Pindar’s brand-new cutting edge Open 60 designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian for Mike Sanderson is nearing completion at the TP Cookson’s boatyard in New Zealand.

Construction of this boat – one of the first of a new breed of Open 60s – began eight months ago and, once competed will be shipped to the UK with the intention of competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race and other training events in the build up to the Transat Jacques Vabre this November.

Boat Captain Nick Black commented on the status of the yacht: “All is going well down here with the build of our new Open 60. Cookson’s have built some of the best racing yachts in the world to date, including the Team New Zealand boats sailing in the current America’s Cup, so there is a wealth of experience and talent here perfect for the development of our new speed machine. Every single day we are all constantly going over the plans and designs to see how we can improve every tiny detail to try and squeeze any last bit of speed out of the boat. Every now and then you see a bit of skin and bone coming flying out of the shed as the guys are working away!

“We have just finished the fairing of the hull and have put the hull and deck together. This is a really busy time in the schedule of the boat build as we bring together all of the different components from our various suppliers, with about 100 people in total working on all the different components.”

Pindar’s Open 60, whose name is yet to be confirmed, will be one of a number of other brand-new Open 60s being built this year.