Flirt Relaunched

Flirt, the Corby 50 owned by Richard Matthews, owner of Oyster Marine, together with Oyster 68 owner Dr Jose Alvarez is back in the water following modifications after its first UK racing season - and Caribbean bound.

"The boat was originally designed to the older version of IRC which made a big issue of static waterline length. These days the rule has improved hugely and is now formulated to assess realistic sailing length," said designer John Corby. "Flirt was high on overhang and short on static waterline, a formula which used to work very well under CHS and IRC but clearly not the way to go anymore, although it should be pointed put that Flirt was easily beating one of the three Farr 52s in the Solent last year."

"Using the factory facilities at Southampton Yacht Services we turned the hull upside down in September and reshaped the ends of the canoe body with foam to effectively reduce the rocker and flatten the hull out. This together with chopping surplus stern overhang off and fitting a new bulb which is slightly lighter but much thinner has resulted in a shorter and lighter boat, (now just under 49ft) but one with greater sailing length. Interestingly the IRC handicap has come down slightly."

"The transom now features a boarding platform for the Caribbean," John added.

And it looks like she'll do well in the islands. "With the CSA rule centered around all-round boats, these boats that don't have any upper ends simply can take advantage of our focus," said CSA measurer Bob Phillips.

Although the boat's racing schedule and crew is not known at this time you can probably expect to see UK America's and Admiral's Cup veteran Harold Cudmore onboard. He was onboard Flirt this Summer and sailed with Richard Matthews on Oyster Catcher XXIV in Antigua Sailing Week in April.

The Corby 50 built last winter, and first launched June 1st, is to be shipped out to the Caribbean in January.

The yacht will back to the Solent for the UK season and I'm sure plans to do better than its inauspicious first season which saw a 15th in class at Ford Cork Week and a sixth in class at Skandia Life Cowes Week.

Flirt is the first John Corby designed and built boat to be constructed entirely in carbon fibre. He was commissioned to design and build a boat that would serve as a forerunner to the new Oyster 69/72 series.