In concert with most sportboats, the Esse 850 is designed as an alternative to the complexity of traditional sloop-rigged sailboats, with an emphasis on ease of handling with a small crew and exceptional speeds.
The weight reduction over traditional designs means that a larger percentage of the total weight of the boat is concentrated in the keel providing greater stability and the ability to carry a larger sail plan for greater power.
The design concentrates the righting moment of the keel in a 770 kilogram torpedo-shaped bulb at the end of an airfoil shaped fin.
The high righting moment allows the design to carry a larger than normal sail area which increases power and consequently speed through the water.
The sail plan is characterized by a large mainsail and a high aspect ratio jib in a fractional rig design.