The newest TP52 Trinity has become the first yacht in the 52 Super Series to adopt a full suite of cutting-edge hydraulic innovations from Harken, setting a new benchmark for the highly competitive fleet. The same Harken hydraulic engineers who helped keep Oracle Team USA and Ben Ainslie’s Athena Racing flying through three America’s Cups, and who equipped both Gitana foiling Ultims, have now turned their expertise toward a boat where every fraction of a second counts.
Trinity’s hydraulic package represents a bold step forward for the class. Adopting unproven technology requires confidence, as the owner’s project manager Micky Costa explains, but the potential gains made the decision worthwhile. ‘It’s a leap into the unknown, but my job is improving the boat every chance I get,’ he says. ‘When I saw what they proposed, it was exactly what I wanted.’
Working alongside Costa were Harken’s head of grand prix sales Mark Wiss, director of engineering Steve Orlebeke and Ben Biddick, who leads hydraulic engineering at the company’s Pewaukee, Wisconsin headquarters. Jim Stone of Gorilla Rigging and Felix Schliebitz also played key roles in the installation.
Ordinarily, the sailing team would have significant input into the systems package, but this project was different. ‘It’s a new team,’ says Costa. ‘They came with no experience, so I tried to transfer my knowledge from other teams and make the boat as easy as possible to use. The goal was to get them sailing straight away with minimal setup time.’ The sailors provided input on the optimal location for the hydraulic controls, particularly for the jib trimmer, but simplicity remained the guiding principle.
The relationship between Costa and Harken spans many years, built on a shared focus on performance and problem-solving. ‘I’ve always felt supported and they give great service,’ says Costa. ‘If you have a problem, they won’t come with excuses.’ Biddick values the relationship just as highly. ‘Micky is exceptionally good at what he does and very demanding. He’s been a great partner for a long time, so we make sure we listen carefully to what he has to say. We’re always looking for every small advantage.’ For Wiss, that customer-focused approach is central to Harken’s culture. ‘It’s something Peter and Olaf Harken brought every day: listen to the customer and solve their problem.’
The challenge was to design and build the most advanced hydraulic system yet seen on a TP52. Earlier-generation boats relied on hydraulics for only two functions, backstay deflectors and headstay adjustment, while most other controls used rope purchases and block-and-tackle systems. As teams pursued cleaner interiors and lower overall weight, a more integrated hydraulic solution became increasingly attractive. ‘Compared with other projects we see, the loads are not very high,’ says Wiss, ‘so we needed extremely compact equipment operating at very high pressure while remaining affordable.’
For Costa, the benefits of sophisticated hydraulics extend well beyond performance. ‘If I didn’t have hydraulic jib up-and-down, jib tack and jib inhaul controls, and instead used traditional rope purchases, it would add another week to the build process. A jib-in system with a 48:1 purchase and spool boxes can use more than 50 metres of rope. We still use rope purchases for the cunningham, outhaul and vang, but if every function used rope systems the boat would become a mess. With hydraulics you have a small cylinder, a strop, valves and hoses. It’s much simpler.’
Class rules prohibit electrical actuation, so all hydraulic valves must be operated mechanically. To meet that requirement, Trinity carries four of Harken’s new-generation hydraulic valves, with a fifth mounted as a spare. Six control lines at the jib trimmer’s station operate three valves responsible for jib clew up-and-down adjustment, inhaul and jib tack control.
Reducing operating effort was a major design objective, according to Biddick. ‘Micky gave us very specific feedback about the positions the sailors operate from and the amount of force they can comfortably apply while maintaining control,’ he explains. ‘We took that to heart and made sure the lever geometry and ratios worked effectively in those real-world sailing positions.’
