STORM TRYSAIL CLUB

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Barby MacGowan, Media Pro Int’l, 401-849-0220,
barby.macgowan@mediapronewport.com
or Marcy Trenholm, Storm Trysail Club, 914-834-8857, stormtry@aol.com

Storm Trysail 65 Box Rule Unveiled

LARCHMONT, N.Y. (April 21, 2005) – The Storm Trysail Club (STC) has published its much anticipated Box Rule for the Storm Trysail 65 class it announced in April (www.stormtrysail.org). STC Commodore Rich du Moulin (Larchmont, N.Y.) reiterated today that the rule promotes a seaworthy, high-performance boat for both inshore and offshore sailing, with tight enough parameters to minimize obsolescence. The Storm Trysail 65 will deliver the look and style of the very popular Transpac 52 but with added capability as an offshore racer.

“The Storm Trysail 65 Box Rule has been developed diligently and tirelessly by our technical committee, headed by yacht designer Bill Tripp,” said du Moulin, adding that the committee also included veteran yacht designers Bruce Nelson, Jim Pugh, Alan Andrews, Jim Schmicker and Mark Mills. “It has been monitored and organized by the Storm Trysail 65 Board, which includes myself, Chairman Eric Kreuter, Steve Benjamin and Ken Read, in close coordination with an Owners Group comprised of individuals who are interested in going forward to build yachts to this rule.” The Rule’s release is timed to give owners enough time to build for the Spring sailing season of 2006, including the Centennial Newport-Bermuda Race.

According to Read, a holder of multiple world championship titles and a veteran offshore racer, the Storm Trysail 65 benefits from the evolution of other Box Rules, particularly the one developed by the Transpac 52 Class. “I can gladly report that the rule has done what many thought was impossible,” said Read. “For lack of a better phrase, this boat is a Transpac 52 on steroids!”

Read said that the Storm Trysail 65 Technical Committee and Board utilized many of the brightest talents in the industry to help reflect what owners wanted, not necessarily what the marine industry wanted. A list of long-term priorities for the Owners Group included:

--The Storm Trysail Box Rule should create a boat that will have breakout speeds and provide exhilarating sailing in a size range that the owners group feels is "the right size” for offshore racing.

--The Storm Trysail Box Rule should be very tight, virtually eliminating boats that would be very different from each other in a range of conditions.

Bill Tripp added that after quite a bit of debate, it was decided that the Storm Trysail Club’s Box Rule would be a better solution than a strict one-design rule in the 65-foot size range. “This is mainly due to the fact that with a Box Rule, an owner has the tight shape and construction controls that limit an arms race yet maintains some design creativity. It also opens up the opportunity for owners to select their own designers and builders worldwide.”

Highlights of the Storm Trysail 65 include a very simple fractional rig with non-overlapping jibs, no runners and a very generous sail area. “We anticipate that the boat will be a very good IRC rater due to its simple rig and very low center of gravity,” said Tripp.

The yacht also will feature optional masthead free-flying genoas for Class Box Rule racing when sailing offshore. As with the Transpac 52, the class does not have a canting keel option, as the owners felt there was ample speed with the very modern design of the Storm Trysail 65 without having to go to the next level of expense and extreme engineering.

“Keeping it simple became a very important part of the equation,” said Steve Benjamin, “and, typically, keeping anything simple leads to great things!”

According to Eric Kreuter, there will be a set of strict rules and bylaws to accompany the Storm Trysail 65 Box Rule in the very near future. “We have pushed hard to create this rule and publish it in advance for one very good reason,” said Kreuter. “There are owners out there who want to build boats! What Storm Trysail 65 owners get is assurance that they are protected by the group. There will be tight racing in very similar boats for years to come, and that should allow many to sleep better when their investment rolls out of the shed.”

The Storm Trysail 65 Box Rule and supporting information is accessible at www.stormtrysail.org. For more information on the Storm Trysail 65 Class Association, contact Eric Kreuter, STC65@stormtrysail.org

About the Storm Trysail Club

The Storm Trysail Club, reflecting in its name the sail to which sailors must shorten when facing adverse conditions, is one of the world’s most respected sailing clubs, with its membership comprised strictly of skilled blue water and ocean racing sailors. In addition to holding various prestigious offshore racing events (among them the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race and Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race), STC also hosts annual junior safety-at-sea seminars and a regatta for college sailors using big boats. Recently, STC joined together with other leading establishments such as the St. Francis Yacht Club and the New York Yacht Club to establish and promote the use of the IRC rating system in North America. The rule was successfully introduced at STC’s Block Island Race and Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex. At Race Week, 107 IRC-rated yachts competed as a fleet in the Around the Island Race.

For more information, contact the Storm Trysail Club, 914-834-8857, stormtry@aol.com.

Click HERE for a printable pdf version of the Storm Trysail 65 Box Rule Parameters.

Click HERE for a printable pdf version of this press release.