The cut above the rest

MD Marine's AC-inspired daysailor could capture a racer's heart and mind.

Standing on shore yearning to be aboard the beautiful yachts racing around on the water, it would never occur to the innocent bystander that one of the biggest dilemmas the modern yacht owner faces is finding a crew to sail with.

Visit any yacht club bar and you'll hear skippers moan about their crew and their antics. But for larger yachts the problem is even more acute, as a regular crew is required to ensure consistency in racing and training.

For a generation of skippers that have worked their way through the ranks of yacht ownership to reach the dizzying heights of commanding 15 crews through intricate and potentially costly manoeuvres, there is a very real danger that the "fun" element of sailing is forgotten.

Starting out as a diversion to the stresses involved in "office" dynamics, team management and logistics, the same issues can arise to impinge on one's pastime.

Debuted simultaneously at both the Newport and Southampton Boat Shows last September, the md35 concept evolved from the four corners of the globe.

The four protagonists involved all encountered a rising feeling amongst large yacht owners to downsize their campaigns to something that re-invigorated their thrill of sailing, but without downgrading the technology or styling of big boat sailing.

Mike Relling of md Marine negotiatied his way through securing a new sketch from the contemporary yacht designer Mark Mills and various inputs from Peter Morton of Boat Sails International in the UK and Barry Carroll and George Carabetta of Summit Yachts in the US.

The former sailmaker from New Zealand then managed to co-ordinate a development group and get the prototype underway for ex-Swan owner Gavin Maber.

From the Kiwi-built prototype that launched in July to her first European sail at the Southampton Boat Show in September 2007, it became immediately clear that the md35 required a class association of her own - something that would promote owner involvement, ensure competitive one-design racing, and keep the builder, M Boats of Buenos Aires, with a constant supply of orders.

Styled without a thought to any rating system, and with toys and a weight that would prove disastrous under IRC, one-design racing would hark back to the heyday of the 6-metre class, albeit with a modern contemporary take.

There was certainly no questioning the lustful attention the md35 attracted at the dock at Southampton.

Sitting alone opposite a string of motoryachts, her sharp and sleek lines drew the eye.

The md35's flat topsides point unequivocally towards AC yacht design, keeping the weight close to the COG due to her narrow 2.22-metre beam.

Stepping away from the overly-energetic crewing requirements of the modern dayboat classes, the md35 is designed without the need for hiking, and with no crew weight restrictions also opens up the door for a variety of crew to sail - no matter what their physical or age obstacles.