Fast, cheap and safe - cross Atlantic 

Is it possible to sail across Atlantic in a record-breaking time, safely using a small and relatively cheap trimaran? Of course, it is. On a 7 meter, exceptional trimaran EXPLODER 23.

Wojciech Kaliski and Adam Skomski are going to prove it. Their intention is to cross the Atlantinc in Spring 2007 starting from Spain, through Canarian Islands up to San Salvador. In season 2005 they were members of a professional crew of the 60-feet trimaran BONDUELLE. Later on they intended to obtain a similar yacht for twohanded race Transat Jacques Vabre. Because of enormous costs the race did not take place. They were not the only crew in such a position.
The biggest ocean-going multihull yachts from several years suffer similar problems. From one side higher and higher budgets stimulate a construction of huge maxi-catamarans and trimarans participating in a "battle of records" and at the same time there are problems with obtaining sponsors for fleet races like Transat Jackues Vabre, or La Routhe du Ruhm, the number of articipants is still going down. There is high risk, that race of 60 feets trimarans ORMA in 2007 will be cancelled because of low number of participating crews. From the other side it is observed higher and higher interest in trans-ocean, singlehanded races of small yachts, as for example Mini Transat. They have place every two years. The yachts used are monohulls 6.5 m long. Over 400 yachtsmen intend to participate in this regatta in 2007. It happens - among others - because it is easier to collect a budget of ca. 100 thousand Euro for such a boat than e.g. several millions of euros to cover sailing of a huge one.

Because of economical reasons there is an interest in crossing over Atlantic Ocean in a record-breaking time on small beach catamarans. These attempts however are extremely difficult and dangerous, just at the very edge of life and death.
Till now nobody designed a small size, relatively cheap and at the same time strong enough and safe yacht enabling a sailing across the Ocean without a high degree of hazard.

As a matter of fact - in Sweden SeaCart 30 trimarans are being built but they do not fully respond the expectations: they are relatively expensive (160 thousand Euro) and there is a considerable risk of capsize while sailing and a two-men crew has no possibility to re-set it on their own.
Designed by Ryszard Partycki and constructed in Poland trimaran EXPLODER 23 in an attempt to find a compromise between a safety of sailing and enormous budget needed for an ocean-going multihulls.

An inventive man of this idea is Wojciech Kaliski - one of the most experienced Polish specialist as regards sailing on multihull yachts. According to his idea the yacht should be a small size one, relatively cheap, on which a two-men crew will be able to sail across Atlantic Ocean in a record-breaking time. While designing - two priorities were to be obtained: speed of the sailing and its safety at hard oceanic conditions. This 7 metre long trimaran of 400 kgs weight will be also able to start successfully with a three-men crew in the coastal and bay races.
In case the provided parameters will be proven and yacht itself will successfully pass over the tests during the transatlantic trip in Spring 2007, Wojciech Kaliski and Adam Skomski shall go a step forward: they are going to propose a new, not know yet, formula of the transoceanic races of multihull yachts. The idea is to arrange - like e.g. Transat 6.5 - the periodical, two-men crew regatta across Atlantic Ocean of 7 m long trimarans. Comparatively low costs of participation in the event allows to assume that regatta will meet a considerable interest from the ocean going sailors as well as from the fans of inshore races.

The utterly new idea and innovation of the project being built of carbon, nomex and epoxy resins trimaran EXPLODER 23 is based on the fact that even a capsize - the greatest danger for yacht at the open ocean - does not mean an end of the trip. The two-men crew is in position to re-set the yacht and to continue the voyage. For a small multihull unit far away from a shore this ability is of greatest importance. The re-setting of the yacht is possible due to a new concept based on use of a special hydraulic system of folding of the hulls. The system is also an important advantage at transporting of the yacht - you may fold it and carry on a simple trailer. The idea of such a folding has been shown in the drawing. A time needed for unloading, assembling and preparing for sailing is ca. 2 hours for 3 men.

65 m² of sails (115 m² with genacker) will effect that EXPLODER 23 will be able to achieve a top speed over 30 knots. It enables the yacht to keep an average speed of 20 knots and consequently - to prevail a barrier of 500 miles per 24 hours what itself is a great achievement; for such a small yacht.

The present trends in oceanic regatta yachting show that the project has a good chance to get attractive and popular. It is a kind of provocation against bigger units and as well provokes a question how yachting will be looking like in the near future. Quite possible that yachts of new FORMULA 23 size and ability will change its "face"?

Wojciech Kaliski and Adam Skomski undertake all possible steps to cross Atlantic Ocean in Spring 2007. At the same time they invite other yachtsmen to undertake the challenge. In case any next crew will be found ready to - there is a possibility to build a second yacht and combine this Atlantic test with a competition of two identical yachts.