Fast foilers

Dutch builders Wajer Yachts launches the new and improved 38 and 38 S models with foil assist.

13 August 2020

Wajer Yachts has introduced a fully upgraded version of the Wajer 38 and 38 S.

Besides the aesthetic improvement, they are also tested with the addition of a foil assist. The brand-new adaption of foil technology ensures a totally different sailing experience, with enhanced comfort and better performance.

The foil aid is placed amidships on the hull and lifts the boat when underway, greatly improving efficiency, while still reaching top speed.

This new foil assist on the Wajer 38 and 38 S was developed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects. There’s less slamming on the water which means a drier ride, as it reduces spray considerably.

In addition, she sails more stable and faster because the boat has less resistance.

Preliminary technical research also has shown that the foil assist reduces fuel consumption with 10-20 percent, while maximum speed increases with 3-6 precent at equal power.

The foil assist application is currently still in the testing phase. The results of the tests will be included in further development and application of the foil assist technique.

Full upgrade

In addition to the foil technology, the 38 and 38 S underwent a significant aesthetic upgrade compared to the first generation 38 models. The new edgy design has sleeker lines, particularly prominent in the new design of the transom, the carbon window frames and black powder coated air vents.

The new 38 and 38 S have new suspended Wajer bucket seats, special in-house design, and fully upgraded materials with lots of carbon and a composite decking.

The new 38 and 38 S are fitted with Volvo Penta IPS 650 engines in combination with DPS.

Wajer Yachts has stated that many enhancements are a direct result of current customer experience. For instance, the more pronounced rub rails, integrated Seabob storage, new integrated swim platform with concealed swimming ladder, more comfortable lounge cushions and a Garmin screen for full control.

“We constantly develop new technologies to improve our fleet”, says Dries Wajer, managing director of Wajer yachts.

“Next to aesthetics like materials and practical enhancements, we wanted to take a serious step in upgrading the performance of the 38 models. With adding the foil assist, I believe we have”.

For a number of years, Van Oossanen Naval Architects has researched the application of a hydrofoil placed amidships on planing hulls with prototypes.

The goal is not to go into a hydro foiling “flying mode”, but to carry part of the boat’s weight on the foil, rather than on the bottom, hence, it is called “Foil Assist”.

How it works

The Foil Assist wing is made from solid stainless steel. It is a rather small, passive device, which is placed on a fixed position on the yacht. Foil Assist extends below the hull, but less so than the IPS units of Volvo Penta, which are the deepest part of the yacht.

Foil assist is built to resist the forces when making fast corners and dampens the pitching motions in waves. Carrying the weight partially on a submerged wing rather than entirely on the waterline, reduces the effect of waves on the boat, as the orbital motion in waves diminishes with depth. Furthermore, with the hull not lifted completely out of the water, the yacht will behave like a normal planing yacht with predictable behaviour, and the weight requirements are not nearly as stringent as for a fully hydro foiling boat.

wajer.com