Rapido Trimarans

"LIGHTNING" STRIKES THE TOP END, AUSTRALIA

Last week, Rapido 40 #014, "Lightning", was taking a well-earned break in Darwin before beginning her voyage down Australia’s rugged North West coast to Perth.

Darwin is one of those places that sounds almost made up until you arrive there. Massive tides, crocodiles, (no bears but) beer can boat races, and at other times of the year, barely enough wind to keep the flags flying.

Below are a few Rapido fun facts…

1. Taming 8-Meter (26’) King Tides

Darwin experiences King Tides from December to February and again around June/July, creating incredibly fast-moving currents and tidal changes of up to 8m.

For deep-draft monohulls, that can mean nervous chart-checking and the need to carefully time every movement. But a Rapido like "Lightning" plays a very different game. With shallow draft, lightweight construction, and serious performance, she can work the shallows, slip over sandbars, and stay ahead of the tide instead of fighting it.

2. The Croc-to-Human Ratio

More than 100,000 hungry crocodiles call the Northern Territory home. With Darwin’s population sitting at only around 140,000 people, falling overboard is simply not an option.

Fortunately, the Rapido 40 provides sanctuary: stability, wide trampolines and easy high average speeds to outsail even the hungriest of crocs.

3. From Beer Cans to Ocean Crossings

Darwin’s sailing culture is legendary.

The city hosts serious offshore events like the Darwin to Banda Neira (Indonesia) Yacht Race and the Darwin to Dili (East Timor) race. But arguably, Darwin’s sailing culture is even more legendary for the Lions Beer Can Regatta ("Made of Every Day Heroes since 1974"), where locals build floating masterpieces entirely from recycled beer cans, milk cartons, and plastic bottles. (What could possibly go wrong...)

We admire the creativity… but for ocean crossings, we’ll stick with carbon fiber.

4. Can You Cruise at 10+ Knots All Year Round? 💨

No! Sometimes there’s simply almost no wind.

From May to October, breezes regularly drop to just 1–4 knots, only occasionally building to 5–7 knots in the mornings later in the year. On many boats, that means firing up the loud, smelly engine.

But because Rapidos are built to sail efficiently in light air, "Lightning" can often keep ghosting along quietly while... listening to the heavier boats motoring nearby (Arrrgh!!).

Fabulous to have "Lightning" strike in the Top End, and we wish them a safe and successful voyage to Perth.

“Rapidos are only for advanced sailors.”
Paul Koch’s response? “Rubbish!”

In this interview with sailor and adventurer Francis Tapon, Rapido Trimarans' co-founder, Paul Koch, tackles one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding high-performance ocean cruising trimarans.

Because Rapidos comfortably sail at double-digit speeds, many assume they must be intimidating, unstable, or reserved only for elite sailors with decades of offshore experience.

Paul explains why the reality is very different.

* Hear the story of one new owner who single-handed a Rapido 40 more than 1,000 miles a week after taking delivery.

* Learn why trimarans can actually provide more warning and predictability than catamarans.

To watch the exchange, see https://tinyurl.com/ynwtducz

There are moments when a boat becomes more than just a boat.

Rapido 40 #013, Mizuya, is currently in Shodoshima, Japan.

She's surrounded by quiet waters, island horizons, and places that feel a world away from everyday life.

We often talk about performance, speed, and offshore capability. And of course, that is at the heart of what a Rapido is built to do.

But what really matters is where that capability takes you.

It's not just across oceans, but into experiences you might never otherwise reach.

Anchoring in calm bays after a fast passage, waking up in a completely new landscape, sharing moments in places steeped in history...

This is what we sometimes forget to say out loud: these boats don’t just sail well… they open up a different way of living.

Mizuya in Japan is a fine example of that.

One of the things we love most about offshore multihull racing is just how hard-fought and close the competition can be.

(Full article at https://tinyurl.com/mw443745 )

Congratulations to James Holder and the team on Grainger 36 "Uno" for taking Multihull Line Honours in a thrilling finish to the Myth of Malham. Rapido 40 "Adamas" pushed hard all the way to the line, with the result only decided in the final miles after an incredible boat-for-boat battle.

Great racing, great sportsmanship, and a fantastic showcase of modern performance multihulls.

FROM THE ARTICLE

In the multihulls, James Holder’s Grainger 36 Uno won a dramatic fight for Multihull Line Honours with Vincent Willemart’s Rapido 40 Adamas. The result only being settled in the final few miles with the boats overlapped in sight of the finish line.

“It was an amazing end to a great race,” commented Uno’s James Holder. “We got ourselves in the wrong spot a couple of times and had to fight back. Near Eddystone it was horrendous. We were ten miles ahead, then parked up and everybody sailed into the back of us. Adamas did really well coming back, but in the last couple of miles we had a bit more breeze near the land, got a shift that worked, and squeezed around them. It was really close boat on boat racing and huge fun.”

For full article, see https://tinyurl.com/mw443745

Congratulations to Adamas, Rapido 40 #02, on an outstanding result in the of Malham, finishing in 2nd place, just 3 minutes behind Uno, which snatched the lead right at the finish.

On corrected time, Adamas secured 3rd place in the Multihull Division. A fantastic performance by the Vincent Willemart and his crew!

For further information, see https://pro.yb.tl/mom2026

At 06:05 GMT, Rapido 40 Adamas is leading the Multihull Division in the Myth of Malham - but by just 0.3NM over Uno as they move towards the finish line at 5.6 knots!

She’s also sitting in 4th place on corrected time.

Follow the action live for the final stages at https://pro.yb.tl/mom2026

C'mon Adamas!!

Photos below: Adamas' winning medallion from the 2025 race.

of malham

"The RORC Myth of Malham Race returns on Saturday 23 May with a strong offshore fleet set for the 235-nautical-mile challenge from Cowes to the Eddystone Lighthouse and back. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Royal Yacht Squadron, the race starts from the Squadron Line at 1000 BST.

"The multihull fleet includes six entries led by Vince Willemart’s Rapido 40 Adamas, winner of the 2025 MOCRA division..."

For the full article, click on the link below.

RORC Myth Of Malham Draws Strong Offshore Fleet Again Forty-five IRC yachts and six multihulls line up for the 2026 RORC Myth of Malham offshore race.

“It's not the performance in strong winds where we win on the tris. It's in the light winds - when it's blowing 5 knots and we're still sailing while the catamaran guys are motoring*.”

– Paul Koch, co-founder of Rapido Trimarans.

See https://tinyurl.com/46v4rru3

In this in-depth discussion with Francis Tapon, Paul shares insights into trimaran performance, lightweight composite construction, electric propulsion, safety, and the philosophy behind Rapido’s high-performance cruising trimarans.

Watch the full interview here: https://tinyurl.com/46v4rru3

* For clarity, Paul was referring to offshore cruising catamarans rather than lightweight, stripped-out racing multihulls designed purely for competitive performance.