ichiban yacht

Number One – The story of Ichi Ban

Published with permission by Seahorse Magazine.  For more information, please visit  seahorsemagazine.com

Ichi Ban has a partial Doyle Sails inventory, with ongoing development in the Cableless and Structured Luff sails. 

If you race offshore in Australia there is one boat that you will (always) have to get past to have any chance of winning. Rob Kothe talks to Ichi Ban skipper Matt Allen and his long-time performance analyst and race navigator Will Oxley.

The 628-mile Sydney Hobart Race is for many defined by a famous mark rounding just 42nm from the Hobart finish line. After the ocean passage down the New South Wales coast, Bass Strait and Tasmanian coast, Tasman Island is the sentinel to another wind world. Storm Bay can be full of wind shadows, and the Derwent River winds routinely die at night. Most Sydney Hobart sailors have sad stories to tell about their podium placing at Tasman Island being snatched randomly away from them. In the past four years, Ichi Ban has been the name of the leading boat on IRC handicap at Tasman Island, and she has managed to convert two of those into overall race wins.

Ichi Ban’s owner, Matt Allen, now a veteran of 30 Hobart races, is a member of the Australian Olympic Committee, outgoing president of Australian Sailing and former CYCA Commodore. Owner of a string of racing yachts called Ichi Ban (it means number one in Japanese), Allen started the series with a gold-coloured Farr 52 in 2002 and launched into the TP52 class in 2015 when he purchased Niklas Zennström’s Rán, a Judel-Vrolijk design built-in 2011 by Green Marine. In 2016 she was leading the race on handicap at Tasman Light. But she too died in Storm Bay.

Allen stepped up, commissioning a new offshore-tailored TP52. Designed by Botin, built by Ximo Lopez’s Longitud Cero, the highly regarded TP52 builder in Castellón, Spain, Allen’s ‘Hobart special’ arrived in Sydney in September of that year. The plan worked. Immediately fast out of the box, the new Ichi Ban led the 2017 Hobart fleet at Tasman Island… but this time holding on to win overall when the breeze held up to the end.

In 2018 Allen skippered Ichi Ban to wins in the Australian Yachting Championships, Brisbane to Gladstone, Flinders Islet, Newcastle Bass Island and Bird Island races, and the CYCA’s Blue Water Point score. Ichi Ban was also named RORC Yacht of the Year, the first Australia yacht to win the award. A meticulous campaigner, through 2018 Allen and his crew had made well over 250 separate modifications to their yacht to improve her speed and her offshore reliability.

Come Hobart time Ichi Ban was the overall handicap leader at Tasman again, and she held that lead until the very mouth of the Derwent River. But the Reichel/Pugh 66 Alive, the 2018 overall winner, sailed the final 11 miles from the Iron Pot to the Derwent River finish line in an hour. In the fast dying breeze the same distance took Ichi Ban six hours, dropping her to fifth overall.

In 2019 Ichi Ban’s wins included Division 1 of the Australian Yachting Championships, Adelaide Port Lincoln Race (also taking line honours), the Brisbane Hamilton Island, Flinders Islet and Newcastle Bass Island races. Those performances were enough to tip the balance to being awarded 2019 World Sailing Boat of the Year.

Thence to Hobart 2019, leading again at Tasman Island. But this time a new breeze was in by the time Ichi Ban – and nine other boats in her division – arrived in the river and she took the overall win for the second time in three races. And Allen and his latest Hobart winner are not done yet. ‘We are assuming there will be a 2020 Sydney to Hobart Race starting on Boxing Day, frankly it will be scary if that is not the case…’ he explains rather grimly.

‘There’s plenty of life left in this boat for our purposes. We built her to sail in the ocean, not for flat-water short-course racing. So down below it’s a much stronger boat than the Med TP52s. But crucially it’s much drier too. You simply wouldn’t get too far in the Bass Strait in a TP52 designed for European conditions, the crew just wouldn’t be able to handle the amount of water coming in. ‘The top three or four TP52s down here are now all very close to each other in performance if you are trying to hold a lane off a tight start line. Maybe the latest hull forms are a little better then, but when it gets to the ocean that advantage is just not there. The hull form of Quest, the Hobart winner in 2008, and the 2015 TP52 Balance is better when it is rough they become very competitive.

‘Sailing these boats as close as you can to 100 per cent is hard in the ocean, so being able to always replicate the best sails and angles for windspeeds and sea state just helps. But if you can do that and you have the boat in the right position, and you have a crew like ours who have been sailing together for ever, like Gordon Maguire, Ant Merrington, myself and Will Oxley and in recent times Rob Greenhalgh, in that case you are hard to beat. ‘For the ocean races we’ve previously been looking at the 1% gains, but we also need to look at the 0.1% improvements.

There is a constant evolution of the 52s, from the Super Series but also from the offshore ocean racing we are doing and there is a long way to go. Especially when you get to the reaching gear, where everyone is experimenting now with sails that have quite narrow optimum wind angles and strength bands.

‘Actually, progress there is slow. There are not often the reaching conditions to test, and you can’t carry too many of these sails. Plus, the Super Series does not help because the races are all upwind-downwind. There is still a lot of development to go with these 52s for other courses.

‘Meanwhile, the reason these boats go so well against the fleet is that there is this constant evolutionary development that does not exist with the one-off IRC boats. ‘Our boat does not have a major weakness, but the others are closing in. There are 14 TP52s here now, all with very similar ratings. With trough lines, when you are slowed right down or parked, then boats seven or eight miles behind you that you had easily on time are suddenly right beside you and you must wriggle away again to get back the 15 or 30 minutes you need.

‘In the last Hobart Envy Scooters (my 2016 Ichi Ban) and Quest both closed on us like that. At Tasman Island Gweilo, with the same rating as us, who had been as much as 10 miles back, closed to within two miles, but we wriggled away for a win. And now… well, we started our 2020 Hobart preparation just a few days into January but the runway has got a lot shorter so the pressure will be on.’ One of the key weapons in the Ichi Ban arsenal is Will Oxley, a skipper/navigator and marine biologist who has completed more than 260,000nm of ocean racing including five round-the-world races and 19 Sydney Hobarts, seven of them with Allen including the last five on the trot. Oxley skippered Compaq in the BT Global Challenge 2000/01, for the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race he was the navigator aboard Camper (Emirates Team New Zealand). He was the navigator for Team Alvimedica in the 2014-15 Volvo Race, the same time he published an e-book entitled Modern Race Navigation: Expedition Software in Action (updated in 2017). In 2019 Oxley was navigator aboard the Volvo 70 Wizard when she won the Fastnet Race and back on Ichi Ban in the Hobart for yet another win.

In lockdown he is embarking on a new book, The Role of the Navigator. Oxley provided this insight into a part of Ichi Ban’s winning formula. ‘We started on our preparation for the 2020 race just a few days after our 2019 win.

In terms of sail selection and planning, for us in a typical year that is a continuous year-round process. Now this year we will be doing much more historic data analysis and much less sailing. ‘On Ichi Ban we use Expedition which is logging data every second. We break that data into 30-second or one-minute blocks. We discard data that is bad, and then we steadily build up the database. We look at the sails we had up, and we focus on areas where we think there is a crossover between sails, and we decide which sail performs best at which angle. So then we end up with a sail chart. ‘As we have more sails than we can take we focus on the overlaps and which sail can cover another. Then we keep drilling down to make a final decision on just which sails we will take for a race based on the specific forecasts. We spend the whole year doing that – with the new generations of sails the crossovers are getting more extensive. But every sail still has a sweet spot, so to make good decisions you have to focus quite narrowly on just how much time you are likely to use a particular sail in that sweet spot.

‘A polar, being technical, is a set of nice curves, but of course now they are not curving, they are very spiky – much more spiky than before, in fact. And every one of these calls relies on the quality of the data we have.

‘On Ichi Ban we use three different software packages which are now well integrated: FaRo, the instrument package, which decodes all the instrument data, managing maths relations and outputting numbers on the displays; Expedition, the English-speaking world’s default navigation software; and KND, the sailing performance analysis tool. ‘Anything we can put a sensor on we do. Plus there are manual things that are going on, that I input into the KND onboard assistant, such as a change of sails, or the new ones just hoisted. Before the race I also input things like the number of mast shims, where the base of the rig is.

On Ichi Ban we can change the mast rake quickly, for which we take a rating penalty and because of that it’s even more important we understand what is working best there. ‘Then there are multiple pressure sensors wherever there is a hydraulic function, on top of which we use a lot of string potentiometers.’ (These ‘string pots’ are variable resistors with a spring-loaded string, the resistance of the device depending on how much the string is displaced. String potentiometers were originally developed as a simple way to measure large displacements such as the movement of aircraft ailerons, rudders and flaps.) Oxley again: ‘The standard 5-volt string pots can be calibrated with our instrument software like WTP or FaRo.

On Ichi Ban the position of the forestay and therefore the rake is determined with the string pot, which is recalibrated before each race, as is the pot on the running backstay deflector. We also trialled string pots as rudder sensors, but we now use a solid-state sensor because in that instance the string pots seemed to require constant recalibration. ‘Positional data and wind velocities are critical. Along with most of the top TP52s we now use a Quadrans fibre-optic gyrocompass – expensive, but the difference in the quality of the information is extraordinary. These units are now recording at 100 hertz, 100 times a second, recording trim and heel. That is a big step forward. ‘In a program like FaRo, when the boat pitches forward and the top of the rig has gone that much more because of the moment, the Quadrans is now doing the windspeed correction so you end up with an incredibly stable wind speed and direction – even in very unstable sea conditions. ‘If you use a standard compass, which might cost a fifteenth of the cost of the Quadrans, there are inherent errors, for instance when the boat heels there is an immediate error of 1-2° on every point, whereas the gyrocompass is completely unaffected by these things. ‘To analyse our actual sailing performance we use KND.

The KND team have proven experience in the America’s Cup, Volvo Race, Vendée Globe, Sydney Hobarts and Fastnets. Their expertise in combining CFD, VPP and data analysis is exceptional and the working relationship we have there is very good. ‘From the data I do a lot of analysis and KND can do more. They develop tables that say things like the boat is performing best with 23° of heel, with zero trim. Or the performance is terrible when you were too bow up without enough heel in the boat. Or the boat performed better when the rig was further aft… Invaluable stuff. ‘Over the year these polars are further refined. And then of course bigger things might change… For example, will we carry a whisker pole to Hobart this year with the new IRC penalty? That will depend on the test certificates which we are currently working through. ‘For the race you must declare an IRC certificate around 18 December, well before you have a good forecast. If the pole-penalty is 5-6 points, as suspected, in a race that is more windward-leeward than anything else – it’s probably not going to be worth carrying… ‘But then there are the knock-on considerations.

We are looking at just how to deal with that in our sail programme for the race, because it’s quite a gap if you don’t use the whisker pole. Now you won’t be able to have a jib set wide? ‘This year, with a truncated sailing programme and lots of pressure, this sort of high-quality analysis will be essential if we are to win the Sydney to Tasman Island race again. And then have our hat in the ring for Hobart…’

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Local yachts under pressure as overseas boats vie for Sydney to Hobart honours

With three-time winner Ichi Ban not competing and a favourable weather forecast, a crowd of challengers is likely for what is shaping up to be a fast race

Australia’s recent domination of Sydney to Hobart overall honours is under threat from a high-quality contingent of overseas boats in this year’s race.

With handicap colossus Ichi Ban not racing this year, Australia’s recent ironclad grip on overall Sydney to Hobart honours could be loosened, with a number of high-quality overseas boats competing.

Local yachts have taken out overall honours in each of the last four races, and 12 of the last 13.

With owner Matt Allen choosing not to race Ichi Ban after its record-equalling third win last year, there will be plenty of capable hopefuls challenging for the Tattersall Cup, the trophy awarded to the overall winner.

Pre-race weather forecasts suggest it is unlikely to be a small-boat race, with yachts in the 60-to-70-foot range and the always competitive TP52 contingent most likely to feature.

“These conditions look like it’s going be a pretty fast race,” Matt Donald, co-owner of TP52 Gweilo, which finished second overall in 2019, said.

“If we can get down [to Hobart] early on the 28th then we’ve got some chance of maybe winning on handicap.”

One of the most-fancied local boats is Tasmanian 66-footer Alive, which took overall honours in 2018.

“I’m confident we’ll have a good race but I’m not confident we’d win,” Alive skipper Duncan Hine told AAP.

Donald and Hine are both wary of the eight overseas entrants.

“We have [New Zealand’s] Caro, which is probably one of the best boats out there at the moment in the 52 world. You’ve got Warrior Won [from America],” Donald said.

“[From Australia] Quest, that does very well every year, Celestial, Zen, so the fleet is deep around that [mid-sized] theme.

“Then you’ve got ones that are slightly bigger, like Whisper and Alive. And URM, Moneypenny, they are racing really well this year, so it’s going to be competitive.”

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Botin 52-footer Caro, which was launched last year, underlined her credentials by winning Division 1 of the 2022 Australian Yachting championship in Hamilton Island, beating several local TP52s, including Ichi Ban.

British 38-footer Sunrise, which will have Australian navigator Adrienne Cahalan on board, was the overall winner of the 2021 Fastnet and second in the Middle Sea race. Earlier this year she won her division of the RORC Caribbean 600.

TP52 Warrior Won took overall honours at this year’s RORC Caribbean 600 and won her division of the Newport Bermuda race.

“If we can hang in the wake of the big boats we will do really well, assuming we sail the boat well. It’s sailors who win races, not boats,” Warrior Won’s skipper and owner Chris Sheehan told AAP.

There are potentially even more contenders this year, with the two-handed division eligible to win the Tattersall Cup for the first time after making their race debut in 2021.

Rupert Henry’s and Greg O’Shea’s 34-footer Mistral was the overall winner in this month’s Cabbage Tree Island race, in which all three placegetters were two-handed boats.

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Ichiban - Crewed Sailing Yacht Charter

Ichiban €21,900.

Ichiban Image 1/26

Layout of Ichiban

Table set for three course dinner

Dinner at aft deck table

Grinding the genua

Master cabin

Master Cabin Bathroom

Port side cabin

Natural harbor

Sun and sailing

Amazing mooring

Good breeze

Fantastic tack

Crew of Ichiban

Sample dish on board of Ichiban

• From €21,900 / week
• Sailing Monohull + 2 crew
• Summer Port: Cruising Areas Summer: Northern Europe Summer Port: Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm Winter: Northern Europe Winter Port: Stockholm, Sweden Prefered Pickup: Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm Other Pickup: Scandinavia ">Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm
• Winter Port: Cruising Areas Summer: Northern Europe Summer Port: Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm Winter: Northern Europe Winter Port: Stockholm, Sweden Prefered Pickup: Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm Other Pickup: Scandinavia ">Stockholm, Sweden
• Length: 70 ft / 21.3 meters 70 feet 21.3 meters
• Guests: 8 in 4 cabins
• Builder: Nautor Swan
• Built: 1983 / Refit: 2013
• Offers Rendezvous Scuba Diving only

All Inclusive

• Reviews (10)

Ichiban Description

EXPLORE THE FJORDS IN STYLE. With her 4 cabins and 8 single berths, this Swan 651 extended to 70 feet offers the performance, elegance and the Scandinavian look of 1st generation Swans. Ichiban was refurbished in 2013 and refitted with all modern conveniences preserving its original style and finesse. Available for sailing in the Stockholm Archipelago, Ichiban is the perfect choice to explore this unique UNESCO heritage site, which is said to be one of the “best preserved tourist destinations in the world.” and one of “nature’s seven wonders”. With Kerstin & Janne, the yacht´s dedicated crew, Ichiban is the guarantee of a cruising experience like no other.

Cruising Area of Ichiban

Accommodations, specification, water sports, scuba diving, entertainment, green initiatives, ichiban crew profile.

Close relationships are often developed between our guests and the crew. With some of the every-year-returning-guests we experience a friendship which reaches far outside the days of sailing. When choosing our crew we look for people with experience of life, a curiosity for other people´s stories and an ability to listen. We find those characteristics important for being able to create interesting relationship between people. Janne Malmstrom Janne likes challenges, either it is in stormy weather or running comprehensive IT projects for the government. After thirty years of giving people the opportunity to be a part of his experiences from the sea he conveys a feeling of rough seamanship together with a warm welcoming. With Janne you never feel the atmosphere is uncomfortable or feel like a beginner a board, he explains it all to you patiently. Kerstin Malmstrom Kerstin′s mix of experiences has created a personality that sets an atmosphere a board built on our key phrase, customer care. She serves newly baked bread for breakfast and in the afternoon the yacht again has an aroma of a bakery. She anticipates the guests and their needs either it is a question of an extra quilt or a particular tea for breakfast. When Kerstin serves her three course meals with a smile on her face she personifies the expression ´A Happy Ship´.

