The Longtze is a Chinese design of
racing yacht, of
carbon composite
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
construction. Longtze yachts compete as a distinct class in
regatta
Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wa ...
s in various parts of the world.
Development
From February to December 2006, a group of
China Team
China Team is a yacht racing team formed in 2005. China Team first appeared in competition in the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007, the challenger series held prior to the America's Cup. They had an alliance with French team, Le Défi, increasing their ac ...
members led by Pierre Mas, team skipper, was testing a number of existing sport boats, sail regattas and match racing. The aim was to get a fleet of boats for its operations, part of them being to attract, train and recruit new sailors from China.
At that stage the idea came to produce a modern sport boat in China. China Team was just finishing the construction of Longtze, the first Chinese America's Cup and the first carbon composite boat ever built in China. When Luc Gellusseau came back from a sail test in Germany of the new T680, designed by Steve Thompson, he decided it was the right boat for their purposes.
The boat was redesigned and after initial prototypes were built, the China Team tested the boat in a series of regattas, including the 2007
Louis Vuitton Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup is the name of the Challenger (America's Cup), Challenger Selection Series sailing competition from 1983, named after its Sponsor (commercial), sponsor, Louis Vuitton. The winner of the competition became the Challenger (A ...
. Production of a model branded "Longtze Premier" was started in February 2008
["You Won't Go Unnoticed" (flyer)]
Longtze Yachts, 2008. at Zou Intermarine in the Northern coastal city of
Qingdao
Qingdao, Mandarin: , (Qingdao Mandarin: t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˩ tɒ˥) is a prefecture-level city in the eastern Shandong Province of China. Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, Qingdao was long an important fortress. In 1897, the city was ceded to G ...
, China which hosted the 2008
Olympic sailing venue.
Longtze yachts have competed in the ''Grand-Prix de l’
École Navale
École or Ecole may refer to:
* an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée)
* École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France
* Éco ...
'' regatta since 2008, and took part in
Cowes Week
Cowes Week ( ) is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily sailing races, around 500 boats, and 2500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world-class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing ...
in 2010
[Cowes Week kicks off this Saturday]
Charter World, 29 July 2010. and in the
Alps Cup on
Lake Garda
Lake Garda (, , or , ; ; ) is the largest lake in Italy. It is a popular holiday location in northern Italy, between Brescia and Milan to the west, and Verona and Venice to the east. The lake cuts into the edge of the Eastern Alps, Italian Alp ...
in September 2017.
"''Die Longtze Klasse am Gardasee beim Fraglia Vela Riva - Alps Cup Act 5''"
Swiss Longtze Class, 18 September 2017.
References
{{reflist
External links
Swiss Longtze Class
"LONGTZE"
Zou Inter Marine Co., Ltd.
Regattas
Swiss Longtze Class Alps Trophy
China Cup
Singapore Straits Regatta
Boat builders