Opening of the sales of the Class 30
Launched in April 2021 with a competition between architects and builders that led to the selection of the VPLP / Multiplast duo in September of the same year, the Class 30 project passed a new stage on April 27, 2021. This boat, wanted by the French UNCL, British RORC and American Storm Trysail Club to offer an affordable boat to train sailors for offshore racing and events, is now technically defined and available for sale.
VPLP and the Multiplast shipyard have submitted their final preliminary design. The 30-foot sailboat, with a powerful hull and a displacement of only 2,700 kg, will carry a 105 m² spinnaker, for performances that should be high. It will be approved in design category A for 4 people on board.
50 boats by 2023
There were 25 pre-orders after the launch of the subscriptions at Nautic 2021. The project leaders expect to exceed this number quickly, as the announced production capacity is one boat per week. "We think that all the pre-orders will be transformed. These are people from amateur or professional ocean racing, of 5 nationalities, that we know well. There are 5 boats for clubs including the ENV of Quiberon or Dunkerque which wishes to be the starting city of the Demo Class 30 Tour. We also have requests from Mini Transat skippers who see the Class 30 as an intermediary before the Figaro or the Class 40. We should easily reach fifty boats. And we have thought about a second set of molds if needed, especially with the American market which is promising" says Yves Ginoux, responsible for the file at UNCL and buyer of Class 30 number 5.
A regatta circuit
Designed for competition, the Class 30 must offer an attractive regatta circuit. 13 events are scheduled in the English Channel and Atlantic and 10 events in the Mediterranean, between April 7 and the end of October 2023. "It is essential. That's why we are planning the Class 30 Demo Tour from 2023 and dedicated regattas from 2024" confirms the head of the UNCL
Prices impacted by the raw materials crisis
At the beginning of the project, UNCL set a target price of 80,000 euros (excluding VAT) for the club version and 120,000 euros (excluding VAT) for the One Design (OD) version. The Ukrainian crisis and inflation have passed by and the final prices are 94 500euros HT for the club and 132 500euros for the One Design. "In the 9 months, the raw materials increased by 20%. It was difficult to meet the targets. The increases are mainly in resins, fabrics or ballast, which have a larger share in the club version, the electronics sold for the OD for example has increased less. Nevertheless, we have made good progress on a rental solution for the clubs, which should therefore be less affected by the increase in rent," explains Yves Ginoux.
French manufacturing
If it had been considered for a while to produce the boats in Poland for cost reasons, the transport costs have pushed the project leaders to find other solutions. The Class 30 will therefore be produced in Southern Brittany. "By working on the molds and tooling, we manage to compensate for the cost of labor and we save the cost of transport" says the project leader.
