Winch Design Sailing Yachts Update

Winch Design has a particular affinity with sailing yachts, having designed them for 35 years since the studio delivered its first project in 1986, a 36ft Swan. This small sailboat featured an interior and deck design by Winch, allowing for more light, more space and more life, and kickstarted the success of the studio. Since then, the Yachts studio has completed over 40 sailing yachts, ranging from fast racing sloops to family ocean cruisers. In recent years, there has been a continued resurgence of interest in sailing yachts as clients are becoming more environmentally conscious, resulting in a desire for a more natural and fulfilling yachting experience. Nothing compares to the sensation of wind in the sails as you glide through the water and clients are seeking this unique thrill but without compromising on the comfort and sophistication of the largest superyachts. Headed up by Ignacio Oliva-Velez, who has over 20 years of yacht design and project management experience, the sailing yachts team at Winch Design are grateful to be busy with a number of ongoing projects as well as discussions of 100+ ft eco-catamarans, electric-drive mono hull sailing yachts and multi-mast ‘DynaRig’ concepts. The team is also designing a schooner with Ron Rolland, collaborating once again to add to a partnership that has seen the delivery of such iconic sailing yachts as Cyclos III, Sensation and Royal Eagle II. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be developing the future of wind powered yachting and the lifestyle that comes with it, and we are proud to present below a snapshot of some of our current sailing yacht projects, either on the drawing board or nearing completion.

Blue Water

Marking the third collaboration between Winch Design and Tripp Design, this 90ft sloop features a spacious and minimalistic interior with an open plan layout and an abundance of natural light. Stylistic inspirations come from the East coast of the USA and mid-century Scandinavian influences are peppered throughout with a combination of soft leathers and light oaks, giving the ambience a restrained and sophisticated elegance. She is scheduled for delivery in February 2021.

Jeanneau 60

Few collaborations are as successful and long-standing as Winch Design, Jeanneau and Philippe Briand’s, having sold over 200 sailing yachts worldwide, including over 80 Jeanneau 64’s, making it the best selling 64ft production yacht of all time, and this relationship continues to go from strength to strength. 28 years after Winch first partnered with Jeanneau to develop the Sun Odyssey and Sun Fast fleets, this latest addition to the award-winning fleet, the Jeanneau 60, is set to enter into a new realm of sailing yacht design, offering unrivalled customization, a sophisticated aesthetic and innovative, functional comfort. Light woods, soft furnishings and a harmonious colour palette enhance her modular interior, and the light filled spaces will instantly calm you as step inside. Scheduled for delivery in January 2021, this refined beauty, coupled with practicality is a true testament to the success and passion of this long-established relationship.

100ft Solar Power

Developed in collaboration with Royal Huisman shipyard, this 100ft eco-concept features extending solar panels that fan out like a butterfly’s wings, twin electrical propulsion for 360-degree manoeuvrability and a widened stern deck to allow for increased underdeck storage. The withdrawable systems aim to maximise solar charging functions in a yacht for the 21st Century, resulting in unrivalled efficiency. Even the sail is an opportunity for solar charging. As with this concept, the main focus of future sailing yachts will be minimising their environmental footprint to zero, to leave no negativity on the planet whatsoever, by utilising current solar technologies as well as developing new technologies that harness the power of the wind and sea in the most efficient ways possible.

Winch 85        

This new 85ft sloop is designed with short handling and pure sailing enjoyment in mind. At just under 24m of load line, it would not need to comply with some of the more restricting regulations, allowing for a more flexible layout with a reduced number of guests in mind. A pared back and minimalistic interior makes use of soft furnishings, natural materials and dark woods to create a sophisticated and refine aesthetic with a peaceful and relaxing ambience. Fully equipped for short-handed world cruising, this highly capable sloop will utilize recycled carbon fibre and plastic bottles in its construction, offsetting its development footprint. Powered by 100% hybrid propulsion and underwater power regeneration devices, the sloop will also make use of solar panel technology to allow for lengthy, self-sufficient cruises.