magnum 18

Frequently Asked Questions about the Magnum 18

Where is the Magnum 18 manufactured?

All VirusBoats boats are manufactured in Brittany in France. The designer and founder of the VirusBoats company, Noël Louvet, started this company in 1992 to make rowing boats, having already established his reputation for innovation in the design & manufacture of windsurfboards and then catamarans. Ahoy-Boats is the sole importer to the UK and we also sell VirusBoats around the world.

Can the Magnum 18 be sailed on one hull?

No. The volume of the leeward float, 200 litres, displaces the same weight of water as the whole boat when fully immersed, 200kg. This means that it will sink before the main hull will lift off the water. This gives the skipper the clue that either he or his crew need to sit further to windward or the sheets should be released or the sail reduced if it is happening a bit often. Thus it acts a bit like a safety valve or fuse. If the amas were made big enough to support the whole weight of the boat then the akas (cross beams) and their fixings would have to be made stronger and this would add weight to the boat.

Why does the Magnum 18 have a retractable centreboard?

The centreboard is to stop the boat moving sideways in the water when there is an element of the wind pushing from the side. This sideways drift is called leeway and by preventing leeway the boat is forced to go forwards. A board in the centre of the boat is the most effective way of preventing leeway in a boat of this size. It also becomes a central fulcrum around which the boat can pivot when being turned making it very nimble. It is retractable for two reasons. There is no leeway when running precisely down wind and so a board is not necessary and it can be retracted in order to reduce drag by using the simple controls (an up-haul and a down-haul) in the middle of the boat. When launching or retrieving the boat from the water or sailing up onto a beach or motoring or sailing in shallow water the board should be retracted manually. There are four alternatives to a centreboard. Daggerboard Keel Skeg Bruce Foil