Diam 24OD: RORC “Vice Admirals Cup 2017” report by Simon Northtrop

All images RORC Fb – having a top F18 sailor like Simon Northrop sailing and racing the Diam 24 for the first time was a good chance to know first impressions on this great boat and Class. 22knots floating mode and for 50-60k , what else do you need?

On his sailing preparation and his Loft work with Hyde sails towards the F18 Worlds at Denmark in July, Simon got time to race the Diam and he confirms how good this Trimaran is. I aksed him to describe the handling and his overall impression on the boat. Below his report from the Vice Admirals Cup held a the Solent pas weekend.
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Diam 24OD Class, RORC Vice Admirals Cup 2017 , report by Simon Northrop: “We are really busy with our sails production but managed to squeeze in a trip to the Solent to Helm “Team Buzz the Diam 24 OD” for the UK importer Paul Wakelin at the Vice Admirals Cup last weekend –

I had an absolute blast sailing this great boat, great fun racing, we didn’t quite get the victory but happy with a second . Seeing it was the first time most of our crew had even seen one let alone sailed
one !

I was a bit skeptical of how it would perform – but straight away I was impressed, we trained a bit the day before the racing started in quite a light breeze but the boat felt responsive and easy to tack and gybe, this was in about 5-8 knots and flat water.

The racing was conducted in more breeze ranging from 10 – 20 knots but with a lot choppier water. In a straight line upwind the boat is balanced and behaves well to steering and mainsheet/traveller input, in fact it feels very similar to the F18 in sheet loads and also steering feedback.

Tacking in the chop proved to be tricky but this was probably down to the lack of time we had in the boat, the guys that have had the boats here in the UK didn’t suffer so I expect with a bit of practise this would be overcome – we certainly got better as the regatta progressed.

Downwind it is easy to sail as you tend to find a setting for the gennaker and steer to that rather than having to trim the sail.
Gybing is easy as long as the crew are in tune and it accelerates pretty quickly out of the gybes, downwind angles you tend to sail it hotter than usual and so it takes a bit of time to get used to the laylines but again this will come easily to most.

The controls are well thought out and all in all it seems a real good package, easy to launch from a wide slipway and it also has an electric outboard that stows neatly in a locker in the central hull should you need to use it.

The French builders were on site to offer regatta support and were very passionate about their project and were also on the water to help right the charter boat that pitchpoled, this was done fairly easily with a righting kit kept in the ribs.
I didn’t see it in action but after speaking to Paul it easily connects to four purpose built towing points and once set the two ribs can just tow it upright.