Racing yacht designer and double Volvo Ocean Race winning designer Juan Kouyoumdjian says yacht racing is currently in a crisis because there are no standard rules for the design and construction of racing yachts.‘Event organisers need clarity,’ he says. ‘They want to be reassured that racing yachts respect precise safety standards.’ At present there are no such standards and the norms usually used – for example, ISO – are not made for racing yachts.

Juan Kouyoumdjian: wants racing design and construction charter – photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

‘I think that we need to develop a charter and this is one of my objectives for the YRDTS: I want to get our sport’s stakeholders to start working on a concrete project,’ Mr Kouyoumdjian insists.

The YRDTS chairman wants to walk out of the event with a work schedule that will lead to a yacht racing design and construction charter.

‘We should create a working group with all the stakeholders interested by this project – boatbuilders, designers, events organisers and skippers,’ he said. ‘I then believe that we can create something concrete within one year. Our initiative should lead to race boat rules that will become a necessary tool for everyone in terms of insurances and responsibilities.’

The Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium will take place alongside the World Yacht Racing Forum, on December 9-10 at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum.