A Fleet of versatile new Storm 18s will be Southern’s ‘boat of the future’
Storm Marine Group (SMG) today announced a new partnership with Southern Yacht Club (SYC), which will soon result with a fleet of seven new Storm 18s sailing off the waters of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the near future.
“The Flying Scot served SYC well for decades but it was time to move on,” says Chris Wilke, chairman of SYC’s Harbor and Navigation Committee. “We’ve been looking for several years for a suitable replacement, and when the Storm 18 was launched earlier this year, it was the only boat we’ve been able to find that meets all of our unique needs.”
The Storm 18, which will be exhibited at the nationally influential Newport Boat Show starting tomorrow (September 11-14 in Newport, Rhode Island), was built specifically with the needs of organizations like SYC in mind because no one else in the industry is really doing it at present.
Institutional boats – or “club boats” – are typically acquired as fleets by larger organizations such as yacht clubs, schools or public sailing centers for use by their members, students and the public. Most institutional boats are built to accommodate 2-5 sailors. Many of the most historically popular classes are either no longer built at all, hard to replace and find parts for, or manufactured overseas at too high an expense for most US-based sailing organizations.
“We spent several months starting last fall field testing our prototype all over the country,” says Crane, the former Chairman of LaserPerformance Group. “Our development and design team engaged in a longer and more exhaustive process to support the goal of building the best and most versatile club boat ever produced.”
Organizations and clubs like SYC need a community use boat that is durable enough to limit constant maintenance costs, easy to store low to the ground on trailers, easy to rig and unrig,
user-friendly and versatile enough to support junior sailing, learn-to-sail programs for women and men and still be a fun boat that can be used for intermediate to advance team and match racing, and fleet racing.
“SYC is in a hurricane zone and we must evacuate our waterfront for storms,” explains Wilke. “Fixed keel boats on trailers have been known to fall over like dominoes in hurricane force winds which limits our options. The Storm 18 was built with this in mind and sits very low on trailers and features symmetrical and asymmetrical rigging capable of sailing comfortably with three adults, an aluminum deck stepped mast, robust construction that can withstand use by many different members, and a stable teaching platform good for juniors and every other age group.”
Crane and partner Karl Ziegler enlisted a group of influential marine industry experts and professionals to form the Storm Marine Group (www.stormmarinegroup.com) last year with the specific goal of taking institutional boat building to the next level, and the Storm 18 is their first major product. They both spent years sailing the Ideal 18 (https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ideal-18/) as their club boat, one of the most popular small watercraft ever built, and wanted to create a new design that built on the overall success of the Ideal while addressing all the flaws they knew too well.
The company informally introduced the first prototype at the Newport Boat Show (https://newportboatshow.com/#) last summer, and started a tour down the Atlantic Coast, through Louisiana and Texas before finishing their “test tour” at US Sailing’s Sailing Leadership Forum (https://sailingleadership.org) in Coronado, California, in February.
“When the Storm crew came through Louisiana, we tested the boat and found it capable of meeting our needs,” says SYC Commodore Timothy Molony, MD. “Yacht design and construction technology have advanced significantly since boats like the Flying Scot and the Ideal 18 were conceived, and the Storm team have a state-of-the-art solution that is perfect for us. We look forward to partnering with Storm to build a strong regional presence for the 18 with the Gulf Yachting Association.”
During the national tour, dozens of sailors from many different backgrounds have sailed the 18 and gave extensive feedback on all aspects of the experience and Crane and his team have made extensive adjustments and changes based on that feedback: raising the boom six inches, adjusting the size of the mainsail, redesigning spinnaker bags and sail covers, and moved essential controls away from the center console to reduce the “spaghetti factory” of extensive lines and instruments that can be perplexing especially for new sailors.
Ziegler emphasized that increased demand with the space for a more versatile, affordable and adaptable watercraft in this general size category drove every decision. “We want this boat to appeal to women and persons with disabilities in terms of being able to move easily around the boat,” he says.
Crane and Ziegler both see the Storm 18 as an evolution of the Ideal 18 that is modern, ergonomic, durable, and easy to maintain that helps clubs and sailing centers meet the growing post-COVID demand from people who want to join organizations that provide a fleet of boats rather than starting off by buying their own. The MSRP price of each boat will be $53,000.
The design and build group included noted builder David Clark from Fulcrum Speedworks, legendary sailor and sailmaker Robbie Doyle, as well as naval architects Bob Ames and Casey Brown, a team Crane describes as an “marine industry all-star team” all committed to helping create a next level on water experience.
“We’ve all been the beneficiaries of institutional sailing all of our lives,” says Ziegler, a champion sailor, sailing coach and longtime friend and sailing partner of Crane’s. “All of us see this as a mission and a passion and have a genuine desire to give back to the sport we love and help literally build its future.”
For more information go to www.stormmarinegroup.com or visit them at the Newport Boat Show this week at Dock N-10 (N1 Basin below Bluenose).
About Storm Marine Group
Founded in 2023, Storm Marine Group (SMG) was formed to meet the demand for high-quality institutional products that fulfil the requirements of Yacht Clubs, Sailing Centers, Universities, and individuals. The company brings an experienced team of professionals that are dedicated to ensuring that products are safe, stable, durable and low maintenance. Most importantly, Storm is committed to delivering exceptional sailing experience.
About Southern Yacht Club
The Southern Yacht Club (SYC) of New Orleans is the second oldest yacht club in the United States, founded in 1849, and has a long history of sailing and community. Despite several clubhouses being destroyed by fires and Hurricane Katrina, the club has rebuilt and remains a prominent sailing institution on Lake Pontchartrain. SYC is known for its beautiful facilities, scenic views of the lake, and its contributions to yacht racing, including multiple Olympic medals won by its sailors. https://www.southernyachtclub.org
