Metis 45 first look: Italian foiler for simplifying offshore foiling races
The new Italian Metis 45 is in development, reportedly featuring a design that eliminates the need for expensive control systems.
This Italian-designed and built foiling offshore racer is intended to fill the big gulf between Class 40s and IMOCA 60s.
Full details have not yet been released, but we’re told the boat will be able to achieve full foiling on offshore courses without the need for complex and expensive active control systems. Instead, adjustable foils on each side of the keel bulb are used to control flight.
The boat is designed to accommodate crews of two to five people, plus an onboard reporter. Deck layout follows a similar pattern to those of recent IMOCAs and Class 40s, with a fully enclosed cockpit with large transparent panels to maximise visibility of sails and the horizon.
French teams are often thought of as being dominant in this space, but the Metis 45 comes from an Italian yard with impeccable credentials.
For example, it built the Guelfi D’Angeli-designed Musa 40 scow bow Class 40 that propelled Ambrogio Beccaria to victory in the 2022 Normandy Channel Race and Transat Jacques Vabre, as well as last year’s Transat CIC single-handed race from Lorient to New York.
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Metis 45 Specifications:
Hull length: 13.7m 45ft 0in
Beam: 4.5m 14ft 8in
Draught: 3.5m 11ft 6in
Displacement: 4,000kg 8,800lb
Contact details: sangiorgiomarine.com
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