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More recenrly the modern bur equally eye-opening Wally
superyacht class have drawn throngs of admirers who crowd
the docks of the old port and chase these most impressive,
high tech racing yachts around the course - if they can keep
up! We had the opportunity to sail aboard the 100 foot Wally Dark Shadow
during the week. What an experience to witness the powerful performance of
this all-carbon superyacht, and the professionalism of its crew.
Wally Yachts are the choice of racing yacht for those with the means to buy and
campaign one in W;-illyclass regattas throughout the Moo. They are not one-design
and come in many shapes, weights and sizes,bur all are characteristically a Wally. In
Europe to own a WallyYacht is entty into the most elite club in private yacht racing.
Dark Shadow is skippered by its owner, as the Wally class rules dictate.
However, as a superyacht it has permanent crew to maintain the yacht in top
condition and to sail her from event to event. We were introduced to Dark
Shadowand her Caprain Yerin Hobson - an Aussie of course - by long time crew
member Paul Archer of Monaco-based yacht services company Arrow Services.
The yacht is regularly in charter (through Camper & Nicholson Monaco) and
in race use each year doing a full Med season, last year completing an Arlantic
crossing and a charter in the Caribbean. The normal race program is three
or four regattas a year and the regular crew (most of whom have been racing
together for five years) allocate 10 days to each regatta usually comprising five
to six days of racing and five training days prior.
Although the normal crew is five, when racing the crew numbers balloon to
a race crew of 23 plus a shore and tender support team of three on the Wally
tender. The tender follows the yacht everywhere it goes and in its first season
managed over 12,500 miles as a chase and support boat. Dark Shadow also has
two 40-foot containers with race gear plus a team truck.
Included in Dark Shadow's international race crew are specialists in all
DILES
yachting fields with extensive backgrounds in Americas Cup campaigns, and
ocean racing including Volvo Round the World ocean racing, and single-
handed ocean racing. Crew members aboard represent every yachting speciality
skill including a boat builder, r~
mast and rig supervisor,
sail advisor from North
Nevada, tactician, instrument
specialist, navigator, and
even an engineer to keep
the generators running and
the massive electric winches
turning. Wally yacht racing is
indeed a class act! 0
oft'5hore I 101