I've spent the last couple of months working on the new Beau Geste. She's just been launched in Auckland and we did a couple of weeks sea trials and sail testing. Currently the boat is on a ship to the UK to compete in the European season. Her first event will be the Fastnet race in August.
She's definitely a cruiser/racer and has a great interior fitout as you can see by the following photos:
Featuring a shower, watermaker, microwave and 240v power Beau Geste should have a life outside racing and indeed the owner intends to do some cruising in the Med this year. On deck however she's a full-on racer. With a sailplan inspired by the latest Volvo 70 thinking, the latest Harken hydraulic winches and a simple adaptable deck layout, the expectation is Beau Geste will be nipping at the heels of the 100 footers....
The photo above shows the boat being loaded onto the ship in Tauranga. With her powerful stern sections and efficient twin rudders the boat should be a weapon reaching in ocean races. The boat also features a lifting keel which has a draft of close to 6m when down, providing huge righting moment and allowing big sail area for minimal crew weight.With her awesome custom paint job (thanks Cooksons), towering deck-stepped mast (Southern Spars) and impressive set of sails (North Sails) the new Beau Geste should make a great impression on this years European racing circuit.
