FUKU is based in Hong Kong as part of the Scallywag racing team. Previously she was called Team Australia and based in Sydney. She has set many race and passage records.
It was built in 2002 on the Mag France shipyard in Vendée. It is one of the first multihulls to have been made of nomex carbon sandwich pre-impregnated with resin, for greater lightness and rigidity.
It was launched as Bayer Cropscience for Team Bayer AG 1 to sail in the ORMA ( Ocean Racing Multihull Association ) class.
After its takeover by the Banque Populaire group , the renamed trimaran Banque Populaire IV was heavily modified and its performance increased as the events were won.
2004: 3rd in the Port de Fécamp Grand Prix, 4th in the Marseille Métropole Grand Prix, 2nd in the Galicia Grand Prix (Vigo in Spain), 4th in the Giraglia Rolex Cup (crewed race: Saint-Tropez to Genoa in Italy), 3rd in the Grand Prix de Calvi in Corsica and winner of the IB Group Challenge.
2005: winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre.
2006: 2nd in the 2006 Route du Rhum (Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre ).
2007: 3rd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with Yvan Ravussin ), 2nd in the Lorient Multihull Trophy, winner of the SNSM Record Week. Set 24-hour speed record approved by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC): 667 miles at an average speed of 27.8 knots for the "boat up to 60 feet" category set in 2007.
2009: Transatlantic, Ambrose Light Tower to Lizard Point, Crewed Record 3d 15h 25m 48s at 32.94 knots
2012 1st in Brisbane to Gladstone (line honours and OMR) setting a Brisbane to Gladstone Race Record 16h 28m 21s
2013 Sydney to Hobart Passage Record (1d 5h 52m 23s), Sydney to Auckland Passage Record (2d 19h 2m 45s), Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Race Record (17h 3m 5s)
2014 1st in Brisbane to Gladstone (line honours and OMR).
Each yacht carries a Yellow Brick Tracker which allows spectators to track the progress of all competitors. To view the tracker on a mobile device you must download and run the free Yellow Brick Tracker app and search for the Brisbane to Gladstone Multihull Race. The link to view on a laptop or computer will be available the day of the start.
Read about previous Brisbane to Gladstone Races and how it all started. See the photos and analyse the results and statistics.
Offshore Multihull Rating (OMR) System
The MYCQ Administers the Offshore Multihull Rating (OMR) System, which is used to handicap all Multihull Yachts. It is similar to the IRC system used for monohulls but is tailored to be applied to all Multihull Designs. This website provides:
Specification - includes an introduction and guidelines on how to prepare your boat and how to measure your sails
The MYCQ regularly reviews the OMR formulas by looking at race results and analysing trends and new technologies to ensure the OMR system is current and as accurate as possible.
As with most handicapping systems, it is not perfect and rather than criticizing the system and the people that administer it we encourage you to become involved in the club and contribute to developing the system.
