The crucial role played by the mast and rig package in taming the beast that is the second generation of Volvo Open 70 cannot be underestimated, particularly in boat-breaking conditions.
That is the view of Matthew Sheahan, specialist racing and technical writer.
In a feature article in the latest issue of Life At The Extreme, the official magazine of the Volvo Ocean Race, Sheahan says that in heavy airs and brutal seas a subtle twisting of the mast can de-power the mainsail, allowing the crew to regain control.