From Disney to Destiny: Pyewacket 70 offered for new offshore challenges
by MCD Boutique Yacht Brokerage 21 Sep 04:40 PDT
Pyewacket 70 - 2023 Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille - Leeward Islands, April 17, 2023 © Sharon Green / ultimatesailing.com
As the sun sets on Roy Disney's latest campaign with the Volvo70 Pyewacket 70, the sailing world looks forward the next era of one of the world's most successful and storied offshore racers.
Fresh from the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, where she was the fourth monohull to finish, behind three top 100fters. Pyewacket 70 consistently sails above her length.
She is race-ready and available for a new owner, offering a rare opportunity to inherit a legacy of excellence.
Pyewacket70 is an excellent choice for TP52 owners or a team seeking to advance to a higher level of competition and compete against the world's premier offshore raceboats, either on line honours or rating.
Designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian (Juan K), Pyewacket 70 represents the last generation of the Volvo 70 class.
This design genre has proved itself at the very top level of the sport. Pyewacket70's sistership Groupama 4, later campaigned as Giacomo, won the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Under a new third owner and renamed Wizard, she secured the Overall IRC title at the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race and also won the RORC Caribbean 600 in 2019 on corrected time.
Since the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race, these two Volvo 70s have gone on to claim line honours or overall victories in the world’s three great classic ocean races — the Sydney Hobart, the Fastnet and the Bermuda Race — as well as the Transpac race.
Her pedigree is undeniable.
Pyewacket 70 was originally launched as Telefónica for the 2011–2012 Volvo Ocean Race. Skippered by Olympic Gold and Silver medallist Iker Martínez, she finished fourth overall in one of the world’s most demanding trans-oceanic races, after opening with three consecutive leg victories in the 39,000nm race around the world.
Under a new owner, the yacht was later campaigned in Australia as Black Jack, undergoing a major refit to become a “turbo-charged” VO70 with a taller mast, deeper keel, extended bowsprit and hydraulic winch systems. In this configuration, she won multiple Brisbane to Gladstone races and twice placed in the top five in the Rolex Sydney Hobart.
The real transformation came when Roy P. Disney added her to the legendary Pyewacket program in 2019.
Further upgrades — including a taller Southern Spars rig, a deeper keel, an extended bowsprit, and a complete North Sails inventory — combined with professional maintenance and hydraulic systems, kept her competitive at the highest level of offshore racing.
Pyewacket 70 has still more upgrade potential.
Pyewacket 70's recent results include:
- 2025 Antigua Sailing Week – Line Honours, Overall Winner
- 2024 Bermuda Race – Line Honours
- 2023 RORC Caribbean 600 – Line Honours & IRC Overall Winner
- 2023 Pineapple Cup – Line Honours
- 2022 Pacific Cup – Line Honours
- 2022 Puerto Vallarta – New Course Record
- 2021 Transpac Race – Line Honours
- 2021 Cabo San Lucas – Line Honours, Overall Winner, Race Record
- 2020 Puerto Vallarta – Class Winner
For a serious offshore campaigner, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. With the right timing, her new owner could even take the helm in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart.
The legacy is rich. The performance is proven. The future is wide open.
Like to know more?:
Contact: Paul MacDonald
Ph/WhatsApp: +64 27 5133 524
Email:
Web: www.mcdyachts.com/pyewacket
Interior and exterior images: