Alfa Romeo II (rechristened Black Jack IV) is a maxi yacht designed in 2005 by Reichel/Pugh for yachtsman Neville Crichton. First-to-finish in the 2009 Transpacific Yacht Race ("the Transpac"), she also set a new elapsed-time Transpac race record This reference clearly points out that it is the boat which raced in the 2009 Transpac. The boat is actually long; its design is called a "Reichel/Pugh 100." For reference to the boat consummating the new record, see Transpac race news . Scroll to page bottom; shows Alfa Romeo II major victories, including 2009 Transpac finish. for monohulls.
Alfa Romeo II is a "Reichel/Pugh 100" design measuring overall.She was designed as a 98ft yacht but was later extended to 100ft to measure at the upper bound of the new 2008 maxi rating rule She features a (Shows mast height and other dimensions of Alfa Romeo II) carbon fibre mast built by Southern Spars, water ballast, and a canting keel. She is thought to be capable of downwind in a fresh breeze. Some of the boat's systems are operated via PLCs, automatically stepping up engine speed as power is required to operate the hydraulic ram actuating the canting keel, or disengaging the propeller when it is retracted into the hull to reduce drag.
History 2009 Transpac Race Total crew of about seventeen sailors included Stanley Honey, navigator; Olympian Ben Ainslie, English Gold Medalist Finn sailor of the 2008 Summer Olympics; and members of the Ericcson 4 crew, recently victorious in the Volvo Ocean Race. According to the 7 July 2009 morning report, Alfa Romeo II broke the Transpac race record for most miles covered in one day, set in the 2005 race by Morning Glory, by sailing in 24 hours. (Distance covered from 6 am day preceding to 6 am day of report) She improved that on both following days; on 8 July 2009, Alfa Romeo II reported ; on 9 July 2009, she reported . She was first to finish the 2009 Transpac race, in which she set a new elapsed-time record of 5 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes, 20 seconds. Alfa Romeo II is a monohull and set a new monohull elapsed time record. She came within about five hours of breaking the multihull elapsed time record 5d, 9h, 18m set in 1997 by Bruno Peyron with his Commodore Explorer. She has been first to finish in at least 140 races. This reference cites 139 1st-to-finish races; the 2009 Transpac marks #140.
2009 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race In 2009, she was the first to finish the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Sponsorship The Alfa Romeo yachts owned by Neville Crichton are sponsored by Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. of Turin, Italy. They own the Alfa Romeo name and other intellectual properties such as logos, emblems (used on Alfa Romeo III), and manner of depicting the name as shown on the mainsail of Alfa Romeo II in the infobox.
In 2006 the team is also sponsored by SLAM, an Italian company producer of technical sailing sportswear, that provides the team of technical clothing.
See also Alfa Romeo I Alfa Romeo III Wild Oats XI
References
External links Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team site Alfa Romeo Yacht Racing Team news releases Alfa Romeo II build details 2009 Transpac race crew list Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Victory in Sardinia Giraglia Rolex Cup promotional information Alfa Romeo II demonstrating speed at Malta Rolex Middle Sea Race 2006 Deck layout and detail photos of Alfa Romeo II