1977. “Uncle Paul’s” new boat

Welcome to the special section “GdV 5th Years.” We are introducing you, day by day, An article from the archives of the Journal of Sailing, starting in 1975. A word of advice, get in the habit of starting your day with the most exciting sailing stories-it will be like being on a boat even if you are ashore.

“Uncle Paul’s” new boat

Taken from the 1977 Journal of Sailing, Year 3, No. 03, March-April, pp. 26-27.

The now-legendary Paul Elvström designs an extremely interesting new 1/4 Ton, which looks like a real “bombshell” in the VI class field.

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Michele Molino, nautical engineer with the sea in his vein

The now legendary Paul Elvström has designed and built an extremely interesting new ¼ Ton that looks in the VI class field like a real “bombshell.” A simple boat, but one that needs a capable crew, she presents a number of very advanced and sophisticated technical solutions. This time Elvström has also thought about the so-called “Mediterranean” conditions.

The first 1/4 Ton Elvström left the Fibrester shipyards on December 6, 1975. Since then more than 20 boats of this type have been produced. In Italy, C.T.I.V. of Milan presented it for the first time at the Genoa Boat Show. The first Italian example was purchased from the Luppoli brothers of Spi in Naples. The 1/4 Ton Elvström is what is called a racing “monster.” She is 7.50 meters long and 2.52 meters wide, making her one of the largest boats in her class. In fact, the IOR rating rule has been taken full advantage of for a sail area of 36 square meters with mainsail and genoa, which is extremely important in light Mediterranean winds. Her width and lead ballast (750 kg out of a total weight of 1560 kg) allow her to keep many sails on shore. Even in 18-20 knots of wind it is possible to keep all the mainsail and genoa 1. Another feature, consequent to this versatility, is the small amount of sails needed for racing. At the 270-mile Tour of Sjoellaend, which saw the prototype’s debut, the boat came first among hundreds of competitors having only the mainsail, a jib, a 4.8-ounce genoa 1 and a spinnaker. As sophisticated a boat as it is, the maneuvers are very fast. Those of the spinnaker, in particular, thanks to the bow swallower and the rigged spinnaker that runs along the mast with a collar (a solution already pioneered on the Bes). By virtue of this solution the spi can be hoisted and lowered while standing in the cockpit.

The mast is a new design by Elvström and is definitely aerodynamic. Both the metal and textile halyards are pre-stretched. So is the rigging. All rigging is returned to the cockpit. The borosas for taking the mainsail reefs are internal and made of steel cable. They too are always rigged and connected. Other rigging: four Lewmar winches, two of which are two-speed, Sailspeed blocks, and lever-operated ruffles for quick adjustment of the shrouds. The mast is held laterally by three pairs of shrouds, two high and four low. At the stern, the double backstay is adjusted with a tackle. The flying shrouds have no static function, they serve to control the deflection of the mast by acting at the level of the spreaders. The cockpit is very deep with a wooden dunnage and two stern drains. The mainsail track separates the area for the helmsman from the rest of the cockpit. The rigging is secured with self-storing cleats in anodized light alloy. The interior is extremely understated; four berths set back, the entire bow cleared for sails. The cabin interior, access to which is formed by teak planks and a clear methacrylate tambour, is very simple. The boat’s rating is about 18.4 feet, reducible of course by operating on the sail. With a motor and a closable paddle propeller, 18 feet is reached. For motorization the house provides, on request, a 6 hp Mini Solé Diesel whose weight is 77 kilograms. Overall, therefore, this is an extremely modern boat, the water lines are very interesting, the equipment has been carefully designed, the sail plan particularly elongated, but well compensated by the ballast. This boat, from a sporting point of view, has already been seen in the Mediterranean: participants in last summer’s regattas in Palma de Mallorca will certainly remember her. The debut was not exciting, but even the crew did not seem up to the task of a racing craft of this value. With Ib Andersen, the sailmaker from Elvström Spain, at the helm, however, this 1/4 Ton did very well winning practically everything among the VI class. Above all, it amazed in its performance in medium to low winds, the delicate point of all Nordic designs. However, it must be said that, this time, “Uncle Paul” wanted to design a boat that would also go strong in the Mediterranean.

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