Design #541 Cookson 50

look at it. The factors against it were largely expense - mainly because of the requirement for a low-drag high-tensile machined steel fin, plus some form of forward foil or foils to provide lateral resistance. "Even using less than optimum steel for the fin, you would be adding something like $NZ150, 000 to the price over a fixed keel version," says Cookson.

But, the search for alternatives continued - including much discussion inside and outside the yard. The outcome of all this ferment is a package of truly beautiful hull form with a displacement of 7-tonnes and a keel and trim tab that swings 35° both sides and no forward foils. Cookson stated that, "In over 30 years of boat building this is the fastest looking boat we've ever set frames up for" and Farr Yacht Design states that, "This will be, by far, the fastest reaching and running 50 footer we've ever designed." "The canting keel allows us to design a boat that is similar in weight for it's waterline to the TP52, yet maintain more stability due to the effects of canting ballast, giving us a highly stable yacht that will be lightning quick, sea kindly, and require fewer people to bring her to top performance."

Cost reduction is achieved through the lack of a third foil and limiting the swing to 35°, which reduces the ram travel. Eliminating forward foils reduces drag, which, in turn, allows for a larger-chord medium-tech fabricated steel fin arrangement, which would be much more affordable. The keel will cant via a hydraulic ram, while the trim tab will be highly geared and controlled with a small electric motor via a switch and angle indicator at the twin helm stations.

"When you really want to increase the righting moment of the boat is blast reaching. In those conditions, you are going so fast, you need very little lateral resistance and you can have the keel fully canted," says Cookson.

The logic seems compelling and the combination of Cookson Boat builders' extensive experience and Farr