pogo yachts

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Pogo 44 boat test: designed to thrill

• July 22, 2021

Offering fast cruising, wicked pace, first class handling and comfort, is the Pogo 44 the innovative French yard's most refined Pogo yet? Rupert Holmes finds out

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

Bearing away around the Îles de Glenans off the south Brittany coast we unfurl the gennaker of the new Pogo 44 and accelerate smoothly from 8 knots to 11, with occasional bursts reaching 13 knots.

There’s no noticeable hump to get over when we start planing – instead there’s just a smooth and consistent acceleration as we quietly leave the stern wave well behind.

Although the apparent wind is still well forward of the beam this is not a white knuckle ride. There’s only three of us on board, we’re not on a raceboat, and are miles away from the edge of control. Quite simply, the Pogo 44 is unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size.

This is the latest model in the yard’s five-strong range of ultra-fast cruisers that it has been quietly refining for the past three decades.

Unlike most performance cruisers they are designed without regard to type-forming rating rules for racing. They are therefore significantly lighter than most, yet have tremendous stability that helps confer an enormous power/weight ratio.

The Pogo 44 is a stunning ultra-light performance cruiser. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The unusually long centreboard is an integral part of the concept. When lowered the Pogo 44 has a colossal 3.10m (10ft 2in) draught, placing the ballast very low down and therefore reducing the amount of lead required.

The yard says this saves around 650kg, or roughly 10% of displacement, relative to a fin and bulb keel of conventional draught. Yet raising the centreboard reduces draught to just 1.38m (4ft 6in) – an important benefit for cruising.

This is one of many features that exemplify the insight, experience and knowledge that has gone into creating an extremely well thought out design.

Equally, of the 200-plus boats I’ve sailed, none have as many comfortable helm positions as the Pogo 44. The most obvious is sitting outboard, on the side deck aft of the coamings while steering with the tiller extension. It’s a secure and comfortable location with good visibility.

However, it quickly becomes clear the tillers are angled inboard, allowing the driver to sit on the aft end of the cockpit benches, holding the tiller itself. This is the favoured position of Pogo’s founder Christian Bouroullec and benefits from protection from the coamings while being closer to the shelter offered by the optional sprayhood.

Powered up. The comfortable cockpit coaming was the favoured position from which to helm. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The rig is well aft in the boat, so there’s a clear view of the headsail luff, even though you’re sitting well inboard, while the cockpit table is perfectly placed to use as a very substantial footrest.

Pogo 44 – Designed for handling

Sailing downhill in a big breeze you could stand between the tillers, steering with one of the extensions, poised to make big course changes when necessary.

fingertip control tiller steering is standard. Below: forward facing windows let plenty of light in to the saloon below. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

My favourite, however, is outboard on top of the coamings, which are shaped to maximise both comfort and security.

Few boats this size have tiller steering, but it’s entirely appropriate for the Pogo 44. The rudders are high aspect and very efficient, so the helm is light and beautifully balanced.

An advantage of very light displacement is a general reduction of loads, so it’s easy to forget that, despite having enormously more volume, this boat is 300kg lighter than a J/122. Twin wheels are offered.

Hull shape is typically Pogo, with a flat run aft and very little rocker. Waterline beam is relatively narrow aft, but the aggressive chines dig in quickly when the boat starts to heel.

The full bow sections are moderate by today’s standards and this is not a radical scow bow design.

When fully lowered the centreboard provides an impressively efficient deep fin for sailing close-hauled, so upwind performance is better than might be expected from a design that many assume is optimised for reaching.

Sailing upwind, with the first reef in the main and full headsail, the boat performed flawlessly in a wind over tide chop with gusts towards 20 knots, holding a respectable angle and averaging 7.5 knots.

Thanks to the massive stability it proved very docile even in gusts, with a comfortable level of heel that doesn’t make the wide cockpit feel precarious.

Inevitably there was some slamming where the sea state was at its most confused, but this was not a violent boat-stopping motion, more a gentle bounce that rarely reduced speed significantly.

The Pogo leaves very little wake and there’s no discernable hump to get over before it starts planing – just a smooth acceleration into double digit speeds. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

By the time we were far enough offshore to bear away and unfurl the 86m2 Code 0/gennaker the breeze had dropped to 13 knots. But with the true wind on the beam and the apparent well forward, we easily left the stern wave behind to hit speeds well into double digits.

This is where the benefits of the Pogo 44’s very light displacement really become apparent. Displacement/length ratio is very light at around 84, a figure that increases to 110 when loaded with two tonnes of stores, equipment and people.

