DESIGNED TO THRILL

WITH THIS FAST CRUISING 44 COMBINING WICKED PACE, FIRST CLASS HANDLING AND COMFORT, HAS THE INNOVATIVE FRENCH YARD PRODUCED THE MOST REFINED POGO YET?

Bearing away around the Îles de Glenans off the south Brittany coast we unfurl the gennaker and accelerate smoothly from 8 knots to 11, with occasional bursts reaching 13 knots. There’s no noticeable hump to get over when we start planing – instead there’s just a smooth and consistent acceleration as we quietly leave the stern wave well behind.

Although the apparent wind is still well forward of the beam this is not a white knuckle ride. There’s only three of us on board, we’re not on a raceboat, and are miles away from the edge of control. Quite simply, the Pogo 44 is unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size.

This is the latest model in the yard’s five-strong range of ultra-fast cruisers that it has been quietly refining for the past three decades. Unlike most performance cruisers they are designed without regard to type-forming rating rules for racing. They are therefore significantly lighter than most, yet have tremendous stability that helps confer an enormous power/weight ratio.

The unusually long centreboard is an integral part of the concept. When lowered the Pogo 44 has a colossal 3.10m (10ft 2in) draught, placing the ballast very low down and therefore reducing the amount of lead required. The yard says this saves around 650kg, or roughly 10% of displacement, relative to a fin and bulb keel of conventional draught. Yet raising the centreboard reduces draught to just 1.38m (4ft 6in) – an important benefit for cruising.