Hot new Sports 8 from Bethwaite goes to UK

by Sydney Yachting Centre on 6 Sep 2006 The Sports 8 (www.sports8.com.au), a high performance canting keel sports boat set to thrill speed seeking sailors around the world, was seen at the Sydney International Boat Show.

The Sport 8 story started in 2001 when Pierre Gal, an experienced and successful sports boat campaigner, provided a detailed brief and commissioned Julian Bethwaite and Martin Billoch to design him an eight metre sports boat to take on the Thompson’s and Elliott’s, in the strong Australasian sports boat scene.

This result looked like a grown up 49er; it was the full carbon Vivace and the green hulled flyer, on debut, dominated the Sports Division at the Hogs Breath regatta in 2003, and afterwards went on to prove she was consistently the fastest boat on the circuit. Ex-World 18ft Champion Peter Sorensen now races Vivace and made the following comment; ‘Fabulous boat - a real gem - everything about it - it’s the fastest boat in the world for its size.’

The success of that boat meant that there were discussions about a production version becoming a Bethwaite 79, but that did not come to pass. Instead the revolutionary canting keel Sports 8 was born, collaboration between Bethwaite & Billoch Design, David Lyons, Pierre Gal and Sydney Yachting Centre.

It has evolved from the lines developed by Bethwaite and Billoch that were used on 'Vivace'. Gal made a range of modifications which have been incorporated in the production model. David Lyons is responsible for the laminating and engineering schedule and Sydney Yachting Centre are building and marketing the boat. Geoff Pearson from Sydney Yachting Centre. ‘What we have done is take a fast fun state of the art, unlimited budget sports boat and put it into a production package to make it possible for people all around the world to share the thrill of speed.’

While Vivace is all carbon, the Sport 8 is a vinyl ester foam core production boat, which does make it a heavier boat, but of course it’s less expensive. To compensate for the extra weight, it has a bigger rig on it and the canting keel. The keel cants 45 degrees either side, providing tremendous upwind advantage and allows the Sports 8 to carry huge spinnakers. While Vivace needs six crew in strong conditions, the Sports 8 is on the pace with just four crew. The canting keel has winglets on the bulb itself. This removes the need for a forward canard to provide balance in the boat. Pearson comments; ‘The canting keel is worth two and a half bums on the gunnel. It means that two guys could sail it with their girlfriends or wives. At the moment we are going upwind at around 7.5 knots in about 8 knots of wind. Around the harbour we will go downwind in 15 knots of wind and probably do 15 knots’.

The Sports 8 has a 95mm section CST carbon mast with carbon boom and carbon pole and uses the same kind of automatic trimming rig that’s proved so successful on Vivace and other Bethwaite designs. Canting keel power comes from a 12V battery, powering a little electric motor that powers two hydraulic rams. When you press the button in six seconds it will cant the keel completely from 45 degrees from the starboard side to 45 degrees to the port side.

The total package is very trailer friendly. It is an 8m boat, 2.4m beam with the wing folded in, so on the trailer it can be trailed anywhere. With the wings folded out and locked into place it is 3.5m. and unfolding the wings is only a few minutes work.

The first Sports 8 arrived in the UK this week for Tony Rayer – shipped over by Peters and May who handled his 2000 Commodore’s Cup winning 1D35 ‘Respect’. Trial handicaps will pit this 26 footer against much large competition under IRC where the trial handicap of 1.116 means J/133s will level rate. Under sportsboat the handicap will be around 1.479.

For more information please contact Tony Rayer (Office : +44 (0) 29 2037 3709 Mobile +44 (0)7831 605002