T he iconic Wild Oats XI is reborn as Palm Beach XI, setting sail for a new era of innovation, performance, and racing legacy — ahead of her much-anticipated debut at the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this December.
Just days after announcing its custodianship of the legendary Wild Oats XI, Palm Beach Motor Yachts has unveiled the full scope of the yacht’s transformation into Palm Beach XI — a bold statement of design evolution and technological excellence.
Under the direction of Mark Richards, Palm Beach Motor Yachts’ Founder and CEO, the project draws on over four decades of yacht-building mastery and ocean-racing experience. Richards leads a world-class collaboration that includes Juan Kouyoumdjian (Juan K Naval Architects), renowned for America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race-winning designs, McConaghy Boats, specialists in composite race yachts, and North Sails, providing a state-of-the-art sail package.
The upgraded Palm Beach XI features a next-generation appendage package including a deeper keel fin and bulb for improved righting moment, advanced upwind daggerboards for higher pointing ability, and radical C-foils engineered to enhance lift and minimize drag — innovations that promise to return the yacht to the forefront of offshore competition.
Set to relaunch in December 2025 for the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Palm Beach XI marks the start of a two-year global campaign that will showcase Palm Beach’s passion for precision and performance on the world stage.
As Richards puts it:
“Every lesson we learn here flows directly into our motor yacht range, ensuring our owners benefit from technology proven at the cutting edge of the sport and our industry.”
A fusion of racing DNA and yacht-building innovation, Palm Beach XI is more than a race contender — it’s the ultimate expression of Palm Beach Motor Yachts’ philosophy: where craftsmanship meets performance, and passion meets purpose.
