Aldo Fumagalli’s Rapido 53 XS (16 m) wins at ARC Europe

It was the best among the boats that left for ARC Europe, a west-to-east regatta that this year brings a fleet of 26 boats from the Caribbean to Europe, crossing the Atlantic to the Azores: we are talking about Aldo Fumagalli’s Rapido 53 XS.

Premiere

23:42 UTC on May 13, a time that will remain etched in the mind of Aldo Fumagalli and in the logbooks of Picomole, his trimaran Rapido 53 XS that we told you about when it was under construction. The first leg of the race from the American continent across the Atlantic to the Azores Islands ended on May 13 and saw the Italian crew triumph; the gap to their opponents was nearly 200 miles out of a total of 870 miles.“The boat is starting to work,” Aldo told us,“and in one day we sailed 361 miles.”

What boat is the Rapido 53 XS

The Rapido 53 XS echoes the design of Morrelli & Melvin’s signature 50-foot hull, using a fixed (i.e., non-folding) structure with the addition of 800 kg of additional superstructure. The goal of offering a large salon, three comfortable cabins and two bathrooms was perfectly achieved: the difference in volume between the 50 and the 53 XS (which stands for eXtra Space) is impressive. The builder could have kept the main lines identical between the two hulls, but everything has been revised and improved on the 53: even the appendages have been completely revised.

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Their draft, in fact, was calculated not to exceed that of the center hull. No centerboard drift, but two pre-impregnated carbon C-curved drifts, one for each hull; and this also applies to the rudder, which has no single center blade, but two carbon blades on the outer hulls and extending to the lowest point of the center hull, to facilitate access to shallow water.

What’s underneath

Below deck the space is really extra for a 53-footer: three cabins, two bathrooms and additional “makeshift” accommodations for unexpected guests ensure a sailing experience to share with friends. The salon, the true soul of life on board, is equipped with a fold-down table surrounded by a sofa for all guests on board and is set next to the C-shaped galley equipped with everything you could want.

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET – Rapido 53 XS
Length overall: 16.10 m
Width: 10.36 m
Displacement: 9,350 kg
Draft: 0.67 m to 3.94 m
https://rapidotrimarans.com/