The Story · Timeline
Four decades,
one question
How much of a big ocean catamaran can be lifted out of the water, and controlled?
1983
Benz Research and Development
Organic chemist Pat Benz founds BRD in Sarasota. By 1989 a third of the world’s soft contact lenses are made from its materials. One of them is a lens he calls Extreme H2O.
2014
South Africa → California
The rescue
Gunboat goes bankrupt with a Gunboat 66 half built. Pat frees her from the yard and ships her via Rotterdam and the Panama Canal to California, where she is trucked down the 405 at 2 a.m. to a boatyard in Costa Mesa. Morrelli & Melvin rebuild her with a tall wing mast and a large C-foil.
2015
Newport to Cabo · Transpac
First multihull home
Extreme H2O is first multihull to finish both Newport to Cabo and Transpac, and wins the Rudy Choy Trophy as the fastest multihull of the race.
2020
Sarasota
A clean sheet
Over dinner at an Italian restaurant in Sarasota, Pat Benz, Pete Melvin and Ferdinand van West, one of the engineers, agree to start again, with no inherited limitations: a boat balanced for speed that keeps all the comfort of the original.
2021
All in
Pat sells Benz Research and Development. Its materials have become some 80 million intraocular lenses.
2022
August
The design is fixed
Three years of analysis and thousands of simulations later, Morrelli & Melvin issue the PB72 general arrangement, and construction begins at Persico Marine in September.
2023
Flying in simulation
Morrelli & Melvin and North Sails “sail” the design in a six-degree-of-freedom simulation, pushing the lift fraction from 50% towards 100%. With Team New Zealand engineers on flight control, Pat test-drives the boat in a VR headset before a single part is laminated.
2024
Persico Marine, Italy
Built in carbon
Persico Marine build PB72 from her own molds. In August, Pat walks through the design at the boards for the documentary cameras.
2025
17 January
Out of the shed
PB72 rolls out of the Persico shed onto a multi-axle transporter, then travels overnight by road to the port, arriving just after midnight.
2025
Porto Cervo · Gulf of Naples
Still winning
Renamed Gaetana, with the same C-foil and wing mast, the original Extreme H2O wins the multihull class at the 2024 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, then all five races of the inaugural 2025 IMA Tre Golfi Multihull Trophy.
2026
Sea trials
First flights
Sea trials begin. With the foils still trimmed by hand, PB72 reaches 27 knots in 12 to 13 knots of wind on her first day on the foils, then 38 and 39 knots in stronger breeze. She performs as predicted; calibration and the flight-control system come next.
2027
July · the opportunity
Transpac
Los Angeles to Honolulu, 2,225 nautical miles. The race PB72 was designed for, and the next chapter for the right partners.
Some dates are taken from interviews and project files and are still being confirmed.
“It’s fun to go fast, period. And this is going fast by flying.”
Private enquiries
PB72 is in sea trials. Partnerships, racing programs, experiences and charter are discussed personally with our team.
Extreme H2O · Foiling ocean catamaran · Technical specification
PB72 specifications
Morrelli & Melvin · GA PB72_001 Rev A · Persico Marine build spec
- Length overall
- 21.95 m
- 72.0 ft
- Beam
- 9.50 m
- 31.2 ft
- Racing displacement
- ≈ 21.5 t
- As built · VPP targets at 20.3 t
- Mast
- 32.33 m
- Air draft 37 m
- Upwind sail area
- 420 m²
- Main 224 + J1 196
- Fastest upwind
- J3 + main
- Full main 224 + J3 115 m²
- Fastest downwind
- MHO + main
- Full main 224 + MHO 358 m²
- Predicted top speed
- 40+ kn
- VPP
Principal dimensions
- Length overall
- 21.95 m72.0 ft
- Length incl. longeron
- 24.10 m79.1 ft
- Length waterline
- 21.45 m70.4 ft
- Beam overall
- 9.50 m31.2 ft
- Hull centreline spacing
- 7.52 m24.7 ft
- Freeboard
- 2.07 m6.8 ft
- Draft, boards down
- 5.31 m17.4 ft
- Draft, foils raised
- 0.65 m2.1 ft
- Air draft
