Home of Jazz is het proto type van de VQ32 klasse, ontworpen aan de hand van de ideeen van Maarten Russchen door Dick Koopmans. Het ontwerp is specifiek gericht op het varen van langere solo en duo wedstrijden op zee zoals de Round Britain & Ireland Race en Ostar. Het uitgangspunt is een eenvoudige, zeewaardige, veilige boot. Veel aandacht is besteed aan de aan-de-windse zeileigenschappen en het varen in zwaar weer. Home of Jazz is als proto type onderworpen aan een aantal experimenten. Die zijn niet allemaal even goed zijn geslaagd, maar daardoor is veel geleerd over de boot.

Opvallend zijn de steekzwaarden ter hoogte van het roer, waardoor loefgierigheid kan worden gecompenseerd en de boot gemakkelijker op de autopilot is te sturen. Ook geeft dit steekzwaard extra lift. Verder staan aan dek roeidollen voor lange carbon riemen. In windstilte kan ongeveer met 2 knopen worden geroeid. Het werkt goed, zo is gebleken in de Round Britain waar tweemaal de finish van een etappe in de luwte lag en roeiend is gepasseerd. Het prototype is wat zwaarder gebouwd dan boten 2n en 3 en dit verschil is te merken.  

Bouwnummer 2 (Velocity Girl) heeft een andere mast/kiel configuratie. Met een lichtere kiel en een carbon mast is de boot duidelijk sneller in licht weer. Om Home of Jazz meer power te geven zal in 2011 een square top grootzeil worden toegepast. Dit levert helaas wel een zwaardere IRC handicap op.   

De uitgebreide ervaring die met de VQ32 is opgedaan, is gebruikt om de het ontwerp verder te optimaliseren voor serie bouw door ShipCenter Lelystad.

Op de website van VQ32 wordt de volgende beschrijving gegeven van de boot:

CONCEPT
The VQ32 is a strongly built 32-footer designed for safe short handed sailing.  The designer 'Dick Koopmans' and initiator 'Maarten Russchen' aim to provide the perfect platform for friends, couples and short handed crews to cruise or race in safety.  The VQ32 is designed and built with speed, comfort, strength and simplicity in mind. 
 

Short handed yachts are generally adapted from existing production models, are expensive 'one offs' or taken from the world of professional or semi-professional racing.

At VQ32 we think an affordable, high quality semi production / custom built yacht will owners the confidence to fully engage in and enjoy the increasingly popular world of short-handed sailing.

DESIGNER

The designer Dick Koopmans was chosen for his excellent record in the design of long distance cruising boats, his understanding of how safety and seaworthiness are related to speed over any given distance, and that the condition of the crew is an often unconsidered aspect of performance and enjoyment of sailing.

Many existing boats are being adapted for short-handed sailing, the VQ32 seeks to take the best of these innovations and include them in the primary build. The thoughts on the protective cockpit design come from the long distance professional world, whilst the narrower hull shape aims to avoid the hazards of too much form stability seen in open style yachts.

AFFORDABLE ONE DESIGN
The intention is to establish an affordable one design class for short-handed racing, while at the same time the VQ32 will be compatible under IRC rating. The best compromise between a design for optimal speed and optimal IRC rating probably is a yacht with a moderate beam and a high ballast ratio. The bulb on the keel lowers the centre of gravity considerably. Such a yacht will be easy to handle, and can be driven hard over a wide variety of wind angles and wave conditions.

Hull and bulkheads will form a rigid, light structure but exotic and expensive materials will not be used. The hull will be built in core cell reinforced with glass-epoxy. Two 350 litres water ballast tanks will give extra power upwind. A pipe with a diameter of 10 cm will allow the water ballast to flow into the leeward tank before tacking. In light airs when the boat does not heel, an electrical water pump will move the water over to the other tank.

Most of the sail handling can be done single handed from the cockpit. Sails can be hoisted from the cockpit and from the foredeck. Tacking is easy because no overlapping genoas will be used. A genaker can be set from a short bow sprit. Two dagger boards at the stern will improve tracking and the overall trim, while reducing the load on the autopilot.
 
The interior is simple and functional, but suitable for cruising with four persons. The navigation station is located in the centre, facing forward. There will be a double berth aft, a single berth in the cabin and two provisional berths in the forepeak. Two watertight bulkheads will improve safety. The painted interior will be easy to clean. The VQ32 will be fitted out with double hob cooker, sink, heating, multi-media PC with large LCD screen, separate WC compartment and large settees on either side.

The VQ32 will provide a good value competitive option for those of us how find organizing large crews a hassle and who want to join in the expanding world of IRC.
 
 
INITIATOR AND DESIGNER
In 1993 Maarten Russchen teamed up with Dick Koopmans Jr in the Round Britain & Ireland Race. They finished second in the 30 ft class, and first overall on Channel Handicap System. Following to this success Dick and Maarten competed in a number of long distance races, and in local races such as the Schuttevaer Race. Last year Dick won the Round Britain & Ireland Race with Jager, a 35-footer of his own design.

Currently three boats have been built. All three boats have competed in the Round Britain & Ireland Race of 2010.

PRODUCTION
The VQ32 is being build by Shipcenter Modus Marine Lelystad.