Comparing these figures to a crewed up Melges 24 at 117, or a crewed J/70 at 128, highlights just how light the Pogo 44 is, and the extent to which it’s different to other performance cruising designs.

Many of today’s yachts drag a big, noisy stern wave and a great deal of power is needed to start surfing or planing. On this boat, however, there is almost no discernible wake at any speed, nor a noticeable hump to climb over when hull speed is reached. Instead the experience is near silent and the boat just carries on accelerating smoothly.

It was wonderful to see boat speed building steadily from eight to nine, 10, 11 knots and onwards. Smoothly, quietly and with no fuss. Given the light displacement and enormous power, it’s impressively easy to handle, with low loads even at speed.

Bearing away further and hoisting the 150m2 asymmetric spinnaker saw boat speed fall to what felt like a sedate 9-10 knots, with only occasional faster spurts, as the apparent wind decreased and drew aft.

This highlights how effortlessly it will eat up miles on passage and the extent to which the easily driven hull form doesn’t need a great deal of breeze to push it at a decent speed.

Our test boat was equipped with a backstay-less carbon mast and square-top mainsail, an option chosen by almost every Pogo owner across the range.

On this model the square-top sail is 13m2 larger than the standard 50m2 pin head mainsail. Spreaders are swept aft by 30°, so a backstay is not essential.

most sail handling controls, including all sheets, are led to the front of the cockpit. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Two options are offered for headsail configurations. The prototype Pogo 44 I sailed has a 50m2 furling genoa with a high clew and painted UV protection. It therefore retains an efficient shape when reefed to 35m2, when it can be used close-hauled in true winds of up to 30 knots. For stronger conditions a 20m2 jib is set on a structural furler.

The alternative is a low clew 50m2 genoa, plus textile inner forestay tensioned using a 3:1 purchase system led aft to the companionway. This can be fitted with a 35m2 hank-on sail with a slab reef that reduces area to 20m2. It’s a very effective solution favoured by Class 40s and the majority of Pogo 36 and 12.50 owners.

Most lines, with the exception of spinnaker halyards and traveller, are handled at the companionway. This is an excellent set up where almost all sail handling and trimming can take place under a sprayhood.

Primary and secondary winches are powerful and set at an efficient height for manual use. Our test boat also had an electric option on the port primary. The deck layout minimises unnecessary friction and decent rope bags are provided.

Spinnaker halyards are handled at the mast, while the traveller runs across the aft end of the cockpit. Initially it feels odd that this is the only mainsail control within reach of the helm.

However, even though the boat is so much fun to steer, the reality when short-handed on a cold and wet night watch is that the pilot may be driving 95% of the time. Then it makes absolute sense to have as many lines taken to the same place as possible so that one person can easily manage the boat from a sheltered position.

The set up also works well when two people are on watch, with one at the helm and the other available for sail trimming and manoeuvres.

The rotating MFD works well. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The B&G MFD is mounted at the front end of the cockpit table on a 360° rotating NavPod swivel. Although unconventional, this is a flexible solution that works really well for a tiller-steered boat.

Stowage on deck includes provision for the liferaft accessed from the bathing platform and a large lazarette, which also gives access to the quadrants and the steering tie bar. In addition there’s a smallish forward sail locker.

Pogo 44 down below

The interior offers strikingly good views of the outside world – unlike many monohulls without a deck saloon it doesn’t feel as though you have descended into the bowels of the boat. In many ways, it’s better than most mainstream cruisers thanks to the large forward facing coachroof windows each side.

Overall the feeling is of a smart loft apartment. Granted it may be minimalist for some tastes, but it’s comfortable, effective and feels spacious. The finish is of a very high standard and less austere than earlier Pogos, with more visible woodwork. This includes the cabin sole, saloon table, shelves on both sides and a central overhead panel.

The bright interior has a great view and doesn’t feel as though you descend to the bowels of the boat. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

It’s refreshing that there are no linings on the hull or coachroof – exactly how a serious cruising boat should be, in my view. In the event of a problem, whether a leaky deck fitting or structural damage following a collision, you can instantly assess the situation.

Unlike the smaller Pogos, you don’t have to step over the structure, other than a small inch-high step for the main rib that takes rig and keel loads.

Saloon seating is to port on a long L-shape settee, with the table on the centreboard case. The table can be easily lowered to transform the seating area into a big double bed, without complex electrical systems, while the aft end of the settee forms a seat for the navigation table. There’s reasonable stowage below the seats and in bins outboard of them.

