Infiniti 52 hits 28 knots in Solent sea trials

The first Infiniti 52 Tulikettu has been undergoing sea trials in the Solent, following delivery to her new Finnish owner Arto Linnervuo.

During initial sea trials, Tulikettu hit 28+ knots, with more than 30 anticipated. Gibraltar-based brand Infiniti Yachts says the racing yacht has impressed her crew with ‘easy speed and a bow-out attitude.’

“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,” says Gordon Kay, Infiniti Yachts founder. “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.

“The boat is set up in a way that is incredibly uncomplicated. There are no mysteries when you look at the deck layout. You could step off a J/111 and on to this and if you knew how to work the halyard locks, you’d be off yachting. There is nothing particularly complex.”

Infiniti 52 Tulikettu

Designed by naval architect Hugh Welbourn, pioneer of the foiling sailing yacht, the Infiniti 52 is the first foil-assisted high performance/racing yacht developed for semi-custom production. It is also 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 Superyacht Awards, and the Quant 23, believed to be the world’s first foiling keelboat.

Infiniti Yachts says when the foil is deployed just beneath the water to leeward, DSS provides ‘righting moment on demand’; providing more lift the faster the 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 first project with our Xp 44 was to see where we were as a team and what is required to do well in bigger RORC races,” says Linnervuo. “We got to the stage where we could be competitive as a team, but had reached our peak — if we wanted to seriously do well and win something big, we needed a new boat. I saw that boat design was moving fast and everything was ‘foiling, foiling, foiling…’ and that was becoming mainstream. Plus, I wanted to have a future-proof boat.

“So far I have found the DSS foil really simple to use, very logical. When we were just doing normal stuff, like upwind and reaching, it was much the same as usual but when we had some good reaching in heavier winds, it was actually much easier than I had thought. With this boat, we like to have a heeling angle of 10-16 degrees and I thought it must be quite difficult to hit that range, but it was much easier than I thought.

The boat is very stable and the rudder is really good and has good bite and with the foil, you are less concerned about the amount of sail area you are carrying and broaching the boat.”

Central to Welbourn’s design philosophy is ‘easy speed’ and Infiniti says this has touched all areas of the Infiniti 52, most aided by the DSS foil. The Doyle sail wardrobe has been designed by Kiwi pro sailor Stu Bannatyne with number-crunching from Stefano Nava.

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 #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.