For the love of slightly larger, even faster boats - the Cape 31
by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 4 May 2025 15:00 PDT
Celestial - little boat - BIG bag! © Mark Rothfield
Thank you. You have let For the love of small, fast boats run before the breeze like a superlight planning hull under way too big a kite, with immense sheep in the paddock, and the Sailing Master grasping the flare gun in his pocket... No chicken chutes allowed, right?!
As we saw in said piece, no discussion about the new Cape 26 can be had without first talking about the Cape 31. When one of the latest of the 80 owners of a Cape 31 happens to be the distinguished and accomplished Sam Haynes, well, it was inevitable that we would circle back to hear his thoughts on the runaway success that is the Cape 31.
Fresh.
As in sea trials and early racing in February and March of this year for one the newest Cape 31s on the water. First outing in true vengeance was one of the much sought after places in the fabulous Sail Port Stephens. Haynes commented, "They had the racing inside, near Corlette, so it was flat water. The TPs were in there as well, but it makes a lot of sense for a boat like the Cape 31. It's the perfect size for that. We can get a mile or 1.2nm leg lengths, which are reasonable for a 30-footer. We also had a 14nm passage race, and the Sunday got blown out."
"The passage race was a really good track for a boat like this, and we had a lot of fun out there. We started off the sea wall at Nelson Bay, so it was very tactical getting through tide and current to exit Port Stephens, to say nothing of the swell line, and then out to Little Island, which was virtually a windward/leeward type of course. We then went down to a laid mark in the vicinity of Fingal Bay, and repeated it all back home."
"The tide was turning, the breeze was shifting, and there were a few good lanes to get into. If you were on the right side of the shifts you were doing well, but you also had to manage what was quite a significant tide at the bar at entrance to Port Stephens. The size of the waves wasn't scary. It was just like good rides down waves with a bit of pressure from Huey, and just able to get the boat surfing."
In a previous discussion with Haynes he had mentioned about 'frothing for Cape 31s', and clearly this type of racing was what he had in mind.
"We've got either a seven- or eight-person crew, which is a nice number after the bigger yachts. The IRC rating has it at seven times 85kg, which is also Class weight for the OD side of it. This also gives the opportunity to have two or three women on board, and everyone's busy with a boat like this, and everyone has a strong role to play. You have quite a lot of heads together on how to get the boat to go fast, tactically and navigation wise, then you've everyone working on the boat. It's a really good little platform for this size of crew to be super busy and engaged."
Haynes added, "Rob Greenhalgh, who's been sailing with us on the various Celestials for a long time, has been coaching and helping us find the right places for everyone to sit. He has a lot of experience in the Class as the Sailing Master on board the illustrious, Flying Jenny, in the very competitive Solent fleet. We want to emulate that sort of high-end racing here in Australia."
Haynes evidently really enjoyed Sail Port Stephens. It came down to size of the crew, dialling the boat in, good training, even better racing, shorter and easier prep/pack up time with smaller gear involved. "They have packed a lot of boat into this 31-footer," said Haynes.
Lucky seven
There are now seven Cape 31s in Australia, and they are all slated to appear at Hamilton Ilsand Race Week this year for their National Championship. It helps with vast distances in Oz to have the purpose-built, in-container slanted alloy cradle/frame when it comes to transport, and opens up the opportunities for a true national competition. Anything more than say 110 nauticals goes by truck. It's a two-piece stick and dismantle/reassemble takes three souls around two days each time.
"The whole thing is such a nice set-up, the boats are so similar in weight, unlike a lot of other classes, the hull is fair, and we had no concerns with the construction or quality of the craft. Many others have looked it at it too, and they are also suitably impressed. It is in mint condition now, newly commissioned and it's a really, really nice thing to sail on. You can't miss us. Signature blue, and the ubiquitous Celestial logo," said Haynes. Apart form the J/70s, this Celestial is his first factory new (larger) boat, so he is justly proud.
"It is quite a technical boat, for sure. You can feel it if you are sailing well, and it is very responsive. There is a lot to do on board, I can tell you. I am really enjoying it."
Why this? Why now?