Arguably the biggest benefit of the 44 compared to the 12.50 is the forward owner’s cabin. This is a good size, with a 1.60×1.99m almost rectangular berth, room to move around and useful stowage volumes. On the downside, as standard the only ventilation is at the aft end of the bunk, so there’s no natural airflow over the bed when at anchor with hatches open.

Light and bright

Aft cabins are big and bright with very large bunks that have longitudinally split cushions with leecloths. They are easily the equal of other cruising yachts of this length.

There’s a small technical area aft between these cabins, as well as easily accessed provision for the optional watermaker under one of the saloon seats. Long term cruisers who don’t need two aft cabins all the time could arrange one as a large technical and storage area, without losing the facility to accommodate occasional guests there.

The galley is well appointed and the centreboard box can be used to augment workop space. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The linear galley has twin sinks, a 75lt fridge and excellent worktop space, with commendably deep fiddles, that can be augmented with the top of the centreboard case. Stowage is not extensive, but a second fridge or freezer can be fitted just ahead of the main bulkhead.

There’s a heads compartment aft next to the companionway, plus a basin area and separate shower stall between the main bulkhead and forecabin. An optional second heads can also be fitted here.

Construction of the Pogo 44 is of vacuum-infused Vinylester with a 20mm foam core and monolithic sections around rudder stocks, keel box, skin fittings, saildrive, bow impact zone and chainplates.

High-density foam is used in way of deck fittings and other high impact areas of the hull. The thickness of the foam, which is used to maximise structural rigidity, also provides excellent thermal and acoustic insulation.

All bulkheads are structural and bonded in place while the hull is in the mould, so it retains shape when removed. In all, some 40 moulds are used for various components – sinks, locker lids and the companionway steps are built of foam core laminate for lightness.

Of course it’s possible to build a boat this size at a much lower cost, but it’s easy to see where the money is spent and Pogo’s operation appears to be an efficient one.

Owners certainly don’t seem to be deterred by the price tag. There are already more than 30 orders for the Pogo 44, backed by substantial non-refundable deposits, for this boat and Pogo’s expansion is limited only by the rate at which new employees can be trained.

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Pogo has a great formula that has been continuously refined over a long period. It’s therefore no surprise that there are many ways in which the Pogo 44 excels, but some compromises are inevitable. This is not a boat for those who want to cruise with all the comforts of home. However it has much to offer those who see sailing as an escape from the increasingly complex trappings of day-to-day life and are happy to forgo a few luxuries in favour of a boat with all the essentials for civilised living, while also offering an exceptional sailing experience. Aspects that impress most are how easy it is to sail fast and the comfort at speed. The huge stability that comes from the hull form and the low slung lead ballast means the boat shows no signs in any way of being flighty. In this respect it has the feel of a heavier and larger yacht.

The POGO 40 S4

The S4 is the fourth generation of Class40 from Pogo Structures.

This new design, produced by the architect Guillaume Verdier , could be the result of an infernal equation combining the following constraints:

• Minimum boat weight
• Reduced wetted surface
• + Hull power
• + Rig power
• + Versatility in navigation
• Gauge Class40

A very AGGRESSIVE HULL DESIGN :

Tested with multiple numerical simulations (CFD) by Guillaume Verdier , the hull of the S4 was selected with the best result of the various studies.

Its massive SCOW-style bow and its detached brion simultaneously provide power and a low drag surface.

The chines extend from the bow to the transom and provide the boat with fabulous stiffness.

The very tight hull on the rear part instantly benefits gliding and planing starts.

The boat is laminated using vacuum infusion technology. A know-how that POGO STRUCTURES has mastered for many years on its entire range.

The RIGGING :

The Carbon rig has the choice of the racer : one or two levels of spreaders and it is very far back on the deck to maintain the centering of the weights and further increase the surfaces of the headsails.

The rudders :

S4 rudders have long, saber-sharp profiles.

Mounted on the transom and can be lifted upwind when sailing.

A system of connecting bars between the rudders joins a central bar: saving weight and effort on the rudder heads.

For the design of the keel, Guillaume Verdier created an incredible keel sail profile incorporating a huge "torpedo" lead bulb.

The experience of the other Class40s manufactured at POGO STRUCTURES has made it possible to design a very optimized deck plan with the latest models of fittings.

For more comfort and safety, most of the maneuvers are done from the coachroof, sheltered by the coachroof which becomes the main control post of the boat.

• TECHNICAL DATA

VIDEOS Xavier Macaire Class40 S4 SNEF

Need informations .

