Ooo, look at that!

Elvstrom Sobstad unveil funky headsails for Glynn Williams' Swan 45 WISC

Causing a stir in Cowes as the Swan 45 Gold Cup gathers pace as part of the Swan European Regatta is Glynn William’s British boat WISC – who unwrapped a pair of jibs at measurement today that have made everyone’s eyes widen considerably.

The suit of Kevalr/carbon sails from the UK Elvstrom Sobstad loft feature large cut outs where the leech of the jib (normally) hits the spreaders. The sail measurement for the class is centred on a maximum mid-girth of 3.08m – which is only really achieved in the deepest (and therefore biggest) light headsail.



By effectively cutting out room for the spreader the two medium headsails WISC has measured are adding 6% more sail area to the sail – most of which is in the leech of the top half of the sail. Their upwind inventory consists of a conventional light headsail for up to six knots of breeze, then two cut-out jibs – a medium light for 6-11 knots and a medium heavy for 11-16 knots. The conventional three is used for 16 knots and above.

The mid-girth rule is a throw back to the original prototype Swan 45, says Elvstrom Sobstad’s Kevin Sproul who picked up on the opportunity, where the yacht featured back curved spreaders allowing for a larger headsail to be sheeted on fully without fouling the spreader. Production boats do not have this style of spreader and this is the first time an apparent loophole has been exploited.



WISC is one of the favourites to take the Swan 45 Gold Cup on home waters featuring their regular strong crew with Patches TP52 helmsman Tim Powell calling tactics on Solent waters.

Hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron the Swan 45 Gold Cup starts on Wednesday and continues until Sunday. A fleet of 21 yachts are entered.

Atlantica Racing	ITA45019	Carlo Perrone
Bellerose-Duvel	BEL4528	Patrick van Heurck/Philippe Moortgat
Bellicosa	USA52225	Massimo Ferragamo
Better Than...	USA18	Andrzej Rojek
Blue Nights	10390	Tea Ekengren-Sauren
Charisma	NED7465	N R Poons
Checkmate	NED45026	Peter de Ridder
Crackerjack	GBR6R	Keith Miller
DSK Comifin	ITA2945	Danilo Salsi
Goombay Smash	USA45454	William Douglass
Jeroboam Ca' Nova	ITA14525	Vittorio Codecasa & Ferdinando Battistella
Fever	GBR945R	G Gordon/K Diedrichs
McFly	GBR7745R	Tony Mack
Murka 2	GBR92R	Mikhail Mouratov
Nemo of Cowes	GBR17R	Bernard Lambilliotte
No Limits	NED8888	R W Bol
Piper	GBR9050	Charles Swingland
Plenty	USA52059	Alex Roepers
Tarok VII	DEN9503	Erik Berth
Vixen	45032	Dick Weismann
WISC	GBR45R	Glynn Williams