Ichiban Calendar

Ichiban reservations & port locations, ichiban rates / week, low price: €21,900, high price: €23,600, additional rate details, ichiban guest reviews, charter on june 8-17, 2023 in stockholm area - family of 5 from uk.

It was absolutely great. The skipper and his wife were delightful, the food fantastic, and the sailing sublime. It was cold to begin with but the sun came through and we needed up being very lucky wit the weather. Janne the skipper was really interesting and had a huge wealth of experience and was very encouraging for everyone to join in with the minimum of fuss. I would strongly recommend sailing in the Swedish archipelago as a complete breath of fresh air to the Mediterranean. It was so clean everyone so helpful and they all speak English. Perfect

Charter Stockholm-Stockholm, 25th July to 1st August 2021

Dear Janne and Kerstin, I got a very nice feedback from my client regarding his cruise on board ICHIBAN. ´The 7 days on Ichiban were extremely enjoyable for me and my family. Janne and his wife Kerstin spoiled us. The sailing area is uniquely beautiful. The yacht Ichiban offers impressive sailing experiences. Whenever possible, the sails were set, always with the active help of my family. Janne also handed over the helm to us when we wanted it. We learnt a lot about ocean sailing without Janne´s missionary approach of turning us into professional sailors. Kerstin´s culinary delights left nothing to be desired, which was not easy as four of my family were vegetarians´. Thank you so much for giving them a wonderful holiday and hope to work with you in future again.

Charter Stockholm-Stockholm, 3rd to 10th August 2019

Guest to the broker : ´We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. They are both very engaging and accomplished, Kerstin is an extraordinarily gifted cook, and they couldn’t be better hosts.´ Guest to the crew (Guests´ book) : ´We had an extraordinary week on the beautiful Ichiban discovering the Stockholm archipelago with Janne and his wife Kerstin. Janne is an experienced captain who wisely had us split our time between harbors and mooring, as well as sailing and motoring. Kerstin is an excellent chef whose delicious food was fresh and diverse, especially her homemade bread. We visited picturesque villages, charming harbors, isolated islets and rugged landscapes. On board, we enjoyed long chats about everything under the sun, and learned a lot about Sweden. We relished the complete comfort of the yacht and can’t wait to be back on her again!´

Charter Stockholm Archipelago with Cruising Club of America, July 2019

´Dear Janne, Ann and I and three other couples enjoyed an extraordinary sailing vacation over the last two weeks aboard ICHIBAN throughout the Stockholm Archipelago. I say extraordinary because you sailed as often as possible, always in comfort. Owning a J-46 myself, maintaining and racing it transoceanic, I see your skills are the very best. Add to this your kindness, your modesty, and humor, the result is a really exceptional experience. This is all made even better by your wife - Kerstin’s - know how and pride in the galley. She runs an excellent operation. In addition, you helped 25 other Americans find bare-boat charters from various sources near Stockholm, making this cruise the best ever for the Cruising Club of America. All of us involved in the organization of the cruise are extremely grateful for your special assistance. With warm regards, Brad´ ´Janne & Kerstin, I´m late in getting this note of gratitude to the two of you for hosting us on an incredible adventure sailing the Swedish Archipelago. Harriet and I were privileged to accompany such accomplished mariners aboard your beautiful IchiBan. Janne - your unsurpassed sailing talents and knowledge of the area are exceptional. And Kerstin - your galley skills left us in awe of what can be accomplished with the limited resources of a small food preparation and storage facility. Not only did we thoroughly enjoy your company, we also learned a lot about beautiful Sweden and its wonders. To simply say ´thank you´ to each of you seems inadequate, but it will have to do. Thanks, again, for a truly memorable - and educational - experience. Kindest regards and fair winds, P. & H.´

CG xx, SALTSJ BADEN, SWEDEN

When Janne, the skipper, welcomed me onboard S/Y Ichiban I immediately felt that this was a happy ship. The feeling stayed during the entire sailing trip and a comfortable relation established onboard which gave us all memories that will stay for the rest of our life.

INGELA, LONDON, ENGLAND

The archipelagos in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, the fjords in Norway and last but not least our trip to the very north of Norway. All different, but equally beautiful and exciting. Complete comfort and every meal is a culinary experience. The trips are beautifully planned and organized into the smallest detail, but there is room for individual wishes. A journey on board Ichiban is all you can possibly wish for on a holiday.

BARBARA AND THOMASO, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

We have been spending memorable summer vacations in the Swedish Archipelago and in Norway on Ichiban. The more we did it, the more we had a desire to repeat the experience. A combination of gorgeous nature in the northern summer sun and sailing experience with elegance and wisdom: Janne and his collaborators are such amazing sailors, cooks and human beings. It is a perfect experience for a range of ages: from elderly to teenagers, we all learned how to have fun, to enjoy and respect a most remarkable sailing boat. For me personally, a morning jump in the frigid waters and a day of sailing and exploring together with family and friends - all so well taken care of - are the best dream!

JENNIFER AND KURT, CALIFORNIA, USA

We sailed as a family on Ichiban in June of 2015 out of Bergen through the picturesque Norwegian Fjords. Everything about the trip was amazing. The yacht was in excellent order and we enjoyed both sailing and being under power. The hospitality was truly warm and friendly. Janne went out of his way to ensure that the trip exceeded our expectations, and the meals prepared by his chef were so delicious and elegantly prepared that it was difficult to believe that she was working in a small galley. We look forward to our next trip in Ichiban.

