The Nomad IV is taking the world by storm, as the fastest 100 foot yacht in the ocean. According to reports from Yachting World, the \u201craw sensation of power\u201d on the Nomad IV is similar to being aboard one of the muscle boats, like the Volvo 65 or the Vendee Globe racer. These crafts are known for their power and speed, but the Nomad IV, a carbon super cruiser designed in the spirit of ocean racing boats, combines both these elements with its impressive size, Florida yachting groups say.<\/p>\n
The owner of the Nomad IV is a French IT and telecoms entrepreneur, who was looking for a 100-foot yacht that he could cruise around the world in, racing and chartering. He wanted the craft to be able to withstand the demands of ocean races such as the Middle Sea Race, Sydney-Hobart, and the Fastnet. His directions for the designers included the stipulation that the yacht should be able to enter shoal waters without heeling upwind to more than 12 degrees, and that the yacht can cruise through shallow anchorages with keel lifts from 5.4m to 3m. But his main directive was simple\u2014make the Nomad IV for fast sailing.<\/p>\n
Pascal Conq, the yacht\u2019s lead designer, began work in 2010, and took three years to build the Nomad IV, working mostly at the Maxi Dolphin yard in Italy. Her first launch was this year. Over the past 30 years of his career, Conq has worked on several new designs and plans for specialty yachts, but the Nomad IV is the first yacht of its size that he and his design team have been commissioned to build. Conq said that the boat was a challenge: \u201cThere is a lot of volume, and the boat is very beamy, very powerful and stable. It was a big step-up in size, but we have been able to apply what we\u2019ve learned from our racing boat experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Nomad IV is built with a 120-foot mast that rises from the middle of the boat. The yacht\u2019s fully battened square top mainsail, J2 and J3 staysail, and J1 headsail on a hydraulic furler are all removable, to make tacking easier. The upwind sails are made with lighter, more durable North 3di carbon\/Dyneema laminate, to facilitate faster speeds for such a large boat. Conq said that the yacht \u201cposed some architecture problems; the power of the shape, the keel structure, and the load points,\u201d but with compensating features such as these, the Nomad IV is being called the world\u2019s fastest 100ft cruising yacht.<\/p>\n