CQS to head back to New Zealand for further DSS development

by John Roberson on 29 Dec 2016 Ludde Ingvall’s super maxi CQS will leave Hobart soon, and head back to New Zealand, where the programme of developing the DSS technology will continue, while Ludde and his sponsor, Sir Michael Hintze discuss the on going event schedule.

Chris Skinner, the boat captain, said he expected there to be a good weather window for them to leave on Friday for the Tasman Crossing, which should take about five days.

Both Ludde and Sir Michael have said they are very pleased with the boat’s performance in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart, having shown some stunning bursts of speed before the DSS board broke.

Skinner, who will skipper the boat for the delivery trip back to New Zealand said, “there is a good weather pattern coming up on Friday, it should give us a down hill slide all the way. We will leave the broken DSS board in place for the crossing, because it takes about a day to remove it, and we want to get going.”

Other than the damage to the DSS board, the rest of the boat came through the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race unscathed, “the guys at Southern Ocean Marine have built a beautiful and strong boat,” commented Ludde, “everything else on the boat has worked really well, I’m very happy with the hull and rig.”

When the decision has been made about the rest of the sailing programme, CQS will be shipped from New Zealand to the venue for the next event.

Much of the design work on CQS was done by Auckland based Bakewell White Yacht Design, the build was undertaken in Tauranga, the sails come from Evolution Sails in Auckland, and the spars from Hall Spars NZ in Auckland.