ISABEL, RHODE ISLAND, USA

The Scandinavian fjords are breathtaking in of themselves, but seeing them from the Ichiban is an altogether different adventure. To awaken on the boat, have a delicious meal, and enjoy sailing through the most beautiful parts of Norway is like nothing I have ever experienced. I was constantly in awe. The Ichiban is a beautiful sailboat, but it is made all the more extraordinary by the professionalism and friendship of Janne and Kristen. It was incredible, and it was a journey I will not ever forget.

LOUISE AND PER, OXFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND

n July 2015 we where lucky enough to spend one week on Ichiban, a great adventure, sailing around the beautiful Lofoten Islands, above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway. Ichiban is a fantastic yacht, with all the luxuries and comfort you can expect. Fantastic food, always trying to capture local specialities, prepared by the resident top chef and eaten on a beautifully decorated dining table. Little things like change of bed sheets midweek makes you feel pampered and as if you where in great hotel more than onboard a sailing yatch. All supervised by Captain Janne, who is always ready to accommodate our wishes, running a highly efficient and safe ship.´

Ichiban Sample Menu

Continental breakfast is set out with a selection of hot drinks tea, coffee chocolate,

Fruit juices, cereals, yogurt, toasts, jam,butter

Also eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, smoked salmon, potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheeses.

Bleak-roe from Kalix served with potato pancake, onion and smetana

Grilled asparagus on herb salad served with a honeyand spring onion vinaigrette and fried crisp bacon

Crayfish soup served with roasted flatbread

Reindeer burger served with mushrooms and lingonberry caramel

Smoked roe deer served with marmalade and horse radish on black bread

Grilled scallops served with cauliflower cream and roasted prosciutto

Salad with serrano ham, strawberries and Bresola

Bulgur salad served with lamb sausage, beetroot and mint yoghurt

Fish soup served with aioli and croutons

Yellow pea soup and Swedish pancakes with strawberries

Smoked salmon from Söderöra served with new potatoes and lime sauce

Chicken with vermouth sauce and mashed potatoes

Thyme lamb served with herb sauce, roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes

Cod served with Västerbotten cheese pie, pickled chanterelles and a purée of parsnips

Deer fillet served with wine sauce and a potato cake

Baked salmon served with salad of fennel, Tartar sauceand new potatoes

Swedish meat balls with mushroom sauce and lingonberry

Grilled veal entrecote served with owen baked tomatoes and roasted almond potatoes

Vanilla ice cream in an almond basket

Cheese cake from Småland served with uncooked blueberry preserve

Apple pie with homemade vanilla cream

Créme brûlée with Muscavado sugar served with black currants

Creamy chocolate brownie served with whipped cream and raspberries

Rhubarb soup served with almond biscuits

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

Matt Allen has again assembled a top-notch cast for the annual race to Tasmania. Michael 'Spiesy' Spies will make it 36 races this year and is always a fantastic hand to have on a boat, having co-skippered Nokia to her line honours win in 1999 and First National Real Estate to an overall win in 2003. Add Robert Case, Dave 'Dingo' Rolfe, Scott Lawson and Doug McGain, an Olympic coach, to the mix and you have a winning formula. A past commodore of the CYCA and Yachting Australia Vice President, Allen has campaigned various boats for years in ocean races in Australia and in 23 Hobarts. This ex Volvo Ocean Racer has reaped some great results for Allen, second on line in 2006 and third in 2007 and 2008. He has come so close winning the race overall too; fourth in 2006 and fifth in 2007. In that no-man's land 70ft range, it takes special weather and the right moves to place this boat which finished seventh on line and 25th overall last year. However, Ichi Ban's crew is up to the task.

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Ichi Ban owner Matt Allen goes from shattered to relieved

Hours earlier the sound of splintering carbon fibre, then a call from crew below deck that water was gushing into the hull, suggested his Hobart race was over before it started. And to make matters worse, the forecast for the entire 628nautical mile course this year was tailor-made for this 70-footer - strong downwind running all the way. The computer-generated projections from his navigator, Conrad Humphrey, had Ichi Ban arriving at the finish in a remarkable 1 day, 12 hours, six hours inside the course record time set by Bob Oatley's Wild Oats XI in 2005. Sydney to Hobart: The great race in depth For the past week, as forecasts of a fast 'downhill' race strengthened, Allen had become increasingly excited about what promised to be a dream run. Even though Ichi Ban is nine metres shorter than the supermaxis, Wild Oats XI and Skandia (Grant Wharington), she has the potential to hunt them all the way to the finish. Follow the Rolex Sydney Hobart with foxsports.com.au reporter Cameron Storey on board Pirelli . Cameron will be providing daily reports from Pirelli as the crew steers the 628-nautical mile route to Hobart. Video: Foxsports.com.au's Cam Storey prepares for Pirelli Cornell's Log: Re-live foxsports.com.au's 2007 journey south Glossary: A guide to de-mystify some of sailing's terms Gallery: The history of the Rolex Sydney Hobart This has been evident in the past two Hobarts when she finished third and second across the line. However, on Saturday, while Ichi Ban was racing off the coast of Sydney, there came a noise that no ocean-racing yacht owner wants to hear. Yacht tracker: Keep up to date As it went through a tack sailing upwind there was the distasteful sound of carbon fibre shattering. The deck-to-hull wing-shaped sleeve encasing the daggerboard that extends below the hull had split open: a fitting on the board failed and allowed the top to slip below deck level. The pressure exerted on the board by side movement through the water levered the daggerboard case apart. "My immediate thought was that our Hobart race was over, especially when crew shouted that we were taking on water," said Allen, the commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which organises the big race. "It was a horrible feeling." Ichi Ban limped back into the harbour where she was lifted from the water so the damage could be assessed. By late yesterday Allen was all smiles; repairs were being made and would be completed well before Friday. It was in similar conditions to what is being forecast for the race that Ichi Ban, as a competitor in the last Volvo round the world race, went close to setting a world 24-hour distance record of more than 500nm. That effort was thwarted when a keel fairing ripped away and slowed the yacht. Ichi Ban was then owned by Wharington, and yesterday he was sitting on the deck of his 30m Skandia at the CYC, accepting the fact his old boat might beat his new one. "Ichi Ban loves hard stuff downwind," Wharington said, "so I won't be surprised if she's close to us going south. Our best chance of beating her, and hanging on to Wild Oats XI, would come if we had strong westerlies to create reaching conditions. "That's when we'd be at our best. Going on what's being forecast Wild Oats should beat us to Hobart by two or three hours." The latest forecast from yachting meteorologist Roger Badham still has 'race record' written all over it, and a definite chance for the first boat home to carve nearly 30 per cent off the existing mark. The Australian: Google Earth map the way to Hobart Badham predicts 20 to 30-knot east to northeasterlies after the yachts turn south from Sydney on Boxing Day, then northwesterlies of similar strength down the Tasmanian coast the next morning. The first yacht home needs only to average about 15knots to set a record. In those conditions the leading yachts will be doing well over 20knots. Loki remains a strong contender for the Tattersalls Cup handicap trophy, as does Quantum Racing.

