Pete Goss Reveals Why Garcia Yachts Are Built to Go Anywhere

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]The Garcia range of exploration yachts is quite unique in terms of bluewater sailing. And what we would like to do is share with you and explore some of the reasons why One of the great benefits of a Garcia is is that um the hull is built of aluminium. Now, none of us want an accident, but we do want to be protected from it. Uh that could be ice, it could be going ground, or just simply wanting to run the boat up the beach to be able to scrub the bottom. So, aluminium is a very strong material, but it's also light. And we need that to for performance. Uh we don't want to have excess on the boat. And so the structure has thicker aluminium in the bottom and then it gets lighter as you go up the top side. So we're not carrying unnecessary weight. One of the fantastic things about aluminium and I've seen this is should there be a collision or the hull is distorted, what with happens with aluminium is it doesn't tear. Uh and so what you have is is you maintain that integrity of the hole where you can then go and get help if needed. So you've got a very robust and durable hole and you you know you can't ask for more than that and of course aluminium is the answer. If you buy a um a boat in Europe and of course Garcia are built in Sherburgg, you're inevitably on your blue water to cruise going to um head down the Portuguese coast. And of course, a very topical subject at the moment is Orca attacking boats and a number of boats have been sunk. And it seems that they've been sunk because as the rudder has been pulled backwards and forwards, the the bottom bearing in the hole has broken a hole and and of course the boat has sunk. Now with the Garcia, it's designed with with this in mind in the sense that the structure in the hull is absolutely massive and is certainly stronger than the rudder stock. I mean, a classic example was Jenny Cornell went through the Northwest Passage. She hit a big lump of ice, bent the rudder stock, and he was completely unaware of this until 2,000 mi of sailing later he lifted the boat out to check it and noticed that the rudder stock had been bent. And so you want your primary strength in the hole and not in the rudder. And that's what you get with this system on the Garcia.

[00:02:44]The Garcia has many interesting features and one of the key ones you can't see because it's underwater. Most boats would have a fixed keel which give you writing moment and lateral resistance.

[00:02:54]Well, with Garcia, they've separated the two. There's internal ballast, so you have permanent writing moment, but then they have a centerboard to give lateral resistance. And this brings many, many benefits. First of all, it means that you can go into very shallow areas. That opens up your expiration. But in terms of safety, if you're going downwind, you pull the centerboard right up and the boat becomes very dosile. What most boats can do is trip up on their keel.

[00:03:21]So, it gives you many more options in terms of control. In addition to that, partly because the boat can dry out on a beach, is there twin rudders. Now, they're quite interesting because they have a SKG to protect them, but if you did hit something significant like a big chunk of ice, they're designed with a crash box so that they can bend and yet you still have control. And if you combine all of these, they give you much much more sort of many more gear changes and options in terms of blue water sailing. And this is an amazing feature and and it's a huge safety feature, but it's also a good feature in terms of efficiency of your power wear and tear.

[00:04:00]So what I always say is you steer the boat with the centerboard because as you come off the wind you can slowly bring it bring it up until the boat in essence becomes neutral and then all you ask of your rudders is to trim and so that reduces wear and tear, reduces the autopilot work, that reduces power consumption and so suddenly this thing that you might normally have to fight is actually this upward spiral that's playing into your hands. It's amazing system.

[00:04:34]There always seems to have been a tension between function and comfort, certainly when it comes to expedition yachts. And what Garcia have done, they've been able to marry the two together. And so we have this incredibly functional machine. There's nowhere in the world that you can't go. But of course, at the same time, you're at sea for a long time, and this becomes your home. And and the word I would use is luxurious. I mean, the quality of the finish is is absolutely amazing.

[00:05:05]But what you're doing is you're living inside this this cocoon of protection.

[00:05:10]So, it's fully insulated. We have double glazed windows and socially, it's a wonderful place to live. Why would you design a boat to take you somewhere exotic and then go and live in a cave down below? And of course with this pilot house, what the boat has done, it's lovely, light, and airy and and you're out there looking at what you've you've been dreaming about looking at for many years. So this combination makes a wonderful bluewater cruiser.

