North Atlantic
Cincinnati Teacher Completes Record trans-Atlantic Row
Cincinnati schoolteacher Bryce Carlson set a record for the fastest solo unsupported west-east row across the North Atlantic ocean on Saturday and also became the first U.S. citizen to complete the feat.The 37-year-old landed at the port of St Mary's in the Scilly Isles, off the coast of south-west England, some 38 days six hours and 49 minutes after he set off from St John's in Newfoundland.The previous record for the solo west-east crossing was 53 days eight hours and 26 minutes set by Canadian Laval St.
Manslaughter Charges Sought in Yacht Tragedy
Following the U.K. Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s more than two-year-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal loss of the yacht Cheeki Rafiki in May 2014, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided to bring charges against Douglas Innes and Stormforce Coaching Limited. Four sailors were killed after the 40-foot yacht lost its keel more than 700 miles from Nova Scotia while en route from the U.K. from Antigua. “We have authorized the charging of Douglas Innes with four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and Douglas Innes and Stormforce Coaching Limited with one charge contrary to section 100 Merchant Shipping Act 1995…
New Yacht Delivery Service: Delivery Passagemakers
Two experienced USCG licensed Captains based in Rhode Island have teamed up to launch a multi-faceted yacht delivery service. Capt. Bill Madison, with more than 30 years’ experience as a licensed Ocean Master with a 1600-ton (GRT) ticket, and Capt. Mike Martel, with a 100GRT near-coastal license, have partnered to form Delivery Passagemakers, combining their experience, sea-knowledge, and compatible approach to serve boat owners, brokers, and anyone needing a vessel moved from Point “A” to Point “B”.
KVH Expands mini-VSAT Broadband Network
KVH Industries, Inc. expanded the capacity of its mini-VSAT Broadband network with two upgrades recently, supporting growing customer demand for broadband at sea. One expansion added a new satellite beam that doubled the mini-VSAT Broadband network capacity in the North Atlantic Ocean region, including Canada’s Hudson Bay. The second expansion added a new beam across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to add 30 percent more capacity across areas such as the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Custom Yachts Feature Hybrid Battery Propulsion
A pair of custom motor yachts is packed with state-of-the-art features and technologies, most notable among them: hybrid propulsion systems. The two yachts may look different, but they are in fact the same design, with an exterior customized according to the owner’s preferences. The owners were keen to give a distinctive look, and several configurations of superstructures were developed with particular focus on personal expression, the designer noted. The vessels feature reinforced steel hulls and aluminum superstructures…
MAIB Blames 'Structural Weakness' in Cheeki Rafiki Capsize
An accident report into the loss of the Cheeki Rafiki mid-way through a transatlantic crossing last May, found that undetected damage to fittings around the keel after a string of earlier groundings are among the likely causes, says the Telegraph. The loss of four UK sailors in the Atlantic was "a tragic accident", the head of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said. Days later the hull of the 40ft yacht was found with its life raft still on board. There was no sign of the crew. The loss of the yacht Cheeki Rafiki and its four crew in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 720 miles east–south-east of Nova Scotia…
Volvo Ocean Race: Leg 1 Preview
B&G, official supplier to The Volvo Ocean Race, has teamed up with journalist and author Mark Chisnell to create a series of weekly blogs providing behind the scenes insights into the race’s tactics and results. Starting with a preview of the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 from Alicante to Cape Town, the former America’s Cup Navigator, sailing journalist, marine electronics expert and author will provide B&G with exclusive weekly, in-depth technical analysis of the action as it unfolds on the racecourse.
Fair Weather Foils Spindrift Atlantic Record Bid
The wait is over says Spindrift racing. On stand-by for suitable weather since the beginning of June 2014, Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and the rest of the team has abandoned their attempt to break the Crewed North Atlantic Record and prepares to sail home to France. Since their arrival in Newport, an unusually powerful anticyclone located at high latitudes has starved them of any opportunity to take on the record. There is no time to relax, however, and Spindrift racing must now focus on the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, which will depart from Saint-Malo on November 2nd.
Sailboat Atlantic Record Contender Waits in Newport
Following an 8-day trial voyage from La Trinité-sur-Mer (France), during which substantial information was obtained, Spindrift 2, the maxi-trimaran, has arrived at Rhode Island harbour, and waits for favorable weather before attacking the North Atlantic sailboat record. Co-skippers Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard and their crew now enter the critical phase of meticulously monitoring the weather. They must wait for the best window to launch their attempt to break the crewed North Atlantic record between New York and Lizard Point (England).
