Exploring the HopYacht 30 design.

Why is the HopYacht 30 designed with a narrower beam compared to conventional catamarans?

A popular joke among sailors when they gather is, 'if two or more yachts are moving in the same direction, it's automatically a race!'

In reality, there is a different type of yacht race that often occurs in the Mediterranean and other cruising areas worldwide. This is a motor-sailing race, typically beginning around 3pm, with the main goal of securing a berth for the night, particularly in locations with many charter yachts!

In Turkey and Greece, with yachts typically moored 'stern to' the harbour wall, it's amazing to watch how yachties cooperate with each other, setting their cocktails down, to help squeeze yet another monohull in.

However, if you arrive later in the day with a wide-beam catamaran, you'll often find that there are no available spaces large enough. The alternative is to locate a sheltered bay and anchor for the night.

The advantage is that you might not be disturbed by noisy neighbours in the harbour, but you're less likely to have a restful night's sleep while anchored!

Having witnessed these scenarios during our sailing holidays, we questioned why a small catamaran couldn't have the same beam as a typical monohull and fit into the same berth or marina dock. What if this also meant being charged the same mooring fee as a monohull, avoiding the usual 75%-100% premium for a wide beam catamaran?

From the outset, the team at Du Toit Yacht Design believed that the overall concept was entirely feasible. Their main focus was on establishing the optimal length-to-beam ratio and ensuring this would allow for an efficient sail plan and sufficient living space.

In partnership with North Sails, the primary goal was to achieve comparable stability to a conventional wide-beam catamaran and the approach taken was to design a low-profile rig. The mast height for the HopYacht 30 measures 10 meters, nearly matching the boat's length of 9.35 meters. Typically, a cruising yacht features a mast that is 25-35% taller than its overall length.

The HopYacht 30 has a unique single-sail configuration. The mast is set further aft, allowing the genoa to extend back and serve as both mainsail and jib. Consequently, with a 10m mast, the sail's centre-of-effort remains low and upwind performance is preserved.

By integrating a distinctive sail plan with Du Toit's hull design expertise, the final product precisely met the HopYacht design brief—a remarkably stable and user-friendly catamaran, with a beam similar to that of a standard family monohull, allowing it to fit into a typical berth.

The HopYacht 30 has CE certification as a Category C yacht, meaning it is suited for coastal cruising in winds up to 27 knots and significant waves up to 2 metres.

HopYacht 30 Dimensions

L.O.A. - 9.35m

Beam. - 3.44m

Mast Height: 10m

Sail area: 29.5 sqm

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