Raven Rewrites the Atlantic with Record-Breaking RORC Transatlantic Victory

Raven Unleashed: Speed, Stability and a New RORC Transatlantic Race Record

Crossing the finish line off English Harbour at close to 30 knots of boat speed, Raven completed the Atlantic crossing in six days and 22 hours, a performance that signals a decisive shift in what modern offshore monohulls are capable of. Light for her length, foil-assisted and engineered to sustain extreme average speeds over multiple days, Raven represents not just a fast yacht — but a new design philosophy coming of age.

Skippered by Damien Durchon, Raven arrived in Antigua controlled, composed and intact — a key detail in a race where outright pace must coexist with durability.

A welcome that marked a new chapter

Raven was officially welcomed into Falmouth Harbour by The Hon. Charles “Max” Fernandez, Antigua’s Minister of Tourism & Economic Development, who congratulated the crew and presented the IMA Transatlantic Trophy to the first maxi yacht to finish.

Fernandez also highlighted the significance of Antigua as the new finishing destination for the RORC Transatlantic Race — a move already proving its appeal to elite offshore programmes and international crews.

A new benchmark for monohull performance

For navigator Will Oxley, the achievement carries particular weight. Oxley previously navigated Comanche to the monohull record in the 2022 edition of the race — making him uniquely placed to judge Raven’s performance in context.

“It’s fascinating to compare Raven and Comanche,” Oxley explained. “Comanche remains the global benchmark for pure VMG downwind sailing. But Raven has clear advantages at certain angles — and in this race, which is largely a classic downwind Atlantic crossing, when we’re sailing our angles, we’re faster.”

“Where Comanche still has the edge is pure VMG, and that’s something we continue to work on. But what Raven has shown here sets a very serious benchmark.”

Crucially, the record was achieved without drama — a metric the team values highly.

“Before the start, I said I’d judge this race on three things,” Oxley added. “Boat condition, crew condition, and whether the time stood up against Atlantic benchmarks. We arrived with the boat and crew in great shape — and the time speaks for itself.”

Speed with stability, not spectacle

Unlike fully flying foilers, Raven generates immense righting moment through her side foils while remaining largely in the water — blending foiling performance with offshore control.

For skipper Damien Durchon, that balance is fundamental.

“This boat is incredibly stable,” he said. “The better it performs, the safer it becomes. We generate huge righting moment from the foils, supported by ten tonnes of water ballast and a strong hull form.”

“If a foil stalls, the boat simply behaves like a conventional yacht. In many respects, Raven is safer than many offshore boats.”

At speed, the experience is visceral.

“At 25 knots, it already feels fast,” Durchon continued. “At 30 knots and above, you’re moving faster than the waves themselves. You’re working through the sea rather than reacting to it. It’s demanding — but the boat remains remarkably manageable.”

Built to go fast for days

Sailing Master Brad Jackson was quick to emphasise that Raven’s success wasn’t about headline peak speeds, but about sustained performance.

“If you finish a race like this in under seven days, a lot has gone right,” Jackson said. “The weather was excellent, but the boat is genuinely fast through the water. This wasn’t about living on the edge — it was about letting the boat do what it’s designed to do.”

Jackson also highlighted the importance of crew cohesion on such a technically advanced platform.

“This is a complicated boat, but the crew dynamic is very strong. Everyone knows their role. We’ve spent a lot of time learning this boat together, and this was the first time we really stepped up the intensity and treated it as a full race.”

Oxley echoed the sentiment: “People want to sail this boat because of the platform — but also because of the team. There’s no friction, the humour stays, and offshore that makes an enormous difference.”

Engineering the future of offshore monohulls

For Project Manager Claes Nyloef, Raven is not an outlier — but a signpost.

“This is a way forward,” Nyloef said. “You get foiling performance without fully flying, which is critical for ocean racing. It’s efficient, reliable, and you can sail it like a normal boat — while accessing a completely new performance level.”

Acceleration, he believes, is Raven’s defining trait.

“When she starts accelerating, it doesn’t stop. That sensation used to belong only to multihulls. Now you’re feeling it on a monohull of this size — and it’s extraordinary.”

Finishing at full flight

The race ended exactly as it had been sailed — with precision and confidence.

“It was a very dark night coming into Antigua,” Oxley recalled. “No moon, shifting breeze, changing pressure. We wanted to call the layline right.”

“With a bit of practice and a bit of luck, we nailed it — crossing the line doing over 30 knots. That was a pretty special way to end the race.”

“We said before the start that we’d do this in seven days,” he added. “We did it in six days and 22 hours. That tells us we understand this boat now. There’s still room to improve, but this race proved the concept.”

A statement victory

Raven’s performance secured Monohull Line Honours, the IMA Transatlantic Trophy, and set the benchmark IRC corrected time to beat. While challengers such as Palanad 4 remain well positioned under IRC, few boats can match Raven’s blend of speed, stability and consistency.

“This was the first transatlantic race for both the boat and the owner,” Durchon reflected. “To set a record on your first attempt is something very special.”

As Raven came to rest in Antigua, one conclusion was unavoidable. This was not just a race win.

It was a statement of intent from a new generation of offshore monohull.