First transatlantic crossing of the LEEN 72
by Leen Trimarans 10 Feb 2023 05:51 NZDT
LEEN 72 © Pierre Colin
Ellee, the LEEN 72 #1 has just crossed the Atlantic, her owner gives us his testimony:
"Our crossing took place in January 2023, from Portimao in Portugal, where we prepared the boat, to Bermuda, before reaching soon the East Coast of the United States.
January is not the best time to sail in these latitudes. So we had to extend our route to get around some of the low pressure systems that circulate in these latitudes during this period.
We were two people on board.
We made a stopover in Ponta Delgada in the Azores.
The weather conditions were mixed with nice seas followed by rough seas. The yacht always reacted well in the different conditions encountered. Two days from Bermuda, we could not avoid a low pressure system coming from the South-West, the boat behaved very well during the passage of this front, which gave us winds of up to 65 knots with 4.5 m high waves, during about two hours.
After passing this front we sailed in rough seas to Bermuda. Here again "Ellee" showed a surprising ability to get through these rough seas without too much effort.
This January weather lengthened our route and reduced our average speeds. I was careful with our speeds even in good seas, since this crossing without sail was a first for me.
We unfortunately lost our fuel gauge data for two days and the computer data that goes with it. I wanted to stay under 10 liters per hour.
We stayed between 1100 and 1200 rpm. The whole propulsion at this rpm gave linear speeds and consumption in the different sea conditions we encountered. After the crossing, the engine oil was clean showing that the engine had never been forced.
The onboard computer gave us an average speed of 7.2 knots. Before the passage of the bad front our average speed was 7.6 knots. This bad weather and the rough seas that followed really dropped our average speed. The surface route adds 250 nm compared to the GPS or direct route. We lost 1.5 days between the contour of the lows and this bad weather.
Ellee is comfortable even in bad weather.
After analysis of the log book:
Between Portimao and Ponta Delgada, in agreement with the surface data, we crossed in five days, with an average of 8kn and a consumption of 15ltrs/hr, 1.9ltrs/nm.
Between Ponta Delgada and St George we crossed in 13 days with an average of 7.6kn and a consumption of 10.2 ltrs/hr, 1.4 ltrs/nm.
She is very comfortable even in bad weather. The crew always felt safe, even in the storm. The stability of the boat is very important, on its three hulls without stabilizer the trimaran keeps a good trim, the bow does not dive too much, the stern is very stable, the dinghy in the garage did not move.
There were jerry cans in front of the dinghy which, without being secured, did not move.
The furniture held well. One or two sliding drawers in the kitchen had to be adjusted - the screws that hold the drawer slides in this material require more suitable dowels or screws.
The cooktops and oven are fine. I adapted cup suctions with rigid metal rods to lock the pans and cook through the swell. It works very well and has the advantage of not being permanent.
The extractor above the cooking plates is very good but needs a better blocking.
We never started the generator. The alternator and solar panels are enough to charge the batteries. I like the battery/inverter scheme which I was not familiar with, but I am won over.
All the electronic options helped with comfort. We liked Oscar, satellite com, Hifi, WIFI, dockmate....
The wheelhouse area is really a nice living space on an ocean crossing.
Ellee is an undeniably solid and seaworthy boat. The choices made for her fittings and equipment make her an easy to live on vessel with the garage and its large tender, her three beautiful cabins, her very convivial wheelhouse area, the Cockloon®, and the Fly bridge are exceptional.
The boat lived up to our expectations. Its comfort, safety, reliability, fuel consumption and speed, have never disappointed us.
LEEN 72 Specifications:
- Overall length: 72 ft
- Overall beam 29 ft
- Draft: 4.49 ft
- Displacement unloaded: 34 metric Ton (approx.)
- Full load displacement: 41.5 metric Ton (approx.)
- Fuel tank: 1,320 US G.
- Water tank: 264 US G.
- Engine power: 330 HP Cummins QSL 9
- Naval architect: Bernard Nivelt
- Architect and interior design: Pierre Frutschi