ICHIBAN Nautor's Swan | From EUR€ 17,830/wk

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ICHIBAN | From EUR€ 17,830/wk

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ICHIBAN Nautor's Swan | From EUR€ 17,830 /wk

Sailing yacht ICHI BAN was designed by the well renowned German Frers and built by the famous Nautor Swan shipyard of Finland in 1983. S/Y ICHIBAN (meaning ‘number one’ in Japanese) measures 21m (68.1ft) and can accommodate up to 8 charter guests in 4 cabins, she is available for charter in spectacular Northern Europe. She was refitted in 2020.

NOTABLE FEATURES for ICHIBAN: Performace capabilities ~ Sleek lines ~ Contemporary decor ~ Wi-fi

She has a warm, elegant interior featuring mahogany woods throughout. Supple cream leather soft furnishings in the open-plan salon and dining, lend an air of sophistication, while cozy down linens in the guest cabins offer a serene ambiance.

Relax and dine in the well-appointed salon and dining, with ample space for guests to unwind. Guest accommodation onboard the sailing yacht ICHI BAN is in 4 en-suite cabins, 3 double and 1 twin.

She is a performance cruising yacht, designed for optimum sailing, boasting 2 cockpits and a high-speed coffee grinder. The massive steering wheel at the helm gives in an indication of the sailing power of the fine Nautor swan design, with its almost 6ft circumference. Aft of the helm, on main deck level, is an alfresco dining option with a removable varnished table and built-in U shaped seating, providing an intimate and romantic atmosphere with unforgettable views.

Sailing the ICHI BAN sailing yacht under full sail is like handling the Rolls Royce of sailing yachts. Combining elegance and grace, this 70 foot, 40 ton, extended Swan 651, German Frers design, shows her power as she glides through the water.

ICHIBAN Specifications

Sailing yacht ICHI BAN has a beam of 5.3m (17.4ft) and a draft of 4.3m (14.1ft) with the centerboard down, when up, the draft is reduced to 2.3m (7.5ft). The yacht is powered by a single Perkins 215hp engine, she cruises at 4 knots with top speeds of 9.1knots.

Yacht ICHI BAN is based in Stockholm and charters throughout Scandinavia.

Yacht Charter Accommodation

Scandinavian sailing yacht ICHI BAN can accommodate up to 8 charter guests in 4 en-suite cabins, each cabin with private entertainment systems. Three cabins offer a small double and upper single berth, ideal for 2 guests, while a further cabin offers twin single bunk beds.

Charter Amenities and Extras

Tenders & Toys: ~ Tender : Rib 10hp for 6 pax ~ 1 Kneeboard ~ 4 Snorkel gears ~ 2 single kayaks /// Audio Visual Equipment and Deck Facilities: ~ Tv and stereo in the salon ~ CDs and DVDs /// Communications: ~ On board, a phone as a hotspot, with 4G internet connection for free (fine for e-mail and other things but not for movies). ~ The reception is different in different areas in the archipelago, the normal level is good (covering about 70 to 80 % of the area). ~ In the small villages and around the base station the reception will be very good and for some areas, mostly in the outer archipelago, the reception will be poor or none at all.

Charter Yacht Disclaimer

This document is not contractual. The yacht charters and their particulars displayed in the results above are displayed in good faith and whilst believed to be correct are not guaranteed. CharterWorld Limited does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information and/or images displayed. All information is subject to change without notice and is without warrantee. A professional CharterWorld yacht charter consultant will discuss each charter during your charter selection process. Starting prices are shown in a range of currencies for a one-week charter, unless otherwise marked. Exact pricing and other details will be confirmed on the particular charter contract. Just follow the "reserve this yacht charter" link for your chosen yacht charter or contact us and someone from the CharterWorld team will be in touch shortly.

