Alfa Romeo II

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ALFA ROMEO II is currently in preparations for the 2009 Los Angeles to Honolulu TRANSPAC, and will be competing for the line honours in the 2009 Sydney Hobart in Australia this December.
Following her launch on Tuesday 19 July 2005, Kiwi super maxi 'Alfa Romeo' set her sails for the first time, tested her canting keel and bettered 19 knots in a light breeze during a highly successful maiden voyage around Sydney Harbour on Friday 22 July 2005.
'Alfa Romeo', the second yacht built by New Zealand skipper and owner, Neville Crichton, to carry the name of the Italian car maker, was penned by leading American yacht designers, Reichel/Pugh and built in Sydney by McConaghy Boats.
Compared to the previous 'Alfa Romeo', the winner of the 2002 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race and 73 other line honours wins, the new yacht is three metres longer, more then seven and half metres taller and can carry a sail area more than a third larger than the previous 'Alfa Romeo'. As well as being equipped with a canting keel and twin rudders, 'Alfa Romeo' is hardly more than a tonne heavier than her predecessor.
During the test run 'Alfa Romeo' caused consternation on the harbour when, while stationary and with no sails in place, she rocked through more than 45 degrees from side to side as the revolutionary canting keel was tested