Important differences between the boats of Brush Farr and ABN Love, of Kouyoumdjian. Each design has its advantages, but in global terms and as they demonstrate the results, the ABN's takes the cat to the water.

We know the details design of the boats of Juan Kouyoumdjian:

One of the important differences enters types of boats both is the election of both rudders. Farr uses a unique powerful rudder, whereas the Brunel of the Australians and the one of the ABNS use two. It is the first time that is used doubles rudders in the 32 years of existence of the Whitbread/Volvo.

The boat comments Juan Kouyoumdjian “With two rudders has a very high control. These boats sail with apparent angles with the wind of 40º to 60º the great part of the time or lower to the wind in closed almost never with empopadas angles of 70º 75º but. Most of the time these sailboats sail winning to the wind, or what is the same goes listed in major or minor most of the time degree. Therefore a double rudder always offers major control, working the one that is to leeward in its maximum yield.”

“With all these facts, you can reduce the size of rudders then always one of them works almost to the vertical, consequently, in spite of taking two rudders, with the one of windward almost outside the water, the total friction of these appendices is equivalent to the one of a great central rudder. The final conclusion is that with the same friction we obtain more directional control.”

The election of double rudder chosen by Juan Kouyoumdjian also has allowed to create a helmet with an appropriate powerful design for the VOR-70. “At the moment in which you choose a design of a single rudder, you condition the form of the helmet since you must maintain it under control. A direct relation between using a double rudder exists and the maximum power that can support a helmet to maintain directional controlled it. With the form of the helmet of the ABN's you could not install a unique central rudder, under pain to lose the control of the boat. With two rudders you are able to design a helmet enough more width and of more efficient forms in the planning.

Kouyoumdjian always has been considered a designer of free ideas and radical in the world of design of yachts, whereas It brushes Farr has been the reference in the last 20 years against which all the others have been moderate. But Juan does not think that this design is nothing radical. “Rather fodder that is quite traditional, In fact when we reached the final conclusions of design of the ABN I was attemped in still realizing high more width, and was the common sense the one that finally reigned to reach the result which already we know. If it returned to design a new VOR-70 he would be a little different…”

Whereas in the VOR-60 the difference of sleeves was of some few millimeters, in the VOR-70 we are speaking of hundreds of millimeters. The Farr is narrower with about 5 meters of sleeve against the 5.6 meters of the ABN1.

Another clear difference of these boats is in tangones of the Spi. Pirates of the Caribbean are the unique Farr boat in not taking tangón, as they do not take the Brunel to it of the Australians and both ABN's either. The rules of Volvo RACE are very strict as far as the maximum weight so that if you save 75 kilos when not taking tangón and all the corresponding equipment, to this you can put it weight in the bulb to increase the pair adrizante. Mike Sanderson comments: “We have chosen the Pack of maximum power and I do not see reason to choose another thing”.


On the contrary Movistar feels to taste sailing with the possibility of entangonar, because it gives the possibility him of sailing with spi, with greater fan of angles with respect to the wind. 

To Kouyoumdjian it does not convince east argument to him and it prefers the boats without tangón: “I do not see that it is no decision of commitment. For my it is clearer that the water. I am not in agreement with that they think that tangón supposes an advantage with winds inferiors to 25 knots. OK, is certain that with more than 25 wind knots tangón supposes an advantage, but with force 8 you have many more resources than to scratch wind degrees. In those conditions tangón aid to stabilize the boat and to maintain the prow something more discharge, but that ONLY happens with the great Spinnaker and… it is necessary to be crazy to remove the major from the Spis with more than 25 wind knots! In these conditions the logical thing is to use a divided Spi or a Genaker that works without needing tangón.”.

With packs warlike of maximum power, as it defines Mike Sanderson, with average and high breezes the favored boat more will really continue being the ABN, whereas with smooth winds the Farr has those to win.

Farr versus Kouyoumdjian; two approaches very different from the VOR-70 which does not prevent that they collaborate intensely in other challenges like the America Glass in which both cabinets of design work in the equipment BMW Oracle Racing. Juan comments in this respect: “Respect to Brushes much, and I know that she is a very shining person. It is a great careful in all the details and its level of refinement is admirable. I have learned much of him and it has influenced to me in trying to obtain the same level of refinement and detail in my own designs”.