ON TEST ARCONA Reprinted from Yachting World January 2017
On Test Arcona Is this all-carbon 46ft performance cruiser too hot to handle? Pip Hare goes for a test sail facts Area tested Solent Wind range 6-14 knots, flat water Model number 1 fitted with teak decks and trim, carbon rig and uprated engine Tested by PIP Hare Photos by PAUL WYETH P erformance cruisers are designed and sold to chew up the miles on longer journeys without sacrificing too much comfort. Yet many new owners find that their boat that sailed so well in show room trim becomes quite a different beast once all of the cruising necessities fridges, freezers, tenders, water makers, two sets of ground tackle and the myriad of other essentials for comfortable cruising are loaded on board. Swedish yard Arcona, together with designer Stefan Qviberg, is offering a way out of the inevitable compromise between equipment and speed by building the new with a carbon hull and deck as standard. By taking the weight out of the hull of this 46-footer, Arcona believes that the boat can still be fitted out with the luxury interior customers would 2 yachtingworld.com yachtingworld.com 5
Above: A very lightweight hull for a cruising couple, but laden with cruising gear and sailed conservatively, the is a real performer Above: The three sheets are all visible on the side decks: German main, jib and asymmetric Main picture: Inhaulers are part of the standard deck gear. The helm position is perfect 3 yachtingworld.com yachtingworld.com 4
Above: Cavities inside the coaming around the cockpit for collecting tail ends expect and that owners will be able to load on nearly a tonne of extra gear and still enjoy great performance. In theory it makes sense: the is only three per cent heavier than the 430 but with ten per cent more sail area. But does it still feel like a cruising yacht in practice? Here is a boat that instantly changes its personality, coming alive when under sail. The helm was light and the boat felt nimble and fast. As we made our way upwind, I firmed up the leeches on both sails to see what I could get out of it in the flat waters of the Solent. Thanks to my tweaks we were well heeled and achieving over seven knots of boat speed at a TWA of 37 degrees in 13 knots TWS. The is undoubtedly a stiff boat, but as light as the helm was, when hard on the breeze and trimmed for height, we could have used a dozen or so burly crew on the rail. This begs the question: has Arcona gone too far towards the performance end of the spectrum for this boat to be interesting for serious cruising sailors? From my point of view the boat felt great alive, capable and fun but would you really want that electric feeling from the helm as a constant feature if doublehanded cruising? My answer came from two of our crew, Richard and Colin, both of whom Top left: Stern lazarette. Above left: Bow locker are Arcona 430 owners who cruise their boats extensively double-handed with their wives. The moment I headed down below to experience the boat while sailing, these two took over and with some softening of the sails transformed the twitchy bucking beast I had created into a smooth and fast ride. We found ourselves cruising along just off the breeze at nearly nine knots while they amiably swapped notes on their beloved 430s. Sailing for grown ups The Arcona is not a beginner s boat. The combination of lightweight hull and powerful rig requires a certain amount of experience to make the most of its sailing potential and to calm things down for a comfortable passage. Loads on this 46-footer are not insignificant and the mainsail was quite an effort to grind in, although the standard Harken 60AST winches (not fitted on the test boat) would certainly have made a difference. An optional electric winch on the cabin top helped with tensioning the halyards. The traveller is full width across the cockpit floor and easy to trim from forward of the steering position, but could not be managed by the helm. Helming itself was a delight; the twin wheels are placed well outboard giving a great view of the jib whether sitting or standing, to windward or leeward. Two collapsible platforms come out of the deck to provide a level platform for the helmsman while the boat is heeled. I could easily reach around the steering binnacle to the mainsheet. It is lovely to see features like inhaulers as standard it not only makes a great difference to sail trim, but also gives the impression the boat is serious about sailing. As standard there is a removable inner forestay from which a storm jib or even small staysail could be flown. The boat I tested had a twin spreader carbon rig (aluminium is standard) which Above: The traveller is easily operated from in front of the wheels and the footbrace on the cockpit floor lifts up and turns into a cockpit table was easily controlled from the cockpit with a hydraulic backstay pump. We hoisted an enormous A2 spinnaker and in a dying breeze that peaked at around nine knots were able to sail powered up at a wind angle of 100 degrees down to about 150, with speeds reaching eight knots. Off the breeze we held our speed at low wind angles, even in as little as six knots TWS. The asymmetric sails are set off a stainless bow roller; our boat was also set up for symmetrical spinnakers though we had none to try. In every direction the Arcona felt nimble and quick and we were turning heads as we strolled past everything 6 yachtingworld.com yachtingworld.com 7
Above: The galley offers plenty of space for extra appliances and I found I could work there under way on the Solent, sailing close under the lee of boats of a similar size. After a few hours on the water it was interesting to observe the boat s two distinct personalities: depending on who was on the helm and whether they were ramping up or backing off the power, the boat could switch from being a twitchy sprinter to a calm ultrarunner and back again. Under engine, the spun on a sixpence, reversed well and was utterly obedient in tight spaces. The test boat had an 80hp engine rather than the standard 56hp, coupled with a Gori prop. It was a lot of power and if not used gently, did feel a bit aggressive. I have no doubt that a 56hp would do the job. The engine controls and throttle are tucked away at ankle height on the starboard side of the boat. This does take a bit of getting used to it s quite a long way to bend down though if you manoeuvre the boat from a sitting position, things become a lot easier. Arcona can fit the throttle