S/V Fearless

Fearless, formerly named Alchemist, is a Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 designed in part by naval architect Guillaume Verdier, who is renowned for his work in the America’s Cup and the foiling boats used by the IMOCA class in round-the-world faces. This vessel, owned privately by Phil and Marianne Haydon, is designed to be versatile, for both inshore and offshore racing, and sailed short-handed or fully crewed.

Why the name Fearless?
It took quite a while to choose the right name. We had discussions about several names and what each represented. In addition to a meaning, the name has to be simple to use over the VHF radio if hailing another vessel or port. When we radioed using one of our previous boat names “Prairie Gold” (I won’t explain the rationale but rest assured the was reasoning) the harbormaster would respond “Hello Prairie Dog, come in to slip …..”.

We chose Fearless to signal to others the importance of pushing through challenges to overcome adversity. This is part of our message to those with epilepsy who participate in the One More Step Challenge. Of course, one shouldn’t be fearless with reckless abandon, but instead face challenges with courage, determination and – importantly – safety guardrails in place.

Why did you choose a new boat?
Our previous offshore racing boat was designed in the early 2000s and I wanted to try a newer vessel benefiting from two decades of naval architecture refinements. I also wanted a new challenge as I continuously seek to become a better offshore sailor.

What are some differences between your previous Quest 33S (Cepheus) and this Sunfast 3300 design?
A major obvious difference is that Fearless has twin rudders while Cepheus had a single rudder. The twin rudders are a significant improvement for when the boat is heeled over at an angle since one of the rudders always stays in the water. This allows for excellent steerage and better control of the boat. Additionally, she has a voluminous rounded bow which, together with other features, will help her “plane” sooner and achieve high speeds when sailing downwind.

Specifications