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Around the World from West coast?
- Thread starter jamottep
- Start date
Thank you!
Edit: If that's not working then it's an Admin function - let me know and I'll edit it (like I did this one!)
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Wow ... spooky
It didn't work. It allowed me to edit the title of the post but somehow the thread title didn't change ..
Well, yes I suppose you are right. I might be creating a target for future mariners to shoot at, even if it's slow. While I wouldn't be making any sort of WSSRC record, there are other records. To my knowledge, only three Americans - Dodge Morgan, Bruce Schwab & Rich Wilson - have successfully sailed solo nonstop RTW. I'm aware of some recent attempts by Joe Harris, Stanley Paris, and Abby Sunderland. I'm also aware of Jeffrey Hartjoy who did it but from Ecuador. To my knowledge no one has done it from US soil. Morgan did it out of Bermuda, and Bruce Schwab and Rich Wilson from France in the Vendee Globe. Does anyone know about any others?
brianb
Olson 34 Driver
Tim Kent, EVerest Horizontal, that was an Open 50 correct ? I thought he made it around in the Vendee ? His boat started life in SF, an Antrim design. Funded by Lucent as I recall for an owner prior to Mr Kent taking over the boat. Or is the record we are discussing one that starts on the US West Coast ?
I was talking about a non-stop journey. I think Tim Kent's effort was during the Around Alone which has stops.
WBChristie
New member
Whilst not complete, there is currently an attempt being made from the east coast. Very low budget
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...ll=-35.88909474132744,-166.99510320825186&z=4
Having been in on the idea of promoting an international shorthanded event, and understanding how freaking much work I put into it to achieve precisely nothing....
---And understanding how difficult it is to get SSS folks to volunteer for jobs like Commodore and Race Chair, both of which would be a miniscule fraction of the work required to put on something of this magnitude, I can't get behind the SSS being the organizing entity for such an event.
That could change when someone comes to the table with a million dollars worth of sponsorship money. Maybe even $350,000 would change my mind. Until then, nope. Be aware that it's *Extremely* unlikely, as in next to impossible, to attract the European crowd to an event on the west coast of the USA. So that means your target audience is West Coast sailors, Kiwi's and Aussies. Do you "get" that it's a months sail to get to California, from Australia? Just that passage, alone is a huge achievement and is an enormous barrier to recruiting participation from down under..
The SSS is the single largest shorthanded sailing association outside of Europe. Other, smaller groups may field large and more hotrod boats but for sheer numbers, nothing else even comes close to the SSS. Neither the Kiwi shorthanders, nor the Aussies shorthanded group are anywhere near the sheer size of the SSS. They put on great events, and there are some seriously hot boats that participate but a turnout of 15-18 is big for them. We do that for every race. The cold, hard reality is that your core audience is the people who come to the SSS meetings, and I HIGHLY doubt that we have the wherewithal to field even 4-5 box-rule-designed or one-designed boats for singlehanded or doublehanded race to anywhere but Hawaii.
As an aside, Jim Antrims Open 50 was originally built for an SSS sailor, who's name I remember, but i will leave out of the conversation. It was in fact originally sponsored in large part by Lucent.
---And understanding how difficult it is to get SSS folks to volunteer for jobs like Commodore and Race Chair, both of which would be a miniscule fraction of the work required to put on something of this magnitude, I can't get behind the SSS being the organizing entity for such an event.
That could change when someone comes to the table with a million dollars worth of sponsorship money. Maybe even $350,000 would change my mind. Until then, nope. Be aware that it's *Extremely* unlikely, as in next to impossible, to attract the European crowd to an event on the west coast of the USA. So that means your target audience is West Coast sailors, Kiwi's and Aussies. Do you "get" that it's a months sail to get to California, from Australia? Just that passage, alone is a huge achievement and is an enormous barrier to recruiting participation from down under..
The SSS is the single largest shorthanded sailing association outside of Europe. Other, smaller groups may field large and more hotrod boats but for sheer numbers, nothing else even comes close to the SSS. Neither the Kiwi shorthanders, nor the Aussies shorthanded group are anywhere near the sheer size of the SSS. They put on great events, and there are some seriously hot boats that participate but a turnout of 15-18 is big for them. We do that for every race. The cold, hard reality is that your core audience is the people who come to the SSS meetings, and I HIGHLY doubt that we have the wherewithal to field even 4-5 box-rule-designed or one-designed boats for singlehanded or doublehanded race to anywhere but Hawaii.
As an aside, Jim Antrims Open 50 was originally built for an SSS sailor, who's name I remember, but i will leave out of the conversation. It was in fact originally sponsored in large part by Lucent.