ICHIBAN Enquiry

"Nautor’s Swan has close to half a century of experience designing and building exceptional sailing yachts. Nautor's skilled craftsmen at the company's yard in Pietarsaari, Finland come from generations of boat boat builders. From the most traditional woodworking details to leading edge lamination technology, a Swan combines the best elements available today to build the world's best sailing yacht, for true sailors." - Nautor Swan

Callisto | From EUR€ 17,850/wk

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race overall contender faces protest over claims of rule breach

Two protests have been lodged against one of the yachts in contention for overall victory in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Key points:

• The protest document says Celestial could not be contacted for 90 minutes, a breach of race rules
• The protest will be heard before an International jury at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania later today
• In 2018, a line honours protest against Wild Oats XI by Black Jack was deemed invalid

Ichi Ban and Celestial crossed the finish line within minutes of each other on Wednesday afternoon, with Ichi ban flying a protest flag. 

A few hours later, two formal protests were lodged against Celestial, one by the race committee and the other by Ichi Ban. 

Both protests relate to the rule that requires competitors to maintain constant radio contact.

It is alleged the Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a signal from a personal locator beacon linked to Celestial but the yacht could not be contacted for 90 minutes.

Under race rules, competitors are required to maintain constant radio contact.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) documentation alleged contact was only successful after flares were used.

"When attention was ultimately alerted via flares, which fortunately confirmed that the AMSA alerted PLB activation was false, after 90 minutes AMSA was to deploy a Melbourne-based [search and rescue] asset to the position of Celestial," the statement said.

"Of particular concern was the lack of response on CH16 (VHF) by Celestial throughout the incident."

Ichi Ban's documentation said it was asked by organisers in the early hours of Tuesday to contact Celestial on VHF.

"Despite 10 minutes of calling, it was only after Ichi Ban deployed a red parachute flare that Celestial answered on VHF 16," it said.

The CYCA said Celestial was expected to explain the incident "in her race declaration".

The protests will be heard before an International Jury in Hobart this afternoon.

The last time there was a high-profile protest was in 2018 when runner-up Black Jack protested line honours win by Wild Oats XI

Black Jack's skipper Peter Harburg complained Wild Oats XI's tracker was not always on, which disadvantaged others.

The race for overall victory, and the coveted Tattersall Cup, is still in play, with most of the fleet yet to reach Hobart.

The three supermaxis and a handful of other yachts sailed into Hobart in the early hours of Wednesday.

Monaco-flagged Black Jack took line honours in the slowest time since 2004, followed by New South Wales-based LawConnect and SHK Scallywag from Hong Kong. 

A fleet of 88 yachts started the Bluewater Classic on Boxing Day, but the fleet was battered by rough seas and strong winds as it sailed down the New South Wales coast on the first night.

A total of 37 yachts retired, the highest number since 2015, when 25 of 84 starting yachts failed to finish.

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• Nautor's Swan

Description

EXPLORE THE FJORDS IN STYLE.

With her 4 cabins and 8 single berths this Swan 651 extended to 70 feet, offers the performance, elegance and the Scandinavian look of 1st generation Swans. Ichiban was refurbished in 2013 and refitted with all modern conveniences preserving its original style and finesse.

Available for sailing in the Stockholm Archipelago, Ichiban is the perfect choice to explore this unique UNESCO heritage site, which is said to be one of the “best preserved tourist destinations in the world.” and one of “nature’s seven wonders”.

With Kerstin & Janne, the yacht's dedicated crew, Ichiban is the guarantee of a cruising experience like no other.

• Number of Guests: 8
• Number of Cabins: 4
• Cabin Configuration: 4 Twin
• Bed Configuration: 8 Single
• Engines: Main engine Perkins 6354 230hp
• Whisper Power diesel generator 230 V 9kW
• Cruising Speed: 9 knots
• Fuel Consumption: 8 Litres/Hr
• Tender : Rib 10hp for 6 pax
• 1 Kneeboard
• 4 Snorkel gears
• 2 single kayaks

Rates & locations

Winter 2023/2024.

October to April

• From: 21,900€ /week
• To: 23,600€ /week

Summer 2024

May to September

All-inclusive Terms: The Charter Fee includes the hire of the yacht, the crew’s salaries, the insurance of the yacht, all food, fuel for up to five hours cruising per day (averaged throughout the charter), harbour dues and pilotage fees, water & ship’s laundry and all food except special requests. The arrangements about fuel charges sometimes vary. Extra to the charterer’s account are bar, special requests and crew gratuities. Inclusive terms and port taxes & harbour dues can vary with some yachts and locations. Prices exclude VAT (if applicable). VAT calculation depends on the embarkation port' country and on the cruising area. Charters shorter than a week are also available, depending on the date.

Availabilities

Please enquire to check availabilities

Check availability

To check availability and charter rate for your vacation dates for this yacht simply complete the form below and a Charter Broker will get back to you as soon as possible.

You will receive an email containing a link allowing you to reset your password to a new preferred one.

You make the memories. We make the arrangements.

€21,900 per week + expenses

About This Yacht

At a glance.

Lowest Rate €21,900 per week + expenses

Highest Rate €23,600 per week + expenses

Size 70.00 Ft

Janne Malmstrom Head Captain

Crew profile, accommodations, amenities & entertainment.

• Internet Onboard WIFI
• Satellite TV Directv
• Ice Maker Yes
• Knee Board 1
• Snorkel Gear 4
• Single-person Kayak 2

Sample Menu

Continental breakfast is set out with a selection of hot drinks tea, coffee chocolate,

Fruit juices, cereals, yogurt, toasts, jam,butter

Also eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, smoked salmon, potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheeses.