The new Pogo 36

• February 6th, 2017
• Sailing Yacht

Sailing a Pogo yacht is truly unique. These boats are unlike others: Light. Very light. Wide. Very wide. A tiller, of course slightly over canvassed and brutally agile. Pogo yachts are big jolly boats: Very responsive, very fast. Did I say fast? They are ridiculously fast. I tried it multiple times on the very first Pogo, the Pogo 40S , grand-grandfather of the brand new Pogo 36 that was shown on Boatshow Dusseldorf.

About the Pogo 36 in general

No Frills Sailing.com | Lars Reisberg: “Charly, first of all congratulations to this new boat. The whole industry is somehow talking about her. As this is a 36 footer, can you tell me what´s new about the boat?”

Charly Fernbach: “The new Pogo 36 is above all a logical step of evolution in our yard´s line of yachts. She is not a completely new boat but incorporates a lot of lessons learned from our previous models.”

As I roam the halls at Dusseldorf Boat Show (read here my general overview ) I was – like almost everybody at the show – keen on seeing the big names, big brands and big boats of course. But next to Hall 16, where the grand names had their huge stands, another hall was filled with the small players and their (mostly) boats. Small players?

The yard from France called Pogo Structures isn´t that small, especially when it comes to the legacy of their boats. For the knowing people the sound of the name “Pogo” makes heartrates go faster and eyes become wet. In short: Pogo boats are legend. I was lucky to meet Monsieur Charly Fernbach at the stand, the notorious face of the French yard Pogo Structures who gave me a tour of the all-new racing cruiser.

Charly Fernbach´s Top 5 about the Pogo 36

The new Pogo 36 will substitute the Pogo 10.50 cruiser. But it is far more than just a replacement or refurbished model. With a LoA of 10.85 metres, a width of 4.00 metres and a draft of 2.95 metres the measurements of the new boat are slightly bigger than of its predecessor. Completely new lines and a distinctive superstructure make it easily recognizable.

NFS.com: “Tell me about, let´s say, your personal Top 5 features of the new Pogo 36 in terms of those new things.”

Charly Fernbach: “First of all there are the rudder blades and tiller touch. A lot of effort went into the improvement of their efficiency when sailing: good feeling & control from 0.5 knots speed to over 20 knots and from upwind to downwind.”

NFS.com: “You mentioned upwind performance. That´s what I would say is the achille´s heel of wide-stern planing yachts like the Pogo …”

Charly Fernbach: “Comparing the Pogo 10.50 from the year 2007, we made a lot of smaller and some bigger changes to the hull to furthermore improve upwind and light wind performance. When we did the sea trials during the European Yacht Of The Year against the J-112 our Pogo had a little superior performance in terms of pointing and speed in 10 knots of wind. Compared to the Pogo 40, a boat from the year 2005 – this new Pogo 36 is a better yacht. She is much more versatile. The Pogo 36 will plane early and overall we managed to fix some other difficulties that aroused in older boats.”

More volume in the bow

NFS.com: “In what respects?”

Charly Fernbach: “Take a look at the bow. It´s far less sharply formed. We added volume here. If you´ve got a sharp thin bow it will cut into the waves. Especially when heeling and sailing upwind older boats had the tendency to dive their nose into the water which gave the crew the hell of a ride but overall was a loss of speed and comfort.”

Indeed, when I rounded the hull from the outside I was amazed by the unfamiliar new shape of the bow. Not exactly what you´ve seen in other – mostly production and big volume boats – where the bow has a hard flat leading edge. A measure to increase the inside volume. With Pogo 36 the leading edge is no edge at all – it´s a full, round and nicely shaped curve that will increase diameter ever so slightly when you reach up the hull to the tip. Not as radical as the proposed scow bow as seen in some Classe Mini Prototypes but visibly broader.

NFS.com: “What does more volume do then?”

Charly Fernbach: “It will add buoyancy if you want. It will add a tendency of the bow to stay above the water. It is increasing the power of the hull and so its resistance to the wind. This will induce more speed. But it is also giving a better hydrodynamic flow of water to the keel reducing drag and increasing efficiency. Also, if the helmsman has more control over the boat it will surely add confidence.”

About interior design and fittings of the Pogo 36

When I was sailing the grand-grand-father of this new Pogo 36 around the Islands of Helgoland and the Danish Fyn (read it here and here ) our Skipper told some stories of guests who, upon seeing the Pogo´s interior, straight forward left the boat and never came back again. Speaking flat: Pogo´s approach to interior design is not of the one of timber, veneers, teak and classic design. But of weight saving. Means: Bare GRP and topcoat. I was keen upon seeing what the new Pogo 36 would be offering in these terms.

