Lone (Farr Three-Quarter Tonner)

Lone was commissioned by English yachtsman Mr Jan Nielson in the fall of 1989, with the aim of winning the 1990 Three-Quarter Ton Cup (24.5ft IOR). She achieved that objective, and went to be one of the most successful level rating yachts in the IOR era, winning the Cup on two further occasions in 1991 and 1992.

The Farr Yacht Design website notes that the design for Lone (Design #229) was able to draw on previous experience from the One Ton, 50 Foot and Maxi arenas, but also from feedback on the 1988 Three-Quarter Ton design Aphrodite (Design #201) which had placed first in class and fleet in the 1988 Japan Cup. Aphrodite also had a creditable fourth place finish at the 1989 Three-Quarter Ton Cup in Pharilon, Greece. Lone was shorter overall (by 0.22m), lighter (122kg), narrower (0.1m) and with a deeper keel (0.04m). The sail plan was larger (with a 'P' dimension 1.18m more), with more rake in the mast.

Lone (as Xacobeo 93) - Three Quarter Ton Cup winner 1990-92 (photo FYD Facebook page)

Lone underwent her first sea trials in the Mediterranean in the spring of 1990, before going on to win at Kiel Week, and then taking out the Three-Quarter Ton Cup in Flensburg, Germany, in convincing style, with placings of 1/1/1/1/2, in a 26 boat fleet representing eight countries. 

Lone later won Class IV in the Copa del Rey regatta, and in 1991 Lone defended her Three-Quarter Ton Cup title, held in Denmark, with Pedro Campos as skipper. She was bought by Spanish interests in 1992, and renamed Xacobeo 93 she won the Cup again. The boat did not compete in 1993, but raced in the 1994 series (as Azur de Puig), the last time the Cup was held, where she finished in tenth place, of 14 boats (all from Spain).

The Lone crew give skipper Campos a ceremonial dunking after their victory in 1991