Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

Yes, it looks like this device is picking up the solar wind. The sea was calm and Star-Dust very briskly ironed the water surface in the bay Grand Mott under the grotto and the code Zero. The skipper of this monster sent a tender for me, and my test of this unusual boat began from the side. I asked the sailor to go around the catamaran a couple of times, to take a good shot, I could not take my eyes off him.

Frame TAG 60 Made entirely of foam, carbon fiber and epoxy sandwich. The helm is rounded to achieve the desired lighting and rigidity.

Frame TAG 60 Made entirely of sandwich: it's foam, carbon fiber and epoxy (although a fiberglass version also exists). The use of rounded lines helped to achieve the desired lightness and rigidity. These characteristics undoubtedly make this yacht extremely competitive in the global market. Such a yacht can even compete with Gunboatwhich uses the flame retardant material phenylone (Nomex) for the hull, a high-tech product for racing prototypes. Such a hull is not very suitable for life at sea, unlike the hull of the TAG catamaran.

Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

I do not know if the name of the boat is fundamental in the direction of Mike Birch's wonderful catamaran, but its first modern giant, built in Kanader, was called "Formule Tag"and then turned into "Enza" (yacht of skipper Peter Blake in the Jules Verne race). I asked about this from Tim Von der Steenand I liked the answer! He managed to gather around him and Greg Young and a team of experienced professionals, passionate about their business, wealthy investors, and ambitious buyers. The shipyard is based in the bay San Franciswhich is located west of the city Port Elizabeth (South Africa), whose charm brings the atmosphere of Amsterdam to the southern hemisphere. This shipyard is a traditional organization in the usual sense, but with very big ambitions!

Just like the emblematic multihulls Brenta or Wally, the elegance of the forms and the purity of the lines require high skill from a small team to build such machines. We spent almost the entire afternoon "undressing this beauty" in order to find out all her secrets. I understood a little more about the equipment installed on this catamaran. This greatly increased my admiration for this perfect boat during my two test drives.

I must also say that "Stardust" (yacht name TAG 60, which translates as "Stardust") sailed regularly these two seasons without any significant damage or breakdowns with the crew and 70-year-old owner, a great optimist. So let's visit the boat. In the aft part of the hulls there is an 8kVA generator and a sails locker on the port side; on the starboard side there is a seawater desalter with a capacity of 100 l / h, a spare parts warehouse and a mini-workshop. The Reckman automatic jib pins are located at the front of the crossbeams. Excellent bowsprit supports KZ spins for Code 0 and lightweight genoa. These detachable sails can be folded on a trampoline or placed in forepeaks if sea conditions require it. The installation of a large and sturdy anchor winch is exemplary, as is the whole drawing of the locker intended for the anchor chain. We anchored once and tested the windlass. By the way, the use of the remote control from the catamaran trampoline greatly facilitates the task.

Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

Access to the deckhouse deck via integrated steps is excellent. At the steppes we found a magnificent 25m mast (made of carbon fiber, of course). Retraction of the boom and rotation of the mast using hydraulics. The size of these pistons is proportional to their power. They are necessary for sailing, but they were placed so that they were not visible: one is placed under the seat of the navigation station, the other under the aft locker. The energy required for their operation is drawn from a set of Mastervolt 24V lithium batteries located on the bridge next to an easily accessible hydraulic generator. Its systematic use is not necessary, since the battery capacity is significant, especially if you perform basic maneuvers with the engines on.

I went downstairs and walked around the wheelhouse and the wide side decks and a small bulwark that provides safety along with rails and rails.

I paid particular attention to the deck hatches, which are fully integrated into the deck, and the highest quality non-slip finishes. An elegant bulge extending over 2/3 of the hull conceals an electro-hydraulic mechanism for operating the centerboard. The location of the steering wheels is unusual, however, this is the most rational choice for this type of boat. All giant record-breaking catamarans have the same steering wheel arrangement.

We conclude our boat tour with a visit to two side cockpits and a stern near the saloon. Fresh ideas are also present here (the seats hide the refrigerator, the gas barbecue is integrated into the stern canopy, the external mini-galley). Launching the boat into the water takes only 1 minute! It is also a great platform for swimming and diving.

Stunning silhouette and impressive deck plan

Tag 60 is unambiguously an uncompromising, almost perfect multihull. We were convinced of this when we admired the construction of the case. The yacht is made in an avant-garde style. Bionic lines allow for design durability. The boat literally radiates some kind of psychological strength. She looks like a beast of prey that is ready to jump. What is only the color. The thin nasal lines are amazing. The height of the bridge deck and sidewalls of the hulls contribute to good speed: the egg-shaped shape helps to achieve the necessary strength without additional internal rigidity. The aerodynamics are excellent, the wheelhouse is excellent. We especially note the aesthetics of the side windows.

Ergonomics of aisle arrangement from one hull to another, while providing excellent aft visibility, is good news. I really liked this innovation, which noticeably refreshes the concept of the catamaran deckhouse. The charming fine lines and stunning volumes are the result of design talent and impeccable choice of materials for the construction and decoration of the yacht. The level of the wetted surface remains low, which is the main secret for a fast and comfortable boat for sea travel. Exterior of the yacht is perfect, and the interior is in perfect harmony with the exterior.

Navigator's table, just a great place equipped with the latest technology with a beautiful panoramic view behind the console with instruments, where the panel is borrowed from the dashboard Ferrari made of unpainted carbon. I liked the bar with its high chairs and a comfortable plush sofa, as well as a dining table for 10 people, I liked it so much that I don’t even have enough words to describe the whole decor. A great addition to all this is the semi-spiral steps that give access to the hulls and cabins, which, however, some people might think, are slightly smaller than on similar yachts.

Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

Sailing plan of catamaran TAG 60

In the sea

Let's leave technology alone and go directly to navigation. The beast, powered by 75 horsepower diesel engines, cruises at a cruising speed of 10 knots ... With the size of a multihull, everyone should accept that they have to re-learn how to operate such a catamaran. This was exactly my case while I was on board. The interface of the control panel is decent, the catamaran has enough power in stock, so it is advisable to anticipate and control wisely in advance. We set up a very large mainsail. As with most yachts, the mainsail halyards return to the helm station on the port side.

A quick visit to the helm to free the main Harken 70 electric winch (80th installed on the next model) and move on to action. The ascent of the mainsail was quick, the sail was well packed and the tension was felt. With the engines turned off, the yacht goes very well even under one mainsail while picking up speed! Now we have a choice of head sails. We deployed a lightweight genoa; the KZ maxspin cylinder rotated like a fan, while the sail entered it in a matter of seconds using an electric winch. The Stardust is already on the move, well packed, slight carriage pull, Spectra boom spin, subtle mast rotation. Moreover, I did not even move from the control room using the main joystick.

With the centerboards down, the yacht demonstrated all that she is capable of. The boat accelerated to 12 knots. Although the speed was sometimes higher, let's not brag too much. The Tag 60 glided at 8 knots at 80 degrees in a breeze where all boats in the bay would normally start their engines. He walked faster than the wind! The catamaran behaved like a monohull (the genoa or gennaker must be folded if not in use). The boat accelerates easily and reaches high speeds. What speed, and how simple it is! Now I understand the yacht owner who spent all afternoon cruising in Palma Bay (which helps to set sails progressively and automatically) thanks to sensors and configuration electronics (electronic inclinometer if needed). The catamaran can go on one hull.

It is fantastic in light to medium wind conditions. In every sense of the word, the swimming was just great. You can do anything on this catamaran, regardless of the sailing mode. With a wind of 10 knots, you can reach a speed of 10 knots at 150 degrees true wind - this is the point where sailing multihulls usually stop. In strong winds, an automatic jib (small staysail) comes to the rescue of the team, which makes it easier for the Tag 60 catamaran. The process of taking reefs on this catamaran is quite simple, the rigging is of the highest quality. Set sails for light weather, grab the reefs and you have a real transoceanic express car.

Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

Conclusion

The dual nature of this fantastic yacht, which can be easily turned into an ocean catamaran, helps the yacht enter an elite and private yacht club of such a level as Gunboat, the TS 52, the Outremer 5X, MC2 and few others. Inspired by Greg Young, carbon fiber construction, no Nomex, creative and intelligent layout, amazing performance speaks for itself. The only thing I didn't like was that the centerboard drivetrain was a little stiff. Without a doubt, this moment is mitigated by the large diameter of the steering wheel. The negative side is only the financial side, of course. You should think in advance about how much it will cost you to maintain such a luxury yacht. And the captain is undoubtedly included in this program. The shipyard takes this issue quite seriously and trains captains for this purpose.

From Greg Young

“With Tim von der Steen, we wanted to build a large multihull cruise ship that could be operated by two people, striking a balance between performance, comfort and safety. To this end, we decided to invest in a 100% carbon construction in order to achieve a solid and structurally “calm” platform. The helm stations are moved as far away as possible to keep the helm in contact with the sails and a good view of the sea, and to enjoy the sail to the fullest.

Convertible cockpit-deck-saloon is undoubtedly the most significant innovation, but our most important secret weapon is huge powerful sails, which are controlled by hydraulics, which, by the way, are practically invisible. With the Tag 60, some people will fly the same hull, if desired, while others will just enjoy a very fast catamaran, especially during light weather. I admire the work of my predecessors (Multiplast, Magic Cat, Gunboat ...), but I hope and believe that the approach we took to create the Tag 60 represents a completely new direction for the catamarans of the future.

Yacht owner impression

“Here in the south of France, most yachts cost 10 times more, but their performance and living space on board are barely equal to those of the Tag 60. Plus, all of these yachts require a large crew. Once, returning to the bay with a wind of 1012 knots, we were sailing Code 0 at 135 degrees true wind at a speed of 13.3 knots! On the way, we met a 60 meter tall one! a monohull under an asymmetric spinnaker that ran at 8.5 knots. "

• Catamaran Outremer 5X

COMPETITORS

Test drive of the catamaran TAG 60

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Architect: Greg Young
• (New Zealand)
• Shipyard: Tag Yachts
• (South Africa)
• Length: 18.30 m
• Width: 8.30 m
• Draft: 1.20 / 2.50 m
• Height
• bridge deck: 1.30 m
• Dry weight: 12.6 t
• Displacement: 15.6 t
• Square
• sail area: 154 m2
• Genoa: 118 m
• Auto
•  jib: 75 m
• Code 0: 180 m2
• Asymmetric
• spinnaker: 340 m2
• Construction: foam / carbon / epoxy - sandwich
• Engines: 2 x 75 HP Yanmar
• Transmission: Sail Drive
• Propellers: three-blade folding
• Autoprop
• Fuel: 2 x 580 l
• Water: 2 x 400 l
• Mast: 25m, swivel, carbon
• Boom: 7.8m carbon canoe
• Price: GT version (fiberglass / carbon) € 1,895,000
• Full carbon version € 2,495,000
• + Great boat
• + Delightful personalities
• + Improved steering wheels
• + Explosive performance and amazing comfort
• - The design of the case requires minor improvements
• - Steering wheels that can be upgraded

• Sailing catamaran Fountaine Pajot Ipanema 58
• Sailing catamaran Fountaine Pajot New 67

08.06.2014