Windrose L6 Vāyu

Most racing pinnaces are custom built, but the Windrose L6 Vāyu exists for those who wish a pre-buiilt package with which to pretend at being a part of the elite. Made specifically for its speed, these ships are usually housed on other, larger ships or used by rich kids to race around the Inner planets. They’re essentially a life-support module attached to an Epstein Drive and not much else. These hobby boats are made for the wealthy or well-connected to compete in legal (or illegal) space races, fierce competitions that often carry a lot of betting power.
Most racing pinnaces are between 20 and 30 meters long, though most of them are custom built and can get longer or shorter. The Vāyu has two crash couches, which are surrounded by computers, panels, systems, and equipment on all sides. These tend to be sleek and designed to maximize speed. Like Yachts, they are some of the few ships in the solar system to have custom exterior paint jobs.
These ships have no extra equipment or even space for cargo or storage. The entirety of the inside is dedicated to the pilot and co-pilot, and even that doesn’t have much wiggle room. There is a small cabin located in the aft section that is more like a coffin. Cutting out excess systems and equipment reduces the weight and increases maneuverability. Unlike other ships, the racing pinnace’s engine is sealed and completely inaccessible from the interior—all mechanical and engineering repairs must be done on the outside.
It should be noted that racing in The Expanse is as much about the tolerances of the human body as it is the ship itself. No ship involved in a race can reach the levels of acceleration it’s technically capable of without killing its pilot. The ships that perform best are the ones with the highest quality acceleration drugs, the most sophisticated life support systems, and the most physically fit pilots.

Special Combat Rules

The pinnace is made for speed and precision, meaning it’s faster than the average ship of its size. During the Maneuvers step of space combat, this vessel may move up to two range bands, and when it or an enemy ship wants to maintain distance, it gets an additional +1 bonus for the opposed Dexterity (Piloting) test.

Power Generation

Fusion Drive

Propulsion

Epstein Drive, Thrusters

Weapons & Armament

None

Armor and defense

None

Communication Tools & Systems

Wide and Narrow band communication antenna

Sensors

RADAR, LADAR, Radio receptor, optical telescopes

Additional & auxiliary systems

Agile III, Good Juice, Maneuverable, Reduced Crew Requirements

Designation

Racing Pinnace

Length

30m

Complement / Crew

1 (2)