higher up on the binnacle if requested, but aesthetically this is not so pretty and would also be at risk of being knocked or caught by the mainsheet during gybes. Access to the engine was reasonable at the front and to the sides, but particularly good behind the engine and to the saildrive, with whole panels that can be removed in the aft cabin. Arcona has made every effort to keep the deck layout of this boat clean and spacious. The 4.2m beam is elegantly absorbed into the length of the boat giving a clutter free feel on deck and promising plenty of space below. Sleek and uncluttered There are two deep lockers in the bow, one containing the ground tackle, while the other is big enough for ropes, fenders or sails. This is mirrored at the stern with a lazarette that even the best kitted out cruising sailor might struggle to fill. Sleek and uncluttered is the theme running through the. The test boat s German mainsheet, and jib furling line are recessed below wide teak side decks (not standard). The single genoa track sits alongside the coachroof; inhaulers do the work of a second track inboard. Cavities inside the coaming provide storage for halyards and lazy sheets to keep them off the deck, while the jib car adjustment controls are neatly hidden in recessed pockets in the same area. The cockpit is home to a very cleverly stowed table. Simply undo the latch and press lightly on the cockpit sole and a full-size table will rise out of a small slot on a gas strut, transforming the clean, racy cockpit into a convivial place to relax. The two carbon wheels are just far enough apart to allow easy access through to the stern. For those who find the open transom too exposed, Arcona can raise the lazarette locker lids to the same height as the side decks, giving a full width seat across the stern and even more room for storage though for me this would spoil the look of the boat. The rudder, engine bed and keel root are all solid laminate but the rest of the boat is a sandwich construction using carbon cloth and vinylester resin. A galvanised steel cradle bolted to internal beams and bulkheads takes the loads from keel and rig, a feature that is common across the whole Arcona range. Step down below and you are instantly enveloped in comfort: the mahogany woodwork is softened with plush upholstery and there is a pair of doublewidth armchairs opposite the large table on the port side that just invite you to curl up with a good book. High standard of living There is a great sense of space: the saloon is wide and airy but does not feel sparse. Lighting options include Above: The master cabin with en-suite is big, light and airy 8 yachtingworld.com yachtingworld.com 9
Watch the video dimming saloon lights and under-seat lighting that sparkles off the varnished cabin sole. A television pops up from a recess beneath one of the side shelves (just don t forget to remove any drinks from the shelf before launching the TV!) The has twin aft cabins and a heads opposite the galley in the saloon with the owner s cabin and en-suite forward. The owner s cabin is big, light and airy, featuring an island bed, with plenty of hanging and storage space and a little dressing table desk in the corner. The en-suite heads and shower are equally large, offering all the space, storage and features that one could want. On passage, the forward berth would not be usable with any sort of heel and to cross the wide expanse of the saloon in rough conditions would also be quite a mission. The chart table is a reasonable size and looks a comfortable place to work and you can just about reach a foot across to the galley to brace into the seat. DATA ARCONA SPECIFICATIONS LOA 14.13m (46ft 4in) LWL 13.25m (43ft 6in) Beam (Max) 4.20m (13ft 9in) Draught 2.45m (8ft 0in) Disp (lightship) 9,500kg (20,944lb) Ballast 4,000kg (8,818lb) Sail area (100% foretriangle) 128.6m 2 (1,384ft 2 ) Engine Yanmar 50hp saildrive Water 450lt (99gal) Fuel 250lt (55gal) Sail Area: Disp 29.2 Disp: LWL 114 Price SeK 4,649,600 395,000 (ex VAT) Test boat SeK 5,619,738 506,283 (ex VAT) yachtingworld.com/arcona Attention to detail High quality detailing is often indicative Design Stefan Qviberg of build quality throughout and the Arcona is very high class. The foam cushions are luxuriously thick and firm and door retainers are not the usual hooks or magnets but instead specially shaped pieces of wood under which the door handle catches. The seat tops beneath the cushions are not left bare but wrapped over with fabric. You can hardly see this detail but it adds to the soft, warm look. The large galley at the foot of the companionway steps comes with a double top-loading fridge as standard, plus plenty of room for storage and extras. The test boat has a pull-out freezer under the work surface. I was able to work in the galley with the boat heeling but the L-shape at the end of the counter top could be a little larger to get a really firm wedge in. The saloon heads is quite small when compared to the en-suite forward this is definitely a boat designed with a sailing couple in mind but it does the job and is well positioned at the bottom of the companionway to keep wet crew out of the saloon. The two aft cabins are roomy and fitted out with a bank of lockers down each side as well as generous hanging space. Racing owners could save quite a bit of weight by going without this additional furniture. Verdict: an authentic hybrid It is pretty hard to find fault with a boat that is built to order for each owner. There are few areas of the Arcona that cannot be customised and every new build is tailored to the owner s needs. I can immediately see this boat jostling for position on the start line of any race track and holding its own; it responds favourably to active trimming and on our relatively light wind day I did feel there was a lot more power to unlock. However the cruising face of the is equally authentic. It is luxurious, comfortable and well thought out; living aboard this boat would be a pleasure. In its unladen state, the handling can be calmed down with some sensible sail trim, but I still feel it would be a tiring, frisky boat for a couple to cruise. Yet it is worth bearing in mind that the boat was designed to take on board about a tonne of cruising kit. Load the with all of your gear and you can expect the performance of an unladen glassfibre yacht of the same size. If this works it is genius. Arcona may have uncovered the secret to building proper hybrid cruiser-racers. 10 yachtingworld.com