Box rules can serve as an alternative to the mix and match approach of handicap racing and the one size fits all method of one design. We’ve all heard the hoary phrase think outside the box. A box rules gives designers a set of paramaters that they have to stay within. Examples are limits on: length, beam, draft, rig size and displacement. These are some of the limits that the Transpac 52 class contains.

Transpac 52 limits

LOA Maximum 52.00 ft
Beam Maximum 14.50 ft
Beam Minimum 13.00 ft
Displacement Minimum 16,500 lbs
Displacement Maximum 17,000 lbs
**IMS PIPA Minimum 0.0584
Draft Maximum 10.50 ft
Mainsail Area Maximum 985 sq ft
Spinnaker Area Maximum 2665 sq ft

Rosebud designed by Reichel Pugh was launched in May 2002

Trader soon to be launched is a Donovan Design

The above pictures show the evolution of boats designed to the TP 52 rule. When you have narrow limits like 1.5 feet of beam and 500 pounds of displacement boats do have a tendancy to ‘type form’. Considering these boats have been consistently fast and successful at the very least they’ve hit on a good type form.

Another box rule is the Open 60. These are the fast mono hulls that sail races such as the Vendee Globe.

This rule has fewer limits such as length between 50 and 60 feet, a maximum draft of 4.5 meters and a rule that says the boat can’t be heeled more than 20 degrees by it’s water ballast or canting keel.

Open 60’s tend more towards the professional side of racing. This box rule has fewer limitations so items like canting keels, deck spreaders and more have been developed. As time has gone on Open 60’s have developed a type form that is beamy, although their are exceptions like Ocean Planet. Again though these boats have been fast and successful so the type forming seems an acceptable trade off.

We’ll conclude this series next week with a look at one designs. Once when you thought one designs things like Lasers, Sunfish etc. came to mind. Now the one design concept has grown a keel and the Chicago Mac is filled with one design classes such as J105’s, Beneteau 40.7’s etc. We’ll look at one designs next week.

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