Built by Salthouse Boatbuilders in New Zealand in 2006 as OUTSIDER. The design brief to Greg Elliot was for a fast, 52ft, canting keel inshore and offshore racer that could take line honours victories in a combination of shorter coastal races and longer Transatlantic Races. OUTSIDER, now RAFALE, was a full Cabron Fibre build with largely Nomex Core for weight saving. The hull form is well balanced, low drag moderate beam. Stability is enhanced with a canting keel.
OUTSIDER tasted success immediately after her launch by winning the Round North Island Race and the Bay of Islands Sailing Week. She then went on to achieve her primary objective of winning the Nordbank Blue Trans-Atlantic on both Line Honours and IRC.
Being an offshore designed boat, RAFALE is very well thought out design for time at sea. She maintains a dry interior for crew comfort and her deck layout ensures easy and safe handling in all conditions. Since her changing of hands and becoming RAFALE, she underwent some upgrades with a new Hall Spars mast in 2017 and an upgrade from a single backstay to twin running backstays. There have also been major upgrades to the DC motors and the PLC controlling the hydraulic canting keel system onboard. RAFALE also enlisted the help of Doyle Sails designer Justin Ferris to produce a completely new updated sail plan for RAFALE using the latest in sail design and materials. All of which have revitalised RAFALE, and her recent campaigning and results are a testament to the boat and how she has been professionally maintained.
Garmin Round Denmark Race Aegean 600 Line Honours winner Rolex Giraglia Race Les Voiles de St Tropez Rolex Middle Sea Race RORC Transatlantic 2023 – 3rd IRC RORC Caribbean 600 Kiel to Aarhus – Blue Ribbon Cup Line Honours
Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein.
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