# Trudeau 12 Metre

Trudeau Yachts is returning to the “big boats” with the 12 Metre racer/cruiser. Based on the real life 12 Metre class, the yachts that raced in the America’s Cup competition for nearly 30 years from the 1950s through the 1980s, the Trudeau 12 Metre is an accurate scale model of these celebrated boats. 70 ft in length – “12 metres” doesn’t indicate the boat’s length, but rather the result of a complex formula whose variables include waterline length, sail area, beam, freeboard, “girth” (the measurement taken around the boat from one sideboard, under the keel, and then over the top on the opposite side back to the original side) – boats designed to this class were first built in 1907.

### Third Rating Rule, and, from 1956, the America’s Cup Rule

Used from 1933 onwards:

$
\frac{L + 2d + \sqrt{S} - F}{2.37} \leq 12 \mbox{ metres}
$

where

• $L$ = waterline length (LWL)

• $d$ = difference between skin girth and chain girth

• $S$ = sail area

• $F$ = freeboard

The America’s Cup competition, suspended during the second world war, when resumed more economical vessels were needed to replace the huge and expensive J-class yachts that were raced in the 1930s; the 12 Metre class was selected. Trudeau selected the 12 Metre as a successor to their popular J-Class boat, they are similar in inworld size (the real world J Class boats were nearly twice the size of the 12 Metres).

Size is about the only quality in common between the Trudeau J-class and Trudeau 12 Metre. The Trudeau 12 Metre is constructed of mesh, her lines and detailing are completely accurate and taken from the 1937 wooden 12 Metre “Trivia” (whose wonderful site can be found here: http://www.12mr.de).

The Trudeau 12 Metre has a full compliment of luffing “Trusails” – main, jib, genoa, and spinnaker. She has a full and spacious well appointed cabin for relaxing and lounging below decks.

Jacqueline Trudeau considers the new 12 Metre as the new flagship of the Trudeau fleet. I bet it will be very well received.

No news yet as to release date and price. Lets hope that is comes soon.

I would love to race this yacht, so fingers crossed that it performs as good as it looks.