Serviceability is equally important. ‘If there’s an issue, we want the fastest possible path to maintenance,’ says Biddick. ‘Wear components are external and visible, so they can be replaced without having to dismantle the hydraulic system itself.’ Every valve is tested under maximum operating loads before leaving the factory. ‘When it reaches the boat, we know it has already experienced the worst conditions it’s likely to encounter and still performs as intended,’ Biddick says. The design is also future-ready, capable of accepting electric actuation should class rules eventually permit it.
The valve system is only one part of Trinity’s hydraulic package. Equally important is how that system is powered. To supply hydraulic oil pressure for jib trim functions, Harken developed a stand-alone recirculating line-drive pump mounted in the bilge and nicknamed Evinrude. The trimmer pulls a line integrated into the footrest, spinning a pump that builds hydraulic pressure. A bungee system then retracts the line, ready for the next stroke.
‘On Trinity, the jib trimmer is completely self-sufficient,’ says Wiss. ‘He has complete control of his sail functions. And nobody wants the crew leaving the rail to pump oil for him.’ The system can also be tuned to suit individual sailors by adjusting the spool diameter, altering the balance between pumping speed and hydraulic power.
The feedback from Trinity’s first regatta in Puerto Portals was immediate. ‘Their jib trimmer was over the moon with how well everything worked,’ says Wiss. ‘Hearing that from the sailor actually using the system was especially rewarding.’
Perhaps the most elegant innovation sits below deck in the bow: a compound forestay and jib tack cylinder developed through four separate design iterations. ‘That product is certainly not on any other boat,’ says Biddick. ‘We’ve only made two.’ The challenge it solves is deceptively simple. Traditionally, easing the headstay without easing the jib tack system can overload the sail and potentially damage equipment. By linking both functions mechanically, Trinity allows the relative position of the jib tack to adjust automatically as the headstay is eased.
The engineering challenge was preventing damaging side loads. Placing a 1.75-tonne jib tack load onto a forestay cylinder already carrying nine tonnes can create bending loads that compromise seals and reduce component life. Harken’s solution is a pivoting yoke that keeps the loads aligned in pure tension. ‘It’s a triangulation scenario,’ Biddick explains, ‘that allows the loads to articulate and remain balanced as they increase and decrease.’ The result is a lighter, stronger and more serviceable assembly, where each cylinder can be removed independently without disturbing the other.
Costa was impressed by the final result. ‘It’s a new development and a very pleasant surprise. It’s light too. The guys in Pewaukee have done a good job.’
Arriving at the final design required several false starts. ‘We started producing it, then stopped and said, this isn’t market-worthy,’ Wiss recalls. ‘We tested it, showed it to potential customers and received some pretty blunt feedback. That told us we needed to rethink the concept.’ The breakthrough came unexpectedly. ‘One morning Ben showed up and said, I have an idea. We pushed him hard on it, and it turned into the solution.’ For Biddick, that process is simply part of engineering. ‘That’s why we test. We test to learn and to make sure that our products don’t fail in the field. If a problem still exists, you keep working until you solve it.’
The final piece of the package is Trinity’s new down-drive pedestal system. The design allows grinders to switch between full-speed and full-power modes using a foot switch without interrupting handle rotation. Traditionally, crews had to stop grinding during transitions, costing valuable time and momentum. ‘Now you can switch between hydraulic and winch functions without stopping,’ says Biddick. ‘If four sailors are already at maximum effort, eliminating that pause can be a significant advantage.’
In the tightly contested TP52 fleet, even fractions of a second matter. Trinity finished mid-fleet on her competitive debut, but the early signs were encouraging. ‘The first days of competitive sailing are always a little nerve-racking,’ says Wiss. ‘You hope that everything works and has been installed correctly. But once Trinity reached Puerto Portals, everyone was happy. Then they went out and won one of the races, which was exciting.’
For Harken, Trinity represents the culmination of years of feedback, testing and refinement. By working closely with sailors and continuously iterating designs, the company has developed a suite of systems aimed at delivering meaningful gains where they matter most. In a fleet where races can be decided by fractions of a second, those details can provide the decisive edge.