- 37.00 m121.4 ft
Displacement & stability
- Light displacement
- ≈ 21,000 kgAs built · design 20,500 kg
- Racing displacement
- ≈ 21,500 kgAs built · as sailed in sea trials
- VPP target displacement
- 20,280 kgDesign racing weight used for the polar targets
- Design displacement (mLDC)
- 23,047 kgMaximum load condition
- Max total load (ISO 8666)
- 22,518 kg
- Steady-state sailing RM
- 830 kNmAt full-payload displacement
- Max dynamic RM
- 1,340 kNmRace mode, RMFoil deployed
Rig
- Mast tube length
- 32.33 m106.1 ft
- Mast design rake
- 4°
- P
- 31.285 mReefs: 26.604 · 21.970 · 14.190 m
- E
- 9.678 m
- I (1 · 2 · 3)
- 33.470 · 32.775 · 30.900 m
- I headstay (5 · 6)
- 28.050 · 25.720 m
- J (1 · 2 · 3)
- 12.180 · 11.730 · 10.980 m
- J headstay (5 · 6)
- 8.744 · 8.072 m
- BAD · HBI
- 1.906 · 2.019 m
Sail areas
- Mainsail, full
- 224 m²Reefs: 183 · 144 · 76.8 m²
- J0
- 219 m²
- J1
- 196 m²
- J3
- 115 m²
- J4 / staysail
- 87.3 m²
- FRO
- 304 m²
- MHO
- 358 m²
- A1
- 365 m²
- Fastest upwind setup
- J3 + full mainJ1 in marginal upwind conditions, 13–14 kn: partial foiling
- Fastest downwind setup
- MHO + full main
Foils & flight control
- Righting-moment foil
- ≈ 16 × 3 ftCurved carbon foil in a hydraulically raked case
- Daggerboards
- Centreline, per hullIndependent of the lifting foil
- Rudders
- Raking, T-foilConical titanium bearings · ≈ 6 ft T-foils
- Flight control
- Designed for fly-by-wireFoil lift and rudder-elevator control; programmed after sea trials
Construction & class
- Hull
- Carbon fibreFoam & Nomex sandwich
- Superstructure
- Carbon fibreFoam & Nomex sandwich
- Classification
- ISO 12215-7 Cat. ASER1 multihull · highest category, sport boat
- Propulsion
- 2 × 35 kW electricTorqeedo
Rig & deck hardware
- Mast
- Carbon rotating wing mastSupplied by SSNZ · single spreader, double diamond, running backstays
- Primary winches
- 4 × Harken 1125.3
- Secondary winches
- 2 × Harken 65.3 ST
- Windlass
- Lewmar V6 hydraulic
Propulsion & power
- Main engines
- 2 × Torqeedo electric25 kW continuous · 35 kW max each
- Drive
- Shaft driveStrut and P-bracket · Gori GP20 folding propellers
- Motoring speed
- 9.2 kn max7.5 kn cruise (estimated)
- Generators
- 2 × 20 kW Fischer Panda
- Propulsion battery
- 40 kWh lithium-ionBMW i3 cells
- Solar
- 2 kWPanels on the coachroof
- Electrical
- 120 V and 240 V AC400 V DC charging & hydraulic bus · 24 V domestic · Empirbus digital switching
Tankage
- Fuel
- 2 × 550 L
- Fresh water
- 2 × 450 LPlus 70 L drinking water
- Watermaker
- Schenker Modular Zen 50
- Black water
- 2 × 220 L
Comfort & systems
- Air conditioning
- 64,000 BTU/hTermodinamica
- Galley
- Gaggenau hobsPizza oven · Miele microwave · Miele coffee machine
- Refrigeration
- 3 × 172 L fridgesPlus Frigonautica freezer
- Navigation
- B&G / Simrad
- Communications
- VHF · 5G · SatcomSatellite broadband
- Steering
- Outside helms + inside helmFly-by-wire steering at the inside helm station
Performance
- Predicted top speed
- 40+ knPolar peak 40.7 kn
- Foiling onset
- 11–13 kn TWSDepending on sail set
- Upwind, 13 kn of wind
- ≈ 24 kn
- Downwind, 14 kn of wind
- ≈ 31 kn
- Crew
- 4 per watchTo sail her fast; two watches for round-the-clock ocean racing
Velocity prediction program, partially validated in sea trials.
Design & build
- Naval architecture
- Morrelli & MelvinNewport Beach, California
- Lead designer
- Ferdinand van WestThen at Morrelli & Melvin; now Van West Naval Architecture
- Interior architecture
- Design Unlimited
- Builder
- Persico MarineItaly
- Flight control
- Team New Zealand engineers
- General arrangement
- PB72_001 · Rev A6 August 2022
Figures from the Morrelli & Melvin general arrangement (PB72_001, Rev A, August 2022) and the Persico Marine build specification. Displacements are approximate as-built figures from Ferdinand van West (2026); righting moments are design estimates; performance figures are VPP predictions, calculated at the 20,280 kg design racing displacement.
