le Pogo 2

mini-transat de série Finot-Conq
2002

Ce mini-transat de série Pogo 2 est l'héritier

Le Pogo 2 est très stable de forme et insubmersible, le rapport poids du lest/poids du bateau est important.

La coque est construite en stratifié-verre-polyester monolithique sur des lisses.

Le lest, pour la mini-transat, est un voile en fonte et un bulbe en plomb.

La dimension de la voilure correspond au maximum autorisé pour la jauge de série

Les aménagements, en stratifié structurel abritent l'insubmersibilité.
Ils sont sobres. Cuisine et table à carte peuvent être ajoutés en complément, en fonction de l'usage du bateau.

2 gouvernails en stratifié permettent de contrôler le bateau.

Le mât, actuellement, est en aluminium, version mini-transat.
Un mât en carbone pultrudé "Stabmast" est testé pour la version croisière.

T exte écrit par Pascal Conq pour Seahorse magazine (Janvier 2004)

Pogo 2 is the first series mini we have designed.
The last Transat 6.50 was delightful for us. Our boats, sailed by very good skippers, won both classes : prototypes and series.
In prototype class, this is the forth victory for a groupe finot design : Moulin Roti skipped by Armel Tripon . She is an older boat which finish second in 1995, third in 1997 and fifth in 2001. It was time for a victory this year ! Armel was there ready to take his chance and he took it with a simple an strong boat that proved still fast specially in light winds and in deep downwind conditions. Even though designed for an other course that went to Guadeloupe, which needed less power, the boat is still interesting : light and fixed keeled.
In series, we saw a great success for the brand new Pogo2 that we designed last year, and which trusted the 1st, 2nd an d 3rd places. Erwan Tymen (of Structures shipyard, who produce the boat) won both legs.

The pogo 2 is the result of our knowledge and research on mini oneoffs and open boats in general.
Her qualities are : power; weight; and dynamic stability from the hull shape.
In other words, we endeavored to counterbalance the negative effects of the Mini series rules.
Compared to the Pogo1, the lines are straighter, fuller, wider and lower at the stern, with a lot of shape stability. The major behavioral improvements are less slamming in the waves upwind and more ability to reach planning downwind, hence keeping the bow out of the water.
The internal structure is fully made of GRP composite instead of a plywood system, which give a stronger and more homogeneous boat. An important optimization work has been conducted to save weight in the scantlings while remaining as strong as needed in the right places. The cockpit is more ergonomic. The central box houses the liferaft, the companionway is well protected, the toerails are positioned for a comfortable sitting position at the helm and their shape allows to rest lying at the bottom of the cockpit.
A nice detail : the autopilot is internal with a lever going through the transom The appendages produce less drag, thanks to optimized rudders and a lead bulb mounted on a cast iron fin.

The two days difference between the first prototype and the first Pogo2 represent 7% in speed difference, most of it coming from the light airs in the doldrums. That's a lot and not that much at the same time : those poor series boats have a set specific rules to follow that are particularly mean in term of speed :
The power and the "engine" of the boat are dramatically reduced :
· Mast height is limited to 11 m instead of 12 m for the protos
· Boom length is 0.25 m less than the protos
· Bowsprit length is a maximum 2.40 m (no limit for the protos except that they need to be storable in the 3.00 m maximum width of the boat )
· No water ballast, no swinging keel !!
At the same time the weight is increased :
· Keel draft reduced from 2 m to 1.60 m putting a lot of additional weight in the bulb.
· No carbon only glass /polyester or plywood /epoxy !!
After such a gruesome list one can think that a 7% difference in time at finish is not that much And for the more pragmatically thinking among us, the speed to price ratio is outstanding. But anyway that is not really the question, is it ? Sailing fast will always remain a passion.

transat Charente-Maritime Bahia 2003, resultats
résultats des courses 2004

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