Pegasus 50 Globe (DIESEL)

Broker’s Comments

We are proud to work with the team at Pegasus Yachts who are building a range of full carbon, fast cruising yachts with protected cockpit, deck saloon, carbon rig and intelligent engineering. They are perfect for small crews to cruise aboard and the sailing is rewarding. Access to all the machinery is easy for maintenance and they are full of good ideas and modern technology. They also have plenty of row away appeal.

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Manufacturer’s Comments

Pegasus 50 is the best possible merge of comfort, safety, and simple and fast cruising. She is optimized for shorthanded long-distance sailing while she serves equally good for day cruising with family and friends. The Pegasus 50 is an owner-driven sailing yacht with a focus on simple sailing handling, easy and fast movement on seaway and maintenance simplicity.

Comfort & Safety:
A main feature on-board the Pegasus 50 is the connection between cockpit and saloon. We wanted to make one united space. This is achieved by lowering cockpit and raising saloon floor levels. The vertical distance between two floors is three-step heights (around 60cm). Negative consequences? Sure! As cockpit moves down, it reduces standing height for aft cabins and above the saloon area arises a coach roof with 360 windows. No traditional aft cabins but one big connected cockpit-to-saloon area, with ample of light inside and horizon visibility. Instead of traditionally dividing spaces into the interior and relatively small cockpit area, the Pegasus 50 presents a big living area (half of the yacht length), where sailors can comfort themselves during sailing and stay visually connected. The Pegasus 50 is actually split into the living area (no matter if day or night) and two cabins area forward of the saloon. Reduced cockpit-to-saloon height smoothens communication with only two steps (five to seven in traditional yachts).

One might argue about having a low cockpit and safety at the following sea. With reason! However, we have developed additional washboards to be slid into place while at sea and even exceed the regulation height, thus more safety. The Pegasus 50 is with margin compliant to CE design category A – Ocean going vessel, with wind force exceeding 40 knots and significant wave height of 4m. Especially important for the safety of the Pegasus 50 is her ballast ratio and vanishing stability, which is significantly higher than comparable competitors.

Interior layouts consider conditions at sea and provide support for safe movements and comfortable seating and resting. Dedicated storage space in the galley for needed cutlery and throughout the yacht for food and other necessary equipment is carefully planned with inputs from ocean goers.

Experience from oceans supported with scientific investigations of seasickness and fatigue at sea show that best location to minimize yacht movement effects is at 1/3 yacht length from aft and as close to the vertical center of gravity. For this reason, the saloon settee is placed exactly at this location and bunks in cabins are on each side of the keel. Horizon visibility and natural ventilation are other important elements contributing to reducing seasickness and improving comfort. On long hauled legs it is proven with ocean racing yachts that sitting on levelled surfaces reduces fatigue and significantly improve comfort. For this reason, we have developed a lightweight, carbon gimballed saloon settee, which rotates along a longitudinal axis and compensates yacht heel. By installing this on a similar concept yacht, we recognized an extremely positive response from crew who were not sailing – where they could read and rest, prepare food while remaining levelled, and still with visual contact to cockpit and exterior.

Sailing around the world in the equatorial belt and Mediterranean requires good sun UV protection. Some areas require protection from rain and spray. For this reason, yachters are using all kind of dodgers, bimini covers and removable tents. So, why not integrate all these add-ons into an elegant streamlined rigid cockpit roof? A lightweight carbon roof connected to the mainsheet arch with a possibility to place solar panels on. A protective glass windshield and cockpit rooftop that opens like a soft cabriolet car roof when desired, but all remains in place and no additional storage needed. And, it’s really chic.

Shorthanded Sailing and Speed:
Reducing stress factors and improving control onboard is one of the main elements of the wellbeing of the owner and his crew. There are no big steps possible nowadays – instead smaller details that would support sailing operations and make sailing in various conditions controllable. The Pegasus 50 has a modern, well-balanced and full ends hull, which would support reaching performance but would be safe and comfortable in heavy wind upwind conditions if needed due to her high ballast ratio. The mast is moved maximum aft as practical. This gives more sail area to easy furl-able headsails. The boom is shortened for a purpose: to have as smaller a load on the mainsheet arch as possible, for construction and weight reasons and to avoid the boom hitting waves while sailing wide open for sailing downwind. This can be dangerous for breaking the boom or boom gooseneck. It is planned to have a furling boom, but equally good would be a solid, oversized lazy bag. The mast has an extended mast crane to add mainsail area for light wind performance. Sail area is moderate, in connection to stability, optimized for 10-20 knots of wind. From 15 knots on a self-tacking J2 and the first reef would be a comfortable upwind configuration. Outer sheeting points for J1 will be used while reaching. At TWS 20 knots/100 TWA, with full main and J1, autopilot ON, she will be touching 12.5 knots yacht speed; her owner reading books and having cold drinks from the cockpit table fridge. Sitting in shadow with the wind in their hair, of course. Downwind sails, Code 0 and asymmetric gennaker will be furling, using modern endless furling systems with torque rope.

From previous projects, we had an extremely positive experience and feedback on the twin rudder’s configuration. Full control in all conditions, practically unable to broach. With the Pegasus 50 we wanted to improve directional stability to reduce autopilot activity underway. For this task and general VPP, we engaged long-time friend Giorgio Provinciali from the America’s Cup, currently optimizing flying (foiling) monohulls for the next America’s Cup edition. Ideal keel shape for speed compromises yachts’ longitudinal stability and lateral resistance in ports. The brief was to increase keel lateral area for zero speed resistance and increase directional stability while under speed but sacrificing as less speed as possible. In one email he came with a picture of an old New Zealand America’s Cup yacht with twin keel fins. After initial technical discussions, Giorgio checked route stability by computing the derivatives of yaw moment vs leeway (how much the keel unbalances the yacht when leeway changes) and it proved positive comparing to longer single fin keel. In the end, tandem keel brought other positive effects on design; better overall performance (smaller rudders), safer yacht to sail and lighter fin and hull construction. We have applied other elements on hull design like flat areas around rudder to prevent ventilation while at higher angles of attack.

Main elements for sailing yachts speed are total displacement, stability and its engine – sails. As we did not want to compromise comfort, safety and simplicity, by increasing sail area or reducing diesel and water capacity or equipment necessary for freedom at sea, we had to optimize construction to reduce weight. Using the latest production technologies and carbon materials combined with refined engineering methods resulted in light but sound and safe yacht construction. To achieve this, we paired with winning ocean racing designers and engineers.

The “Less is More” Principle:
Designing the Pegasus 50 systems, maintenance and accessibility were in focus all the time as this gives additional value to the yacht. Not having aft cabins provided a unique opportunity to create a side-to-side technical room under the cockpit with engine and generator room in between. Portside water-related equipment and starboard side electrics and electronics. All equipment installed is visually and physically accessible for checks and replacements. The engine room, with access from technical rooms and from cockpit floor hatch, is double as usually insulated from the interior to reduce air born noise. All systems were carefully designed and re-thought in order to improve functionality but reduce the number of elements. Less is more: fewer parts, less potential mistakes, more freedom wherever you are. Beside systems designs, special attention was put to the selection of best materials existing on the market.