IMOCA: A Development class
A 60-foot boat, traditionally designed for single- or double-handed sailing, IMOCA is an open class offering the freedom to design boats to be as light as possible to favor speed, while also being solid enough to withstand the worst possible ocean conditions. With the introduction of foils in 2015, the Class saw a dramatic leap in performance and speed. The foils enable the boat to skim over the surface of the water, reducing resistance and enabling quick acceleration.
For the first time in The Ocean Race’s history, the 2022-23 edition of the round-the-world race saw IMOCAs on the start line, allowing team entries with four sailors and one onboard reporter. After competing in two editions of The Ocean Race on the one-design VO65s, 11th Hour Racing Team co-founders, Charlie Enright and Mark Towill embraced the challenge and built the very first IMOCA specifically commissioned for this fully crewed configuration for the next edition of the race. Mālama, which means ‘to care for and protect’ in Hawaiian, was launched in August of 2021.
