Sea trials for the F4: First foiling offshore one-design catamaran

The DNA F4 has been shipped to America to undergo sea trials. The full carbon 46-foot foiling catamaran is designed to push the boundaries of distance one design racing offshore.

TAGS: design yacht racing

5 September

After eight months, DNA has now shipped the F4 for sea trials and commissioning in the United States.

The 46-foot foiling catamaran is aimed at those wanting to join the foiling generation.

The design and manufacturing techniques focused on safety, efficiency and sustained flight in waves with coastal racing in mind.

The spacious and unobstructed cockpit includes wheels at the helm, pedestal powered primary winches/hydraulic functions and a fluid layout to allow for a wide variety of sail combinations with limited hands on deck.

To make ownership as cost effective and sensible as possible, the F4 is strict One Design.

The F4

DNA said in choosing the components it “put a lot of effort into gauging the balance between weight, durability and cost.”

“In most instances we went for reliability and safety factors over weight savings, and by partnering with industry leading suppliers secured competitive pricing in exchange for class exclusivity,” said DNA.

The company is partnering in the project with America’s Cup sailor Shannon Falcone and Tommy Loughborough of Exile Expeditions.

They will be overseeing the sea trials in Newport, Rhode Island.

Exile Expeditions will also be responsible for organising a world class grand prix racing experience based around the new cat.

It will be named the TOUR DE FOIL (TDF).

This first boat is being commissioned by Bronco Sailing Team’s Michael Dominguez of Barrington, Rhode Island.

The F4 is now undergoing sea trials

Dominguez, Loughborough and Falcone have been sailing together since 2009.

Winners of the One Design catamaran class at the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) race week in July, they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their next adventure.

“For me this was an opportunity to support two exceptional sailors who I have raced with for a long time and to take a small part in moving performance sailing forward with a foiling platform that was exquisitely designed and executed by DNA,” said Dominguez.

“There’s no feeling like foiling,” he added.

The F4 has a target range of 1000 nautical miles and a top speed of 35+ knots.

The flexibility of its deck layout and systems incorporate Falcone’s experience in the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup.

Boat Specifications:

Length: 14.15 metre (46 feet)
Width: 6.95 metre (23 feet)
Height: 21.35 metre (70 feet) from waterline
Top Speed: 35+ knots
Crew: 4-6 people
Sails: North Sails 3Di Endurance
Mast & boom: Hall Spars and Rigging
Composite Rigging: Future Fibres ECsix
Rigging: Gorilla Rigging
Deck hardware & hydraulics: Harken
Motor (electric): Torqeedo

17 June

Just months after testing their F1 A-Class catamaran, DNA has now unveiled the new F4, the first foiling offshore one-design catamaran.

Built in Lelystad, The Netherlands, the boat is the result of an eight month design project.

It has been spearheaded by DNA’s lead engineer, Pieterjan Dwarshuis and two-times America’s Cup winner, Shannon Falcone.

“With the design cycle of the F4, the focus was all on performance and the result is stunning, a bigger and faster all-out racing machine which every speed freak should at least have a look at”, stated Dwarshuis.

The catamaran is aimed at those looking for America’s Cup technology without the need for large shore crews and being washed from trampolines.

The F4’s cockpit offers ample room for passengers in the heart of the action.

A pilothouse provides a sheltered area for long passages.

In the same way that former A-Class world champion Mischa Heemskerk influenced the ergonomics and system development on the DNA F1, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race veteran, Shannon Falcone has been the technical advisor for the DNA F4.

“The team at DNA gave me the opportunity to propose new concepts and features that integrate my past America’s Cup and Volvo experiences following my feedback from sailing the G4 both inshore and offshore,” explained Falcone.

Shannon Falcone. Credit: Shannon Falcone/Andre Phillip/Facebook

“Thanks to the support of our partners this boat is the result of an industry wide collaboration to help bring one-design production foiling into a real world racing environment,” continued the 34-year-old sailing veteran.

“The DNA F4 is aimed at owner drivers looking for performance, efficiency and drastically reduced operating costs,” he concluded.

The F4 is expected to be launched and commissioned in Newport, Rhode Island, USA in the summer.

The team behind the catamaran will then spend the remainder of the autumn in New England testing the boundaries of the boat’s capabilities.

This is in preparation for a busy winter racing season in the Caribbean.