The Whitbread 60 (W60), later known as the Volvo Ocean 60 (VO60), was a class of ocean racing yacht built to a "box rule" specifying key design parameters of the 10 smaller yachts which took part the 1993–94 Whitbread Round the World Race.
The class raced with such success that the following race was restricted to Whitbread 60s only. Its design was used for the last time in the 2001–02 Volvo Ocean Race, replaced thereafter by the sophisticated, canting keel Volvo Open 70, built to a new box rule.
Box Rule specifications Ocean 60Overall Length:Beam:Draught:Air Draught:Displacement:
Yachts A total of 32 Volvo Ocean 60s were built for the three editions the class was used by the race. 28 of these competed in the race with 4 boats being built as training boats for two boat testing although race organizers tried to discourage this.
+ Whitbread 60s/Volvo Ocean 60s 1993–1994 1997–1998 2001–2002 Brooksfield America's Challenge Amer Sports One Heineken Brunel Sunergy Amer Sports Too Hetman Sahaidachny Chessie Racing Assa Abloy (2) Galicia '93 Pescanova EF Education Djuice Dragons Intrum Justitia EF Language Illbruck Challenge Reebok/Dolphin & Youth Innovation Kvaerner Team News Corp Tokio Merit Cup (1) Team SEB Odessa Silk Cut Team Tyco Winston Swedish Match Yamaha Toshiba Tune Up Boats Tokio II Merit Cup (2) Assa Abloy (1) Djuice Dragons (1)
Designers
+ Whitbread 60s/Volvo Ocean 60s DesignersDesigner 1993–1994 1997–1998 2001–2002 Total Bruce Farr 7 8(1) 6 22 John Swarbrick (1) 1 Bouvet-Petit 1 1 Sidenko 1 1 Humphreys 1 1 Alan Andrews 1 1 Judel Vroljik 1 1 Laurie Davidson 1(1) 2 German Frers 1 1 Total 10(1) 10(1) 8(2) 32
Comparison of Ocean 60 and Open 70 Ocean 60Open 70Overall Length:Beam:Draught:Air Draught:Displacement:Ballast Water Ballast Keel Fixed Canting
References
External links Volvo Ocean Race – Official site Volvo Ocean Race TV – Official Web TV site Andrews 60 – A W60 design detail speedsailing – V.O.60 ILLBRUCK history and boat details