Two Visions, One Ocean: Raven and Be Cool Set to Define the 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race

The fleet lined up off Marina Lanzarote on 11 January 2026, few pairings will capture that spirit better than Raven and Be Cool — two maxi yachts that could scarcely be more different in philosophy, yet share a single ambition: to cross the Atlantic fast, safely and competitively.

One is razor-sharp, foil-assisted and engineered for sustained high averages. The other is powerful, refined and resolutely owner-focused, blending luxury and performance in a way only a Swan can. Together, they underline exactly why this race matters — and why it remains one of offshore sailing’s most compelling proving grounds.

Raven: Sustained Speed and Modern Thinking Put to the Test

At 34 metres, Raven is very much a statement of intent. Built by Baltic Yachts and designed by Botin Partners, she sits firmly at the cutting edge of modern offshore design. Light for her length, foil-assisted and paired with approximately ten tonnes of water ballast, Raven has been conceived around one central idea: average speed wins ocean races.

Although Raven has already logged more than 18,000 nautical miles and crossed the Atlantic twice on delivery and passage making, the 2026 RORC Transatlantic will be her first true competitive ocean campaign. For project manager Klabbe Nylof, that distinction matters.

“This is the first time Raven is being asked real racing questions offshore,” he explains. “We’ve done long passages and pushed the boat hard, but racing for days on end is different. Consistency, resilience and system management suddenly matter as much as headline numbers.”

Those numbers, however, are impressive. Raven has already exceeded 30 knots and, more importantly, can sustain speeds in the 25–27 knot range for long periods. In the right conditions, that translates into 600-mile days — territory that until recently belonged to much larger platforms.

Crucially, Raven’s foils are designed to generate righting moment rather than pure lift. It is a subtle but important distinction, allowing the yacht to sail flatter and more efficiently without becoming dependent on foils for control.

“Redundancy offshore is everything,” says Nylof. “The boat remains strong and controllable even without foil assistance. That confidence is essential when you’re days from land.”

With Damien Duchon skippering, Will Oxley navigating and Brad Jackson managing the crew, Raven arrives in Lanzarote with an experienced offshore team — but with expectations carefully tempered.

“This race is about learning,” Nylof admits. “Proving reliability, understanding how the boat behaves when pushed continuously, and unlocking the next phase of what Raven can do.”

Be Cool: Refined Power and a Different Measure of Performance

If Raven represents the sharp edge of innovation, Be Cool offers an equally persuasive counterpoint. At 36 metres and displacing around 136 tonnes, the Swan 128 is a performance superyacht in the truest sense — capable of crossing oceans with authority while remaining elegant, manageable and deeply comfortable.

Designed by German Frers and built by Nautor Swan, Be Cool blends proven offshore pedigree with a modern approach to owner sailing. For Boat Captain Luca Serra, the RORC Transatlantic Race is the logical next step in the yacht’s evolution.

“This will be Be Cool’s first competitive race,” Serra explains, “but the project itself is already very experienced. We’ve sailed over 5,000 miles, including from Finland to the Mediterranean. Now it’s time to test the boat properly in a serious offshore environment.”

Serra knows the Be Cool lineage well, having previously held the same role aboard the Swan 98 of the same name. But the 128 marks a significant shift in concept.

“The layout is reversed — owner forward, crew aft,” he says. “We removed the structural backstay and fitted a self-tacking jib. The goal was to make the boat safer, easier and more enjoyable to sail, including for the owner.”

Unlike Raven, Be Cool carries no water ballast. Instead, she relies on displacement, hull form and sail plan to deliver her performance. Top speeds sit around 17–18 knots, but offshore success comes from consistency rather than spikes. A steady 12-knot average and regular 350-mile days are very much her comfort zone.

Under IRC, the contrast becomes stark. Raven owes Be Cool more than 700 seconds per hour — a reminder that these yachts are playing very different games within the same race.

Crew selection reflects that philosophy. “We want to keep the spirit of a friends’ boat,” Serra says. “There will be four or five top professionals, but cohesion matters more than star power.”

Three watches of five, clear leadership and disciplined routines form the backbone of the campaign. “Good habits win ocean races,” Serra adds. “Over 3,000 miles, aggression fades. Structure endures.”

Two Paths, One Proving Ground

What unites Raven and Be Cool is not design, speed or rating — it is the nature of the RORC Transatlantic Race itself. This is not a straight-line drag race. It demands weather judgement, sail management, discipline and the ability to keep both boat and crew functioning under pressure, day after day.

“This race strips everything back,” says Nylof. “It shows how well you manage the boat, the systems and the people. That’s the real test.”

Serra agrees. “Crossing the Atlantic in company, in a proper race, makes sense. It’s safer, more engaging and far more meaningful than doing it alone. This is where you truly learn a boat.”

In many ways, these two yachts frame the modern offshore conversation perfectly. One pushes the frontier of sustained speed through foils and cutting-edge engineering. The other demonstrates how a refined performance superyacht can race an ocean competitively without sacrificing versatility or comfort.

Different Boats. Different Philosophies. Same Ocean.

The 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race, run in association with the International Maxi Association and Yacht Club de France, already boasts more than 20 confirmed entries — many of them among the most remarkable yachts afloat.

When Raven and Be Cool line up in Lanzarote this January, they will not just be racing each other. They will be showcasing two compelling answers to the same timeless offshore question:

What does fast really mean, when the ocean decides the rules?