FIPOFIX Making Second Transatlantic Crossing
The extreme sailor Sedlacek passed the Bermuda’s. Already 1,200 nautical miles in the wake of the FIPOFIX. Departing on May 16, 2014 at 17:40 MESZ from West Palm Beach (U.S.) for the second crossing race to Les Sables d’Olonne (France), the extreme sailor Harald Sedlacek and his only 4.9 meter short volcanic prototype FIPOFIX reached on Sunday evening the north of the Bermuda’s. The second record crossing race which brings the extreme sailor back to Europe, is going until now without any technical problems.
Spindrift Preparing Trimaran Yacht for Atlantic Record Attempt
A team of twenty has been working in the Spindrift boatyard in Lorient to adapt the maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2 for a 2014 programme with the dual requirement of the crewed North Atlantic record attempt and the solo Route du Rhum, says Spindrift Racing. "With Spindrift racing, we are tackling the records held by this boat, which is the largest in its class. To beat them, we must optimise the machine," Antoine Carraz, the technical manager and a sailor with Spindrift racing explains. "This year, we are doing crewed and solo. We made choices to be able to perform in both pursuits.
Boaters Enlisted to Help Track Whales
Yachters and sailors are invited to help scientists track the movements of endangered humpback whales between NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and its sister sanctuaries across the Caribbean as part of Carib Tails, a new international citizen science effort. Carib Tails is a collaboration between the sanctuary and partners at Marine Mammal Sanctuary of the Dominican Republic, Agoa Marine Mammal Sanctuary/French Antilles, Bermuda Marine Mammal Sanctuary, the marine mammal sanctuaries of the Windward and Leeward Dutch Antilles…
Rowing Record Attempt on Course for Success
Sedlacek rounds Cape Finisterre, approximately 4,200 nautical miles left to St. Augustine, U.S. Thursday 23.01.2014, at 16.36 UTC Harald Sedlacek and his volcanic-miniboat FIPOFIX have passed Cape Finisterre, a key waypoint for his record run. Almost one week Sedlacek had a long battle against the storm cells, breaking sea and treacherous flow labyrinth in the wintery Bay of Biscay. During few hours the FIPOFIX runs on SSW-course parallel to the Portuguese Atlantic coast. “I am incredibly relieved to have made the Bay of Biscay despite to the recent problems with the board electronics.
2nd Start-Countdown for Volcanic Fibre Mini Fipofix
Only three days left to the restart of our transatlantic-record attempt single-handed – nonstop – without any external assistance. The Austrian technology company Fipofix and the Austrian art of engineering set new standards. From continent to continent, "Proof of Principle” stands for the world first attempt to cross the North Atlantic in an only 16 foot (4.90 meters length) sailing boat, which is entirety out of volcanic fibres, single-handed, nonstop and without any external assistance from east to west and subsequently from west to east by the dreadful northern route.
World Record Sailor in Gijón
Last preparations in Puerto Deportivo Gijón (ESP) on the sailing boat our Open16 FIPOFIX, before the Austrian skipper Harald Sedlacek will start on January 12, 2014 to two unprecedented world record attempts, an indescribable hard test for the skipper and the yacht. These two record crossings should proof as impressive as even credible the performance and durability of FIPOFIX-UD volcanic fibers positioning technology. Open16 FIPOFIX “Proof of Principle” stands for the worldwide first attempt to cross the North Atlantic in a 16 feet or 4.9-meters boat…
New Start Date: Norbert Sedlacek
The electricity breaks down and the collision with a floating object forced Norbert Sedlacek to stop over! The new start date for Norbert’s world record attempt: 12.01.2014, 12:00 Gijón (SP). "Fortunately, the world record attempts are not in danger on the continent," joked Norbert Sedlacek after heading his boat which had the electrical problems towards the harbor of Gijón in the Spanish Bay of Biscay. As a bonus, the boat had a crash with a floating object brought up by the…
Canadian Completes Solo Atlantic Row, With Just a Little Help
Quebec rower Mylène Paquette has arrived in Lorient, France, after a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the first North American to row solo, from west to east, across the North Atlantic, reports CBC News. Mylène left Halifax just over four months ago in a specially designed 7.3 metre boat propelled only by herself and the currents. Earlier in her voyage, In September 2013, the lone rower got a helping hand from the cruise ship Queen Mary 2, after being hit by the remnants of Hurricane Humberto, losing key items including her anchor, iPhone and satellite phone.
Extreme Skipper Preps for World Record Sail
On November 10, 2013, at 1 p.m., sailor Norbert Sedlacek will start two unprecedented world-record attempts, an indescribable hard test for the skipper and the yacht. Despite storym conditions (100 km/h wind at the French Atlantic coast), Sedlacek will attempt a world’s first: to cross the North Atlantic in a 16 feet or 4.90-meters boat, a single-handed and nonstop race from east to west by the southern route and subsequently from west to east by the northern route. The port of departure of this extreme sailing adventure is Les Sables d'Olonne (France).
