Finot-Conq design Nica: World’s coolest yachts

Yachting World has been asking top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times, and photographer Tor Johnson nominated the Finot-Conq design Nica. Here’s the report:

Hawaii-based Tor Johnson, who has written for Yachting World on the challenges of cruising in British Columbia, has shot many different yachts, but he has a soft spot for the Finot-Conq design Nica launched in 2018.

“I have to say that Nica is one of the coolest cruising boats I’ve ever seen. I suggest her because she is an innovative and extreme boat, which is why I shot many photos of her, and why I plan to make an ocean crossing on her.”

Nica is an FC3 53, designed by the French Finot-Conq office, internationally famous for its heritage of Open 60 and IMOCA 60 designs. This is a carbon composite, water-ballasted, swing keel offshore fast cruising yacht designed for world cruising.

She crossed Atlantic with the ARC in 2018 then she crossed the Pacific to New Zealand with the World ARC, on occasions logging 270-mile days sailed two-handed by owner Gorm Gondersen and his wife, Maren.

“I first saw the boat in [Yachting World] magazine, then I met the owners in Tahiti,” says Johnson. “Now I plan to sail with them on their next leg from New Zealand to Tonga.”

For Yachting World’s list of cool boats, click here.