World’s coolest yachts: MOD70 Phaedo

We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. British offshore racer Brian Thompson nominates MOD70 Phaedo.

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I’d choose the MOD70 without too much doubt because the boat is so beautifully thought out. It is a great combination of speed, safety (even though four of them have capsized!) and reliability. Of the seven that were built, I have sailed four of them, for hundreds of thousands of miles.

The crew of Phaedo celebrate their new record. Photo: Rachel Fallon-Langdon

They were born from the development class the ORMA 60s. The best people of the ORMAs decided to built a boat that could go round the world, but was stronger, with 10% higher scantlings on all the structure, and having that buffer meant it is bulletproof. You can absolutely hammer it across the Atlantic then hose if off and go sailing again. The MOD70 is so well designed and engineered and is so rugged.

It also has the least preparation hours per sailing hour. With the Ultimes, there are a huge amount of preparation hours for every sailing hour, but these you can sail all year round.

 MOD70 Phaedo Stats rating:

Top speed: 40 knots
LOA: 21.2m
Launched: 2011
Berths: 2
Price: €1m
Adrenalin factor: 99%

Brian Thompson

British offshore racer Brian Thompson has notched up 25 sailing records, racing on multihulls such as PlayStation, Lakota, and Banque Populaire V, and on shorthanded races such as the Transat Jacques Vabre, and the solo Route du Rhum and 2012 Vendée Globe on Pindar. He has also taken part in the Volvo Ocean Race.

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