Golden Globe race - to qualify!

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
469
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
Wasn't Moitessier the famous sailor and author that didn't finish the race, instead kept on sailing?
Yes, if he had continued on instead of going to Tahiti, he would have been one of two finishers on the first Golden Globe race.
 
Aug 13, 2012
533
Catalina 270 Ottawa
Wow, strict rules.
There are few of these races in Europe. I know of one that is run this way in the Baltic. No GPS, No cell, No sat phones (or rather all of the above, but in a sealed container). Only allowed are the compass, mechanical speed log, depth and binoculars. Though it is a bit easier in the constrained space like the Baltic Sea (you are never more than just a few hours out of sighting the land.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
It seems a little silly to me. I'm all for keeping the old traditions alive through their practice but to have the equipment on board and keep it locked up doesn't make much sense to me. A it's a bit dangerous - especially the weather forecasting.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
One could then argue that if they are trying to keep it traditional then they should be using the boats of that era. I too am a little perplexed that the technology is available but cannot be used. That goes against the flow of progress. But, that is what they want to do and as long as they do not repeat the '79 Fastnet race, all is good.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
They are.
Indeed. The boat has to have been designed before 1988, 32 to 36 feet long, and needs to have a full keel and a transom hung rudder.

The idea is to as closely as possible replicate the conditions of the original race. For safety boats will have beacons and GPS that can be used in emergency situations. And a sat phone for a weekly call-in. But Knox-Johnson wanted it this way. And at least it's different. There are enough tech-laden skimmers raced by mad Frenchmen doing laps already!
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Here's the full deal.

To celebrate Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s historic 1968/9 world first solo non-stop circumnavigation in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Yacht Race, a new Golden Globe Race will be staged to mark the 50th Anniversary of that epic, starting from Falmouth on June 14th, 2018. Like the original Sunday Times event,the 2018 Golden Globe Race is very simple. Depart Les Sables-d’Olonne, France on July 1st, 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables-d’Olonne. Entrants are limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was available to Sir Robin in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite based navigation aids. Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 – 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 that have a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts are heavily built, strong and sturdy, similar in concept to Sir Robin’s 32ft vessel Suhaili. In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the ‘Golden Age’ of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow, sturdy 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She was heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge with no outside assistance or aid of modern day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive. But he was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer. This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for ‘those who dare’, just as it was for Sir Robin. They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves. Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow. It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea in little boats, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race will be a fitting tribute to the first edition and it’s winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.
 
Oct 3, 2014
261
Marlow-Hunter MH37 Lake City, MN
I've been following the lead up to this race since I first saw an article about the sailor @Jackdaw mentions, Nabil Amra, in the local paper.

Anyone who makes it to the starting line is already pretty amazing for being willing to embark on this adventure. I find it more impressive than, say, the Vendée Globe, which itself is pretty awesome.
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I've been following the lead up to this race since I first saw an article about the sailor @Jackdaw mentions, Nabil Amra, in the local paper.

Anyone who makes it to the starting line is already pretty amazing for being willing to embark on this adventure. I find it more impressive than, say, the Vendée Globe, which itself is pretty awesome.
Yea I've known Nabil for about 8 years. While my First 235 was on Lake Harriet, his Compac 23 'Sea Donkey' was on Lake Calhoun right next door in downtown Minneapolis. It was common for a bunch of us to head to each others boats for a sail and good times.
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
This is very interesting and amazing to me as a new sailor for sure and really fun to watch from the side lines. I did long distance motorcycle competition for years and technology become very important then there were some great old school competitions the decided to ban technology and go back to the basics of paper maps and no GPS and computers. Fun times and really tests your abilities like I imagine this will to these 30 sailors.
 
Oct 3, 2014
261
Marlow-Hunter MH37 Lake City, MN
More than the lack of technology, I can't imagine the mental toll this has to take on a person. I run trail ultramarathons and so far my longest race has taken me 11 hours. Next year I'm attempting a 100 mile race which would likely take me around 32 hours. 11 hours in your own head is manageable. 32 hours I think will be a challenge. 300 days is unimaginable!!
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
I think that this is the greatest idea for a race that has come along since the original GGR. Men and women sailing boats designed more for going out on the ocean than speed or performance, and doing it as those many of us revere (Slocum, RKJ, Moitessier, Irving Johnson, just to name a few) did, using their minds and bodies, not technology.
Races like the Volvo leave me cold. It's so much about money, tech, and equipment, and folks can buy their way into crewing positions, just like climbing Everest.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
When I started cruising I had a VHF. GPS had not been invented and the rest I couldn't afford.

I don't think the lack of instruments would bother me much, but the lack of human interaction could mess you up for life. Read "A Voyage for Madmen;" nearly 1/3 of the race entrants the first time went nuts. I'm just not feeling it.
Or watch ‘Deep Water’, the biopic chronicling the ill fated David Chowhurst.
 
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Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
I've been following this since Jackdaw made the original post.
Going to be an interesting odyssey to watch.
I showed it to my wife and mentioned that my boat would almost qualify for the race. Just 2 things keeping me from applying for the next one. I don't have the 10$ of thousand$ of dollar$ to make it happen and I don't think I can rack up 10K miles of ocean sailing.
:)
 
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Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
The Golden Globe Race website has a link to a tracker. Suzie Goodall (purple) is in 5th place. Istvan Kopar (orange) is 16th.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@Roadking Larry don’t you also need to have one of the specified boats.
2018 Golden Globe Race approved designs: Westsail 32 • Tradewind 35 • Saga 34 • Saltram 36 • Vancouver 32 & 34 • OE 32 • Eric (sister ship to Suhaili) • Aries 32 • Baba 35 • Biscay 36 • Bowman 36 • Cape Dory 36 • Nicholson 32 MKX-XI • Rustler 36, Endurance 35, Gaia 36, Hans Christian 33T, Tashiba 36, Cabo Rico 34, Hinckley Pilot 35, Lello 34, Gale Force 34.​
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
@Roadking Larry don’t you also need to have one of the specified boats.
2018 Golden Globe Race approved designs: Westsail 32 • Tradewind 35 • Saga 34 • Saltram 36 • Vancouver 32 & 34 • OE 32 • Eric (sister ship to Suhaili) • Aries 32 • Baba 35 • Biscay 36 • Bowman 36 • Cape Dory 36 • Nicholson 32 MKX-XI • Rustler 36, Endurance 35, Gaia 36, Hans Christian 33T, Tashiba 36, Cabo Rico 34, Hinckley Pilot 35, Lello 34, Gale Force 34.​
That list is the boats that they know of that meet the age, design, and series requirements. If you find another one you can race it! ;-)
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Watching this start out has been painful. Partly because the skippers cannot access weather services, and partly because only a few of them have any real ocean racing credentials. My buddy Nabil had some miles under him, but not racing. His early track makes my stomach queasy.

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They are averaging about 70nm/day. At that rate they will run out of food and water.