Bleak-roe from Kalix served with potato pancake, onion and smetana

Grilled asparagus on herb salad served with a honeyand spring onion vinaigrette and fried crisp bacon

Crayfish soup served with roasted flatbread

Reindeer burger served with mushrooms and lingonberry caramel

Smoked roe deer served with marmalade and horse radish on black bread

Grilled scallops served with cauliflower cream and roasted prosciutto

Salad with serrano ham, strawberries and Bresola

Bulgur salad served with lamb sausage, beetroot and mint yoghurt

Fish soup served with aioli and croutons

Yellow pea soup and Swedish pancakes with strawberries

Smoked salmon from Söderöra served with new potatoes and lime sauce

Chicken with vermouth sauce and mashed potatoes

Thyme lamb served with herb sauce, roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes

Cod served with Västerbotten cheese pie, pickled chanterelles and a purée of parsnips

Deer fillet served with wine sauce and a potato cake

Baked salmon served with salad of fennel, Tartar sauceand new potatoes

Swedish meat balls with mushroom sauce and lingonberry

Grilled veal entrecote served with owen baked tomatoes and roasted almond potatoes

Vanilla ice cream in an almond basket

Cheese cake from Småland served with uncooked blueberry preserve

Apple pie with homemade vanilla cream

Créme brûlée with Muscavado sugar served with black currants

Creamy chocolate brownie served with whipped cream and raspberries

Rhubarb soup served with almond biscuits

Locations & Availability

Winter Area: Northern Europe

Summer Area: Northern Europe

Preferred Pickup: Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm

Other Pickup: Scandinavia

Video of ICHIBAN

Let us deliver on your dream vacation.

Contact us to start a conversation about your dream vacation, and let us show you how we can help bring your vision to life through our exceptional yacht charter services.

1983   Nautor    70ft  /  21.3m

ICHIBAN Yacht Charter

ICHIBAN currently registered in Norway is actively available for charter.

The luxury sailing yacht ICHIBAN was built by Nautor and delivered to her owner in 1983.

The exterior of ICHIBAN is designed by German Frers.

The 70ft / 21.3m ICHIBAN has been constructed with a grp hull and is powered by 1x Perkins 215hp with a cruising speed of 9 knots and a top speed of 9 knots.

Charter guest accommodation

ICHIBAN has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 8 charter guests in 4 suites.

The guest cabins comprise a primary suite with 2 single beds and en-suite bathroom facilities located aft, 2 cabins with 2 single beds and en-suite bathroom facilities and a cabin with 2 single beds .

Your luxury charter crew

Your luxury charter on board sailing yacht ICHIBAN will be managed by the crew of 2 including the captain.

The crew will ensure you have a relaxed and enjoyable charter experience with all of your needs catered for while on board.

The 2 crew have their own separate crew quarters located amidship allowing guests to enjoy increased levels of privacy.

Amenities & Entertainment

Amenities on board for the charter guests include Defibrillator, Light fishing gear, Outdoor audio system, TV saloon and Wi-Fi.

An extensive list of further amenities and water toys can be seen under the features and amenities section.

Yacht charter destinations

ICHIBAN is Currently cruising in Northern Europe.

Sample itineraries for the cruising destinations can be supplied by your professional charter broker allowing you to plan your luxury yacht charter vacation in detail.

• Scandinavia
• Defibrillator
• Light fishing gear
• Outdoor audio system
• 10ft/3.3m RIB 10hp

Janne Malmstrom

Janne likes challenges, either it is in stormy weather or running comprehensive IT project for the government. After thirty years of giving people the opportunity to be a part of his experiences from the sea he conveys a feeling of rough seamanship together with warm welcoming. With Janne you never feel the atmosphere is uncomfortable or feeling as a beginner onboard, he explains it to you.

Kerstin Malmstrom

Kerstin's mix of experiences has created a personality that sets an atmosphere onboard built on our key word, customer care. She serves new baked bread for breakfast and in the afternoon the yacht again smells like bakery. She anticipates the guests and their needs either it is a question of an extra quilt or a special tea for breakfast. When Kerstin serves her three-dishes-meal with a smile on her face she personifies the expression "A Happy Ship".

Marten Runer

Marten has the perfect combination of experiences, several Atlantic crossings and seasons in the Caribbean, restaurant- and hotel manager and chef at several reputable restaurants. Sailing with Marten you will hear him saying: "Bring it up and I will serve it, so start fishing!" After living on an island in the Stockholm Archipelago for many years Marten has a strong passion for the sea.

Jens Paulson

Jens is a truly professional chef. His experiences from serving our government and their international guests has given him a confidence beyond any doubt. The dishes he creates will fulfill your wildest expectations and they will all be served with a big smile. Jens is full of energy which he splits between his two young daughters, being a chef and running marathons.

Thomas Bjorklund

Thomas´ wide experience of the sea from rough places such as the North Sea and Barents sea, has made him a very professional seaman. His way of always taking care of his ship and guests makes everybody trust him and feel they are in good hands. Thomas is super organized and he never lets thing just happen, he stays on top of them.

Destinations

Frequently Asked Questions

How much to charter ichiban.

ICHIBAN has a weekly charter price starting at €21,900 and an estimated daily charter price of €3,650.

How many guests on board ICHIBAN?

ICHIBAN can accommodate 8 sleeping guests on board in 4 cabins, with the ability to cruise with up to 12 guests and entertain groups up to 20 guests while at anchor or moored at a marina.

Legal Disclaimer

Sailing Yacht ICHIBAN is displayed on this page for informational purposes and may not necessarily be available for charter. The yacht details are displayed in good faith and whilst believed to be correct are not guaranteed, please check with your charter broker. Charter Index does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or images displayed as they may not be current. All yacht details and charter pricing are subject to change without prior notice and are without warranty.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection

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