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The following text appeared to reproduce now was published in @SEAHORSE November 2007
"Designed from the outset as a new design class, the VLC35 will inevitable also find itself competing for business with other IRC, PHRF and locally rated designs of a similar size, particularly in the early days of production before any semblance of a proper one design fleet can become established.
What immediately distinguished this new Vinylester/foam sandwich-built design from it peers, however, is a nicely engineered lift-keel that will not only enable the boat access to shallow moorings, but will also allow easy trailing without breaching too many of the increasingly rigorous international towing regulations, particularly on the European mainland.
Built in Valencia at Muller Yachts' recently established new shipyard, the plugs for the VLC35 were CNC-milled from solid foam before the construction of robust female moulds, suitable for long-run production while maintaining one–design tolerances.
The boat comes with a high spec as standard, including carbon mast, boom and retractable 2.8m sprit from another member of Alinghi family, Hall Spars.
All the design work for the new boat has been handled by the Ruiz Elvira/Lopez Nautatec design studio in
Displacement has been kept relatively light, at 3,000kg, which will doubtless prove expensive under some popular local handicapping rules but which should ensure a sparkling performance on the water. With its lifting keel, which "reefs" from the extended draft of 3m to a minimum draft of just 1.8m, the boat should also make a handy pocket performance cruiser. A substantial 500kg bulb gives the VLC35 high stability, with the Limit of Positive Stability (LPS) at an impressive 160 deg. Upwind this mechanical stability should help compensate for the relatively high rating anticipated under IRC and the like, on the back of the boat's light displacement. In terms of pace, however the polars indicate outright windward performance better than much larger production designs such as the well-proven Bénéteau 40.7.
The boat's narrow overall beam of 2.95m has been set primarily by current EU towing regulations, though a positive spin-off is the high performance possible both sailing and under engine, for which the VLC35 employs an unusual forward-facing lifting propeller arrangement chosen for efficiency and easy maintenance.
The boat has been fully FEA modelled to produce an efficient, light but also durable primary structure for what is still a relatively lightweight IRC-type design. There is extensive use of unidirectional fibres in the Vinylester/glass lay-up, with resin infusion used to ensure good control of finish and weight distribution (resin infusion is increasingly becoming the default choice for top-end EU production builders under stringent emission directives)
Sailplan on the VLC35 includes, as you would expect from a successful America's Cup designer, an aggressive square-head mainsail combined with a maximum of 110 per cent headsails. A hydraulic headstay-tensioner allows easy adjustment of the swept-spreader, non-backstay rig.
Base price of the VLC35 is 120,000 euros and the first boat will be shown at the forthcoming