The delivery of the next generation of TP52 masts is well underway by Southern Spars, ready for the TP52 Super Series, which begins in May.
With the Series at the forefront of the Grand Prix racing arena, Southern Spars were the obvious choice to provide the new rig and rigging package to the nine new builds in the TP52 fleet. As the leaders in innovation themselves, providing the rigs to a purely performance-driven class such as the TP52 allowed Southern Spars to push the limits of technology again. The next generation of masts are the stiffest TP52 masts that they’ve ever built, using the highest modulus pre-preg fibre available, which is custom made from their supplier to their desired specifications.
The rigging has likewise been changed to Future Fibres RAZR rigging, which is marginally stiffer and smaller in diameter, delivering great mast tune and windage performance for minimum weight.
From their facility in Auckland, Southern Spars have already produced six of the TP52s masts, whilst another three are still in production. Manufacturing each of these masts takes a total of 16 weeks, which includes the global design process, laminating, curing and assembly production. Most recently, last year’s winning TP52, Azzurra, had her mast delivered to Valencia where it was stepped along with her RAZR rigging. Last year Future Fibres also supplied their ECsix rigging to the titleholders.
This is the fourth TP52 version of Azzurra, and was built by King Marine based on a design by Botin Partners. After stepping the yacht, the team begin to test the boat and fine-tune her set up. After her first sail, Skipper Guillermo Parada said: “We’re sure that this new Azzurra will be a reference point for the new generation of TP52s, just like the previous version, launched in 2015, was.”
Onda and Quantum Racing have also recently been finished and sent out for delivery.
Soon every TP52 new build, of which there are nine this year, will sport the newest in Southern Spars mast technology, helping them to reach maximum performance during the Super Series this summer. Most TP52’s will debut at a test event for the new TP52, Palmavela held this year from May 2nd to 6th.