[00:05:39]When you buy a boat like a Garcia, clearly your intent is to do some serious blue water sailing, and therefore you're going to put yourself through the full spectrum of weather, winds, temperatures. you you name it.

[00:05:53]And and of course, if you're going to do that, you need to be able to change gear to those different uh conditions. And really, the boat breaks into uh three areas. There's there's the cockpit where you're up on deck. It's nice and safe and protected, and it's designed for short-handed sailing, so all the workers in the safety of the cockpit. The next gear is, you know, if it's nighttime or the weather is getting worse. So, you can go in under the um doghouse and that's a protected area, but you'd probably still be in your wet weather gear and you you know, you can jump between the cockpit and the third gear, which is down here. And this is quite unique because this setup enables you to be really at the heart of the boat.

[00:06:38]Often these boats are sailed with a couple and therefore you don't want to be too spread apart. So, you're in here, it's warm, it's safe, it's reserving your resources, and um you can steer and navigate the boat from here. And um it it's absolutely amazing. Uh and of course, you can make yourself a cup of tea and and I think this is a big feature in terms of safety, but of course, just the enjoyment of uh sharing what you're doing.

[00:07:06]Olivia Rakupu is is a world famous for designing these amazing racing boats.

[00:07:12]What he did is he took some of that DNA and and put it into the Garcia. Now, we're not looking for high speeds when we're bluewater cruising. What we're looking for is a a a high steady average. Uh and and that's what he's really bought to this boat. So, it's a very easily driven hole. Um it's easy to get up to that nice average and then maintain it. But, of course, once you've got up to speed, what you want is is comfort and security. And what we have is a very strong uh hole, very strong structure, but it also has a very easy motion. So all the tankage is deep down in the middle of the boat. Even the anchor chain comes back and is stowed into the center. So what that does is it gives you a really nice motion. It gives you a good average speed which just eats those males up without trying. And and I think that for me is a really nice sweet spot that um he's found with the Garcia.

[00:08:10]The other thing then is is you're looking for for control. You know, control is important and that is gifted to these boats with the centerboard.

[00:08:19]Now, when you're going off the wind, which is what you're doing a lot when you're blue water cruising, you know, you're looking at these big these big weather systems, like a big roundabout, and you jump onto it, and you follow it round and jump off when you get to your your destination. And so, you're looking for directional stability when going downwind. And of course, as soon as you pull up that centerboard, all the lateral resistance goes to the rudders at the back of the boat, and she becomes quite dosile. I think dosile is the best word I can come up with. And so you've got a good high average, you've got comfortable motion, and you've got great directional stability. Can't ask for much more than that.

[00:09:01]We're very, very privileged to walk this amazing planet that we live on. And sadly, a lot of people don't get the opportunity to really see what it has to offer. And to do that, you need to get out into the wilds. It's been the most fulfilling thing I've ever done in my life. Now, to be able to do that, you need a good, safe, solid, reliable vehicle. But on top of that, you have to overlay endurance. You know, I'm talking about endurance for months, months and months at a time. So, we need energy.

[00:09:31]Well, the boat produces its own. We have solar. You can have a generator. You can have a hydrogenerator.

[00:09:38]Uh, we need water. So, we have a a um water maker and very big tankage. And then, of course, you need lots of food.

[00:09:46]Lots of food requires stowage, and this boat has an amazing amount of stowage.

[00:09:52]The equipment, for a start, is very good and reliable. It's tried and tested over hundreds and hundreds of boats, but everything is accessible. There's no part of this boat that is inaccessible.

[00:10:03]And and many things are installed with servicing in mind. You have great service manuals. You have great support from Garcia. And and I think that's a a a big part of what comes with a with a Garcia is is it just gives you the confidence to go and stretch yourself and and go and um marvel at this wonderful planet that we live in.