Lombard-designed Lift45 being built in Lymington’s new yard
SR Structures has been commissioned to build a Lombard-designed Lift45 in its new yard in Lymington, Hampshire.
The Lift45 has been under development by Lombard Yacht Design for several months on behalf of a French client who is passionate about offshore racing. It ticks a box in the expanding owner-driven market for high performance racer/cruisers.
It’s described as an ultra-modern 45-foot monohull that incorporates the latest designs from the
Lombard studio in terms of Class40 scow bow and hull shapes. The emphasis is on finding the optimal compromise between shape stiffness and drag. As such it features a raised bow and high forward tapering to help ensure a smooth sea passage. The newest generation of scow hull also ensures optimal balance at all sailing angles, making the boat a pleasure to steer and requiring minimal intervention from autopilots.
The new yacht brings easy speeds and ease of use with asymmetric spinnakers and furling headsails and gennakers carried on a carbon mast with swept-back spreaders. A powerful carbon rig and boom from Axxon Composites, plus a 1.7 metre bowsprit and an asymmetric downwind sail plan, provide the horsepower. Lateral water ballast tanks allow for adjusting stability and comfort while sailing. The Lift45 is effectively a Class40 with the onboard comfort of a large cruising yacht, says SR Structures.
And that all speaks to the design brief which was for a fast and manageable yacht, suitable for reduced-crew offshore cruising, transatlantic voyages/racing, and racing in the English Channel, Atlantic and Mediterranean.
SR Structures is the joint project of Sam Pellow and Ross Hotchkiss who boast they’re two of the most sought-after composite boatbuilders with experience in building, modifying and repairing racing yachts including, but not limited to, Volvo70s, TP52s, IMOCA60s and Class40s. Their yard, they say, has the capabilities to build full prepreg carbon racing yachts, large scale composite structures and complex resin infused vessels.
“This is an extremely exciting time for racer/cruiser and fast cruiser yacht development,” says a SR spokesperson, “and we are delighted to be working with Lombard Yacht Design on the innovative Lift45 which is based on their latest Lift V3 Class40 racing yacht.”
The yacht’s being constructed using fibreglass-epoxy infusion and a foam core, with carbon reinforcements. The projected displacement is 5800kg.
The primary internal structure, integrating the keel box and mast support, is constructed in carbon fibre – dramatically reducing weight whilst ensuring maximum strength in these highly loaded areas, says the company. The lightweight interior is comprised of E-Glass foam panel joinery.
Boat number one of the Lombard Lift45 design is scheduled for launch in March 2025.
