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 48-year history, the round the world race is open to IMOCA 60s, allowing team entries with a four-person racing configuration. 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 have embraced the challenge and built the very first IMOCA 60 specifically commissioned for a fully crewed entry in the next edition of the race. Mālama, the Team’s new boat was launched in August of 2021.