Every cell is a predicted boat speed from the velocity prediction program. The circled cells are the targets PB72 has already hit in her first sea trials, with the foils still trimmed by hand. Each one came in on target.
| Wind angleTrue wind (kn) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45° | 7.6 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 9.8 | 10.4 | 11.3 | 12.6 | 13.6 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 16.0 | 17.4 | 20.5 | 23.4 | 24.0 | 23.7 |
| 50° | 8.0 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 12.8 | 14.3 | 15.1 | 16.3 | 17.6 | 19.5 | 21.6 | 27.1 | 27.5 | 27.0 | 26.5 |
| 55° | 8.4 | 9.3 | 10.2 | 11.2 | 12.2 | 14.2 | 15.7 | 17.0 | 18.8 | 20.8 | 23.4 | 27.6 | 30.1 | 30.2 | 29.5 | 28.9 |
| 60° | 8.8 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 15.3 | 17.1 | 19.3 | 21.5 | 26.1 | 28.6 | 30.2 | 32.4 | 32.3 | 31.6 | 30.9 |
| 65° | 9.1 | 10.1 | 11.2 | 12.3 | 14.3 | 16.4 | 19.1 | 21.5 | 26.1 | 29.0 | 30.8 | 32.2 | 34.3 | 34.2 | 33.4 | 32.4 |
| 70° | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.5 | 12.7 | 14.9 | 17.9 | 20.9 | 24.1 | 28.6 | 30.8 | 32.4 | 33.8 | 35.8 | 35.7 | 34.8 | 32.3 |
| 75° | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 15.4 | 19.4 | 22.6 | 27.3 | 30.2 | 32.2 | 33.7 | 35.1 | 37.1 | 37.1 | 36.2 | 34.0 |
| 80° | 9.7 | 11.0 | 12.3 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 20.6 | 25.1 | 28.7 | 31.4 | 33.2 | 34.7 | 36.1 | 38.1 | 38.2 | 37.3 | 36.2 |
| 85° | 9.8 | 11.2 | 12.6 | 14.2 | 16.2 | 21.3 | 26.9 | 29.8 | 32.2 | 34.0 | 35.5 | 36.9 | 39.0 | 39.1 | 38.3 | 37.5 |
| 90° | 9.9 | 11.3 | 12.7 | 14.4 | 16.4 | 21.5 | 27.7 | 31.5 | 33.5 | 35.1 | 36.3 | 37.5 | 39.6 | 39.8 | 39.1 | 38.7 |
| 95° | 9.9 | 11.3 | 12.8 | 14.4 | 16.5 | 21.0 | 28.7 | 31.7 | 33.9 | 35.5 | 36.8 | 37.9 | 40.0 | 40.3 | 39.8 | 39.5 |
| 100° | 9.9 | 11.3 | 12.7 | 14.2 | 16.3 | 22.3 | 28.8 | 31.7 | 34.2 | 35.8 | 37.0 | 38.1 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.3 | 40.0 |
| 105° | 9.8 | 11.1 | 12.5 | 14.0 | 15.7 | 21.0 | 28.3 | 31.4 | 34.0 | 35.8 | 37.1 | 38.2 | 40.3 | 40.7 | 40.5 | 40.3 |
| 110° | 9.7 | 10.9 | 12.2 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 17.7 | 26.8 | 31.0 | 33.3 | 35.5 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 40.2 | 40.7 | 40.6 | 40.4 |
| 115° | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.5 | 16.5 | 19.9 | 30.0 | 32.6 | 34.8 | 36.6 | 37.9 | 40.0 | 40.3 | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| 120° | 9.2 | 10.3 | 11.4 | 12.5 | 13.7 | 14.9 | 17.4 | 25.8 | 31.8 | 34.0 | 35.6 | 37.4 | 39.6 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 125° | 8.9 | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.6 | 12.4 | 13.5 | 14.7 | 16.3 | 29.7 | 32.9 | 34.9 | 36.4 | 39.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 39.1 |
| 130° | 8.5 | 9.4 | 10.0 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.3 | 15.5 | 17.1 | 18.0 | 33.4 | 35.4 | 38.1 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 135° | 8.2 | 8.7 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 12.6 | 13.7 | 14.8 | 16.2 | 17.3 | 18.4 | 20.0 | 37.0 | 38.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 140° | 7.6 | 8.2 | 9.1 | 9.9 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 12.9 | 14.0 | 15.2 | 16.4 | 17.7 | 19.1 | 22.1 | 35.4 | 30.7 | 35.0 |
Predicted speeds from the velocity prediction program. Sea-trial targets achieved with manual foil trim; the automatic flight-control system comes online after calibration.
- VPP targets calculated at
- 20,280 kg
- Design racing displacement
- Sea trials sailed at
- ≈ 21,500 kg
- As-built racing displacement
Every circled target was reached with the boat about 1.2 tonnes heavier than the weight the predictions assume.