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team has made good decisions in its key resource appointments, starting with Ian Walker as skipper."
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(3 September 2010)
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