The new VO70 Rule

Anyone who has experienced at first hand the sheer speed of the Volvo Open 70 will be delighted to learn that the official Rule for 2008-09 has been framed to safeguard the status of the world’s fastest ocean going monohull. Rather than apply the ‘hand brake’ to the VO70’s stunning performance, the rule focuses on durability measures which carry no speed penalty.

Staying true to speed
Weight distribution, restrictions on appendages and the integrity of construction materials in keel mechanisms are the main elements of version 2 of the Volvo Open 70 rule – upgraded from the 2005-06 race. The race organisers and Rule Management Group (RMG), led by chief measurer James Dadd, have concentrated on the issues which contributed to structural problems in the previous race – particularly in the area of canting keels. The intention has been to stay true to the stated philosophy of producing ‘fast, single mast, monohull keelboats of similar performance, suitable for long distance racing offshore at the highest level of the sport’.