Haynes is of course highly regarded in many a fleet, so what got him into the Cape 31 in the first place? "I just wanted to get something one design, and a bit bigger than the J/70. I didn't really want to continue with an offshore program, so I was looking at inshore sailing and maybe a bit of coastal work (Offshore Cat4)."
"These boats are ideal for our Sydney Harbour type sailing. I think Port Phillip, Lincoln Race Week and Geographe Bay are also good locales, as well as Hammo. They're great windward/leeward boats as well, which I enjoy. The Cape 31 covers that off, as well as short passage work." All of those places can offer very similar conditions to Cape Town, so the Cape 31 is bound to putt smiles on the dials. Do look out for Celestial at some, if not all, of the above.
"I chartered David Ross' previous Cape 31, B4, last year at Hammo, whilst the raced Kukukerchu. B4 is for sale right now, and as he is keen to see it remain in Australia, he has given it a very attractive price to allow a local sailor to get amongst it. AUD250k is super-good value." Of course, plenty will see Haynes' move into the Cape 31 as further proof of evidence that the Class is set to really succeed here in Oz. "I knew the Cape 31 would suit me, and this test sail just proved it, so we went ahead and ordered one. Fantastic stuff, I tell you."
A new Cape 31 is not the cheapest craft going around, so how could the class grow, and what kind of fleet is possible? "I can say that as far as value for money goes, the Cape 31 is a winner. No question. As for fleet size, well you do have to get past the tipping point, but if we had say seven on Sydney Harbour right now, then it would just roll out from that. There are some racers in TP52s presently that would love to get into a Cape 31, and just need to sell the first sailing asset to do so."
"Having the carbon rudder and fin adds to expense, but delivers so much to the performance outcome. The money is in the right areas with the Cape 31. Sails, cordage, and electronics can add to it all, but now as an OD Class, and with a brilliant starting point in terms of weight of the boat, it is very compelling. The consistency of build, the engineering, and down pat manufacturing processes are part of the appeal, too."
"Also, the purchase experience is great, with Davey James and David Swete really making it enjoyable," added Haynes.
Celestial will be on Sydney Harbour doing all manner of racing, which is something Haynes wanted. Monday night twilights, with 'specials', as the term used to go, appeals to him. "You don't always have to have the hotshot crew on board to enjoy the Cape 31. We've already been sailing with all sorts of people aboard. My wife will come out with me when we do two-sail Twilights, and you don't have to do legs out if you don't wish too. You can also sail it short-handed. It all depends on how far you want to push. Perhaps not a glass of wine, but you also won't have to manage strings if you are not into it."
Davey's Famous Line
In For the love of small, fast boats, Davey James said about the foredeckie, 'This is the most important person of the seven crew on the Cape 31. If they get job right, you have an absolutely cracking day's sailing. If they get it wrong, it's an absolute disaster.'
In this regard, Haynes said, "You'd want to have the A-crew for anything involving manoeuvres, but you can have people out of the Sailing Academy, people who know how to sail, but are not Cape 31 specialists. It is all about matching skills to systems and capacities. The bow does get more complicated if you're trying to do a peel, because it's bareheaded, there's the takedown line to consider in the management of it all, and then it gets next level when you look at windward hoist and Mexican drop. Timing is critical, and you do need horsepower on the takedown system."
"So, basic manoeuvres are very easy on the boat, as it's super well set up. You don't sort of wish the boat was different every time you do something."
Hobart
As for this year's Hobart (the 80th BTW)? Well, obviously there will be no Cape 31 heading South on Boxing Day. Cat1 and all... (it's a long bow from Cat4). The official edict is that Haynes will be ashore 'embracing his duties as the Commodore of the CYCA'. Now you would not have to go too far to find a rumour of 'charter this', or 'purchase that' when it comes to Haynes, but there is definitely nothing on the radar right now.
As for Haynes himself, "You know, in the back of my mind there's always the question that I'm going to have a lot of FOMO if I'm not actually out there racing. So, it's very much to the side of if anything cropped up. I don't have my own offshore boat, and I'm not intending to purchase anything like that."
"I have the Cape 31 here in Australia, and a J/70 in Portugal for racing in Europe, just in case. The focus is the Cape 31 and Australia. That's it."
Please enjoy your yachting, stay safe, and thanks for tuning into Sail-World.com
John Curnow
Sail-World.com AUS Editor