The first Sun Odyssey 33i is now here on display at Gibson Marina and is definitely worth seeing. Having now sailed this yacht I can tell you that it is beautifully balanced across a range of conditions and easily sailed single-handed. What’s surprising about it is how stiff it feels and I found that it felt like a much bigger yacht at sea. As an example in terms of ballast ratio it is 13% stiffer than the Hanse 325 and that’s before you take into account that it has a light injection moulded deck, so in real terms it is probably more than 15% stiffer. It has a STIX stability of 36.75, or an unloaded point of vanishing stability of 136 degrees which is extremely stiff for a yacht of this type. But the best news is just what extraordinary value it is at only $146,411 sailaway. Register your interest now at info@performanceboating.com.au
What does STIX mean? The Stability index, STIX, of a yacht defines the dynamic stability of the yacht. Only monohull sailing yachts between 6 and 24 meters get a STIX value between 1 and 100. The higher the STIX value, the more stable the boat when under way (hence dynamic stability). Note that there is a relation between the STIX value of a boat and it’s CE Category. A CE Category A requires a minimum STIX value of 32, while CE category B requires a minimum STIX value of 23. Calculating STIX values is rather complex. The base value is calculated using the length, where the longer the boat the higher the base value will be. This base value is then multiplied with 7 factors, each having an impact on the stability of the boat. A factor will increase the boats overall dynamic stability. Finally, boats with an internal buoyancy (Like Etap) get an extra 5 added to the STIX.