When a leading marine publication features your fleet, it’s always an honor. But when they perfectly capture the core philosophy of what makes a Rapido trimaran different from anything else on the water, it is worth shouting from the rooftops.
The October issue of SEA Yachting Magazine ran a brilliant deep dive into Rapido Trimarans. Rather than just listing performance specifications, the feature highlights real-world moments that prove our central thesis: uncompromised speed married to absolute cruising comfort.
Editorial Highlights: The “Gold Nuggets” from the Feature
- The Ultimate Proof of Concept: While 35% of the fleet withdrew from New Zealand’s brutal 230nm Yates Cup due to damage and severe seasickness, the crew of the Rapido 60 Romanza were comfortably down in the galley enjoying gourmet lamb shanks while charging hard toward a podium finish.
- Short-Handed Dominance: Proving that massive speed doesn’t require a professional army on deck, Romanza took line honors in a grueling 100nm two-handed race just one week later, cementing the Rapido as the ultimate shorthanded cruising platform.
- Game-Changing Engineering: The feature shines a spotlight on the factory’s newest Rapidos with folding floats: the Rapidos 40 and 50. This allows owners to slip trimarans into single marina berths worldwide.
The full feature article is faithfully reproduced below with the kind permission of SEA Yachting. You can read the original interactive layout via Sea Yachting on Issuu (pp. 32-35) or download the entire issue in PDF format.
Rapido Trimarans
While Covid-19 causes massive disruption throughout the world in 2020, Rapido Trimarans’ underlying momentum has been building steadily as people reassess life’s priorities.
The Rapido 60 recently claimed victory in New Zealand’s 230nm Yates Cup in a touch over 24 hours (and, 30 miles from the finish line, Romanza was challenging the record set by the 60’ Orma, Vodafone in 2014… until the wind disappeared).
Designed by world-renowned naval architects, Morrelli & Melvin (M&M) of America’s Cup fame, the Rapido 60 ensures podium performances with its advanced design, technology and engineering. Even though Rapido can travel at speed, the levels of comfort and stability are extraordinary.
Midway through winning the Yates Cup (in very challenging conditions which saw 35 per cent of the fleet withdraw due to damage and/or sea sickness), Romanza’s crew were rewarded with superb Kiwi lamb shanks prepared onboard in the galley designed for serious chefs who sail hard!
The Rapido 60 has also been designed to excel with smaller crews, as evidenced by Romanza taking line honours, just a week after the Yates Cup, in a 100nm two-handed race. Together with the built in amenities, Rapido very easily morphs into the ideal boat for cruising couples with a passion for sailing.
The flexibility of the Rapido and the range of experiences it delivers has prompted some to comment on it offering “a new concept”. They refer to a new normal where fast passage-making and winning performances are bundled with the ability to cruise in comfort. All this is underpinned by an uncompromising level of safety that is backed by the best design and engineering in the world.
Back in the factory
Building on the DNA of the Rapido 60, two new models will join the fleet in 2020: the Rapido 50 and Rapido 40, both designed by M&M.
These two high-tech trimarans, importantly, can fold and slip into single berths making almost any marina, anywhere in the world, accessible. This folding capability substantially reduces marina, hard stand and shipping costs.
The folding mechanism for the floats has been patented because of its state of the art design. The floats fold into the centre hull keeping their upright position (protecting the side of the floats from barnacle and algae growth) and maintaining the stability of the boat at all stages during the folding process.
Another innovation on the Rapido 40 is the “C” foil daggerboards in the floats which significantly increase off wind and even up wind performance. Additionally, with the foils replacing the traditional daggerboard in the centre hull, the cabin interior becomes far more functional and offers amazing 360 degree visibility.
The first Rapido 50 is due to leave the factory for Europe in September. The first Rapido 40 will be delivered in South East Asia by December.
Download the Original Articles
- To view the original article layout directly on SEA Yachting’s digital platform (pp. 32-35), click here.
- To archive or print the original piece—including the full photographic layout of Romanza’s Yates Cup victory—you can download the entire issue in PDF format.
Media & Photography Credits
Special thanks to the creative professionals who documented these milestones:
- Phil Greig, Philm Haus
- Deb Williams, SSANZ
