Legato Launch

During a recent visit to Tony Bullimore’s build site for the Millennium Challenge, I viewed what progress had been made towards the modification of the catamaran better known as Enza New Zealand or perhaps to some – Royal & Sun Alliance, for her entry into The Race. First though, here is a little bit of history…

Designed by Nigel Irens, she was built in Canada in 1983 for Mike Birch to compete in the Transat TAG Quebec-St. Malo race 1984. Named Formule TAG, at 80ft long she was the longest racing catamaran, and possibly the largest pre-preg structure to be built in the world at that time.

	Enza New Zealand takes on the Jules Verne

Mike Birch failed to win the Transat TAG, but during the race did manage to set a new world sailing record of 524 miles in 24 hrs which went unbroken for over a decade. She had mixed success on the racing circuit over the following years and eventually left for the Bahamas for charter when the 60ft racing rule came about. That is, until 1993, when it was announced that Robin Knox-Johnston and Peter Blake would use TAG to do battle against two other multihulls and a monohull(!) for the Jules Verne Trophy – around the world in 80 days.

Renamed Enza New Zealand, the cat underwent modifications prior to the race which saw her hulls stretched, a central pod added and an entirely new and larger rig fitted. However, Frenchman Bruno Peyron triumphed in the contest that saw fellow countryman Olivier De Kersauson, and Knox-Johnston/Blake retire due to structural damage. It was also around this time that Bruno Peyron officially announced his intentions for The Race which was to start originally on December 31st 1999. Back on dry land Enza underwent yet more modifications and the necessary repairs. Her length was increased yet again, she was significantly strengthened and the underwater hull shape was improved.

In January of the very next year (’94) both retirees set off to do it all again. Enza sailed home in record time (74 days. 22 hours 17 minutes), and to this day is still the fastest ever catamaran to have sailed nonstop around the globe (beaten only by the persistent De Kersauson, who re-captured the Jules Verne for France in 1997 aboard the trimaran Sport-Elec).

Also in 1997 Enza became Royal & Sun Alliance and was now being tuned up for yet another Jules Verne attempt, but this time by an all-female crew headed by Tracy Edwards. In preparation for the Jules Verne, the cat set its last record - the Cowes to St. Malo channel crossing. The Jules Verne
ended tragically with a dismasting in the Southern Oceans on their 43rd day at sea, having covered 15,200 miles.

	Working on the interior

It is now 2000 and under the supervision of her designer and structural surveyor Robin Feloy, the ‘old girl’ is now undergoing her third major modification. High volume Carbon/Nomex bow sections manufactured at GKM Westland, Avonmouth, have been grafted on to each hull, bringing her overall length up to 100ft. These sections, coupled with a raised forebeam, will give obvious advantages in more extreme conditions and allow the boat to be pushed harder. Apart from the pod, which has had its underside shaved back, very little else had been touched.

Given the whole picture as it stands, one must wonder about the sheer size and complexity of some of the Race entrants and the uncertainty that surrounds them. Perhaps The Millennium Challenge will prove herself once again. Whatever happens, we would very much like to see an Irens design entered into the event this December.

REPRINTED WITH KIND PREMISSION MULTIHULL INTERNATIONAL April 2000

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