CAPE TO THE STAGE

With a flourishing fleet in Europe, the newest sportboat class debuted in Key West to show what all the buzz is about.

LUCAS MASIELLO

WITH big breeze, blue water and waves, Key West has long been an ideal stage to spotlight the newest grand-prix sailing toys, which now include the emerging Cape 31 One-Design class. At the Southernmost Regatta in January, five crews of these 31-footers marked its North American arrival, and the class stole the show. The Mark Mills-designed and South African-built sportboat has gained international attention as a high-performance speedster that is competitive in all breeze conditions. “The inspiration for the Cape 31 came from renowned Scottish yacht racer Lord Irvine Laidlaw, who wanted to provide a boost to the Cape Town yachting community with a cutting-edge boat that could be built locally and offer youth sailors a compelling reason to step up to big boats,” Mills says. “It needed to offer…

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Sailing World (Digital) - 1 Issue, Spring 2023

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