NFS.com: “Charly, sailing with a Pogo is also special in terms of “comfort” as Pogo Structures has a very own definition of the word “interior design”, as to put it this way …”

Charly Fernbach: (is laughing) “To achieve a lightweight boat the treatment of the inside is sober and elegant. But not “bling-bling”. More than filling the yacht with luxurious elements of the fittings, two major aspects are most important for us here: Lightness of course and ergonomics. Besides: Comparing the Pogo 10.50 you will find a proper bathroom on the Pogo 36.”

NFS.com: “… with a door?”

Charly Fernbach: “… yes, with a proper door. Seriously, a boat needs to be lightweight and powerful in order to be able to plane. That´s a very easy equation, at least on paper. But we tried to make the yacht a bit more appealing at least. An important topic for a real sailing yacht from our point of view is a tryptic of ergonomics, functionality and easy maintenance.”

And here I am, standing inside this huge proper saloon. Yes, there is a lot less wooden fittings to be found in here, but the quality of the ones I saw was convincing. The boat is extremely light-suffused which comes from the clever allocation of the windows in the superstructure of the boat. A huge dining table in the middle of the settees remind me of the cosy evenings in harbours aboard the Pogo 40.

I love the modern navigation station which will be adored by sailors for sure, the proper galley is big enough to prepare meals for the crew. The mentioned head in the fore cabin with a proper door is a definitive step forward for Pogo. In the end, I was puzzled – as always when entering a Pogo – by the amount of room inside this 36 foot long boat. Which is easily comparable to the space of a 40 to 42 foot yacht.

On Pogo 36 sailing abilities

NFS.com: “The name Pogo is above all a harbinger of speed. I can remember being aboard one of your boats under sails and the crew was staring at the speedometer: Everything below 10 knots was a kind of disappointment it seemed. So speed is the main attribute – tell me more about the sailing performance of the new Pogo 36.”

Charly Fernbach: “At first: The Pogo 36 as a breed of Structures is a fast sailing yacht for sure. She is fast, responsive and very agile. She is above all easy to sail fast. She loves light wind conditions as well as strong winds. As one of the latest generation offshore boats her mast is stepped more on the rear to offer a relatively narrow main sail – which is more efficient – and bigger angle of stay to generate nose lifting at reaching angles of sailing.”

NFS.com: “No backstays here?”

Charly Fernbach: “No, completely different from the Class 40 racer you know. Pogo 36 is a real cruising boat. She has to be accessible and safe. So with the carbon mast the boat simply doesn´t need a backstay.”

On Class 40 racing yachts

NFS.com: “You mentioned Class 40. Pogo Structures offers the S3 in their range of very successful pure racers. What´s about the Class itself?”

Charly Fernbach: “With just 10 years the Class 40 is still young.”

NFS.com: “Can you explain that?”

Charly Fernbach: “Well, like basically everything, a class has life cycle too. When it is introduced, boats are affordable and people come to the class to have fun there. Back then, some 10 years or so ago, a Class 40 sailing yacht would cost some 140.000 Euros. Now the class gets more and more competitive and the last details to increase the performance are often really expensive. Now some teams will spend more than 500.000 Euros for Class 40 racing yachts itself. I think that it is important to keep nonprofessional sailors on the fleet of Class 40 by keeping the cost for boats reasonable. This is important for the future.

NFS.com: “So Structures will abandon the Class 40 concept?”

Charly Fernbach: “No, not at all. With our Classe Mini and Class 40 we have a line of pure offshore racers. For us as a company this is a platform for development to make fast cruisers, such like the Pogo 12.50 and this new Pogo 36.

NFS.com: “That means?”

Charly Fernbach: “Take the Route du Rhum. After such a very hard race the boats will have undergone the harshest testing conditions you can imagine. You cannot reproduce those conditions in test scenarios in your home bay. So after such a race we see where the weak points are and what we can improve both for the racing yachts and our fast cruisers. Just like Formula One for a carmaker, regatta racing is our testbed.”

NFS.com: “Charly, thanks so much for answering my questions and giving an exclusive insight in the latest developments of Pogo Structures.”

So I leave the small stand of Pogo Structures. Take a last look at the small Pogo 36. And I know, that this might be one of the biggest boats whatsoever of the whole show, a real star of the fleet and probably one of the most exciting boats of the fair. I´d love to see her sailing – and when imagining the boat running two digit speeds downwind I can clearly see myself at the helm. Smiling bright and happy.

Browse all articles related to the Boatshow Dusseldorf by clicking this #boatshowdusseldorf hashtag.

Other interesting articles on that topic:

Gennaker sailing a Class 40

Merfyn Owen, Britton Ward and Marc Lombard on Class 40 racing yachts

Lizzy Foreman on her MiniTransat race 2015