TECHNOLOGY Giuliano Luzzatto-foto Ocean tec
The new one design for corporate events and club races has aggressive lines and thoroughbred racing performance.
L30, A PROJECT FOLLOWED IN THE SMALLEST DETAIL BY RODION LUKA, OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALLIST IN ATHENS, AND ANDREJ JUSTIN, DESIGNER OF THE RC 44.
Luka 30, the One Design with a business plan
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nowing where you’re going: this is the idea you get when speaking to the creator of the L30, Rodion Luka, Ukrainian silver medallist in the 49ers at the Athens Olympics, and to Andrej Justin, the designer famous for having transformed the ideas of Russell Coutts into a successful one design, the RC44. Often we see good-looking boats that are innovative and original but do not have the success their enthusiastic owners were certain to achieve.
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Characteristics of the L30 and an electric motor
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The Luka 30 is certainly a sexy, modern and captivating boat, where the aesthetic impact is just one of the elements that make it a potential success. In construction terms, the Slovenian yard Ocean tec (where other one designs were created by Justin and where the Class 40 Orca is built) has used an excellent quality laminate and paid attention to the details that count, while ignoring, at least on the prototype, some aesthetic details that will certainly be looked
after better in the definitive version. The build is in PVC sandwich with vinylester vacuum bag impregnated fibreglass skins, the mast is in carbon (from the Hungarian Pauger) and the equipment is by Harken. Below decks, just as you go below, to starboard is a roomy head high enough to stand in (the sides and deck house are high) with a shower. On the opposite side a small food warmer permits preparation of a hot drink or the heating of Emile on short cruises. Forward is a large V shaped double bunk and a TV screen will be hung on the external wall of the head, facing forward. Astern, below the cockpit, are two wall bunks that are certainly more spartan. The most important technical innovation is the use of a 6 kW Oceanvolt electric motor with saildrive (the 4 kW version is an option). Nautech appreciated the quality of this type of motor in leaving and picking up the mooring, as described later in the article. For those who prefer it, as option there is a diesel engine which would however weigh more than the electric pod with its battery pack, which weighs just 110 kg. The declared ranges about 20
The hull with its carefully studied shape, accentuated chine and lifting keel.
Technical features
miles a speed of 4.5 kn but we did more than 7 kn going back into port against a stiff wind. The boat is also trailerable, thanks to the retracting keel (useful also on short summer cruises for landing on the beach) and the mast that rests on the deck on a specially designed rest, and is easy to haul just using the halyard. The L30 has no particular innovations in its construction, but offers the performance of a pure racer with comfortable space below decks. The water lines are very modern and the result of very refined work, but the most original aspect is the way they are offering to the market a boat conceived and carefully studied for a very specific range of uses: corporate events, sailing schools and short family cruises.
The business plan and use for corporate events Rodion Luka is not looking to sell individual boats (though he would be quite happy to do so) but to find yacht clubs, sailing schools and promoters interested in buying a fleet of at least six
boats with a business plan that aims for breakeven in four years at most, using the boats for corporate events and club races. Luka knows what he is talking about: he manages a fleet of Platu 25s available to members of the Kiev Yacht Club who book them even for short outings, like booking a court at a tennis club. It must be underlined that these boats were continually for corporate events, company racing or teambuilding. However, a top manager or an important client, perhaps a woman, could feel uneasy on an overly spartan racing yacht and not make the most of the opportunity offered. This is the reason for the choices below decks, especially as regards the head which is particularly large for the size of the boat, little more than 9 m. With the same target in mind is the choice of the twin wheel helm, apparently an unnecessary weight and extra cost, a tiller would be perfectly all right on a 30 footer and is more immediate, but for a beginner helming with the wheel is more intuitive. The same goes for the bowsprit which is retractable and not fixed to avoid risks in case of collisions. The final cost is still to be de-
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The interior layout with generously large head.
Idea and Concept: Rodion Luka Shipyard: Ocean Tec (Slovenia) Design: Justin Yacht Design LOA - 9.58 m (30 feet) Lhull - 9.25 m LWL - 9.20 m Max. Beam - 2.54 m Sail area Main - 29.8 m2 Jib - 22.7 m2 Gennaker - 83 m2 Carbon fiber mast, spreaders, boom and bowsprit Propulsion – Oceanvolt electric motor and sail drive with a two-blade folding propeller Draft (keel down / keel up) - 1.80 m / 0.58 m Height from waterline to mast top – 13.15 m Full displacement - 1820 kg Keel ballast weight (lead bulb) - 710 kg Fresh water tank / black water tank (option) - 45 liters / 35 liters
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TECHNOLOGY
Detail of the foot of the folding mast specially designed to make rigging and taking down easy. General view of the forward double cabin looking astern. Note the television on the wall of the hea
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The potentiometer of the electric motor is very fluid and permits optimal control.
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fined, but they are trying to keep it within €70,000, plus the sails (there is a full set by UK Sails in carbon offered at a special price of just over €8000) and the Oceanvolt electric motor at €4500 in the 4 kW version, €8000 for the 6 kW model. With at least 40 days of usage over the year, the business plan expects breakeven within four years. However, the days of usage are an underestimate, especially in the Mediterranean or in areas where a lot of sailing is done the effective number of days of usage could well increase considerably. Already on order are eight models that will join the Platu 25s of the Kiev Yacht Club, a fleet will probably be shipped in Japan and at the same time Rodion Luka is working on his many contacts to create fleets in the Mediterranean, Baltic, Arab Emirates and the USA. If the development project goes on even partially in the direction it has taken, it is probable that at least a couple of other yards will be involved in production, both to meet demand and to optimise delivery, the cost of which needs to be considered. The rudder with its twin lifting blades, a simple and effective solution. The bathing ladder is well integrated.
The waterlines When you are deciding which designer to call in for a new boat, one of the elements you consider is whether he has already designed similar boats. In the case of Andrej Justin there was not only the design of the most competitive one design of the moment, the RC44 designed with and not for Russell Coutts, which makes a big difference in terms of constant involvement in every smallest detail. There are other one designs of around 10 m by Andrej: from the Justin Ten of the past to the recent Code 8, TOD 33 and Nautic 37. From the evolution of the waterlines of these boats, together with many other components and variables, come the waterlines of the L30, with a flat bottom without excesses and a marked chine, since the maximum beam was limited by the dimensions needed to fit the boat on a trailer.
Tests on the water Nautech had the chance to try out the L30 in the Bay of Pirano in Slovenia on a day when the Bora wind was gusting up to 35 kn. Manoeuvres when leaving and entering the port showed the efficiency and reliability of the electric motor, whose power is very smoothly controlled by a nicely designed accelerator placed on the side, like the classic throttle lever. To increase range during cruises, the motor can be used as a hydro generator, so under sail with the folding propeller blades open the batteries can be recharged. A 30 footer in the conditions we sailed in is close to its limits and demands an expert crew. And that’s what we had on board, starting from Rodion Luka at the helm: apart from his Olympic medal, he also helmed for the Russian team in a recent edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. We got an idea of his ability reaching as much as 24.5 kn, with a peak of 24.7, literally flying on a broad reach. But much more important than the pure speed was the stability the boat showed, never broaching although it carried too much sail for such a strong wind. Certainly the credit goes to Luka at the helm, but also to the general balance and the twin-rather helm. Despite the high seas and the almost insane speed for a 30 footer, the boat was very dry thanks to its modern trim with the bow raised, the high sides and generous deck house. Close hauled with steep waves and the jib too big for the wind strength, the L30 had some trouble pointing high, and we preferred to go for VMG a little further off the wind but faster but, once in sheltered water with no waves and less wind the boat pointed very high. It must be underlined that the boat was still in the final test phase and was intentionally taken beyond its limits to show up any problems, to define the best setup and to decide on any last modifications. We are sure that in more common conditions with light air and calmer water it will behave excellently on all points of sailing, and probably a smaller jib will be provided to sail safely and well even in strong winds. Finally, the IRC rating is expected to be quite favourable considering the sail area is not excessive (though there will also be a Code 0 for sailing between around 60° to 110° Apparent Wind Direction), the displacement is not that light and the beam relatively narrow. This will allow the L30 to take part in fleet races without being penalised too much, further extending its possible uses.
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192 anni di “motori” si incontrano
Nasce la collaborazione in Italia tra Nanni Diesel e Ranieri Tonissi Siglato durante il 55° Salone Nautico di Genova lo storico accordo di collaborazione tra la società Nanni Industries S.A.S. e la società Ranieri Tonissi S.p.A.. La Ranieri Tonissi seguirà la commercializzazione dei motori marinizzati da Nanni Diesel per la cantieristica italiana. Con ciò la Ranieri Tonissi potrà proporre sul mercato del diporto e del lavoro una gamma di motori da 7 a 1900 Cv, ponendosi al vertice della gamma offerta. Tale sinergia permetterà di sfruttare al meglio il potenziale e la competenza di due società storiche del marino nel mondo.
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