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I have, multiple times on this board, pitched the idea of a West Coast shorthanded one-design. The three times I've done it, it's been greeted with crickets and nice people whom I like basically saying "nope".
You want to send five boats out around the world, in old third or fourth generation open 60's? One of those boats, even an old one is $150,000 - $200,000 to buy. They're all in Europe and you need another hundred thousand dollars to update/clean up/sails/electronics/etc. Then, when you've done it, who are you going to sell it to? Who the hell wants an uncompetitive Open 60?
Probably better would be to make it a Classe 40 event. There are at least a dozen of them in North America, including 2-3 already on the West Coast. Also, you'd have a Class association to work with. But a Classe 40 boat? First generation boats are still $150,000 to buy, second generation are $200,000. The third generation boats are $250,000 + and the vast majority are still in Europe. That means that it's most likely for anyone who wants to do your race, that they'd either have to buy a boat in Europe and sail it over here, OR commission new construction out here.
I wonder what California Condor cost, new? How about Yippee-Kay-Yay? How many people in the SSS have those kinds of resources? Not a lot. So that means sponsorship. That, or can you convince Jeanneau that they should make five or six stripped-out SunFast 36's for this race? If not Jeanneau, then C&C? Who?
Why don't you ask Bruce Schwab about that little sponsorship issue? What did he have to go through to scrape together money to race around the world, twice?
As the promoter of such an event, believe me, you'll need to quit your day job and spend 7 days a week for months if not years, to find any US company who is willing to underwrite a race around the world, including the building of 4-5 boats to do it. Been there. When I finally stared the reality of what I'd have to do, right in the face, I realized that I had other things to do with my life, that the likliehood of complete failure was extremely high. I put the CrossPac to bed and moved on.
You want to send five boats out around the world, in old third or fourth generation open 60's? One of those boats, even an old one is $150,000 - $200,000 to buy. They're all in Europe and you need another hundred thousand dollars to update/clean up/sails/electronics/etc. Then, when you've done it, who are you going to sell it to? Who the hell wants an uncompetitive Open 60?
Probably better would be to make it a Classe 40 event. There are at least a dozen of them in North America, including 2-3 already on the West Coast. Also, you'd have a Class association to work with. But a Classe 40 boat? First generation boats are still $150,000 to buy, second generation are $200,000. The third generation boats are $250,000 + and the vast majority are still in Europe. That means that it's most likely for anyone who wants to do your race, that they'd either have to buy a boat in Europe and sail it over here, OR commission new construction out here.
I wonder what California Condor cost, new? How about Yippee-Kay-Yay? How many people in the SSS have those kinds of resources? Not a lot. So that means sponsorship. That, or can you convince Jeanneau that they should make five or six stripped-out SunFast 36's for this race? If not Jeanneau, then C&C? Who?
Why don't you ask Bruce Schwab about that little sponsorship issue? What did he have to go through to scrape together money to race around the world, twice?
As the promoter of such an event, believe me, you'll need to quit your day job and spend 7 days a week for months if not years, to find any US company who is willing to underwrite a race around the world, including the building of 4-5 boats to do it. Been there. When I finally stared the reality of what I'd have to do, right in the face, I realized that I had other things to do with my life, that the likliehood of complete failure was extremely high. I put the CrossPac to bed and moved on.
Looks like he's making it! Good to see an American out on the water. He's posting here if anyone wants to follow Jerome Rand: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1060676710732719/
Yes, I think he went around 3 times. Once in the boat I now own, once in a better, faster Open 50, and then again on an IMOCA 60. Each time with stops, however.
My sense is that sponsorship is not realistic, to either hold a race or prepare specific boats. That means for anything to happen it would have to be a low key, corinthian deal. 4 guys going for a long sail. A starting gun. A guy on land checking in on the guys once a day. Take your own finish time. 40' class, 50' class.
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Airdrops? Food throws? Messages by slingshot?
Yes, yes ... November 2019?
Uh oh ... an Open 50 in Belgium ... been for sale, like, for ever ...
https://www.youboat.fr/annonces-voiliers/chantier-sambre-et-meuse-open-50_103382.html
http://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/50' monos/C24 Spirit.htm
That's sad ... Should have been sold for cheap when it was still in good shape ...
For the little I've seen I find that owners of older racing sailboat or custom/aggressive designs want more than the market bears; they hold on to their boat only to drop their price when it's too late.
https://www.youboat.fr/annonces-voiliers/chantier-sambre-et-meuse-open-50_103382.html
http://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/50' monos/C24 Spirit.htm
That's sad ... Should have been sold for cheap when it was still in good shape ...
For the little I've seen I find that owners of older racing sailboat or custom/aggressive designs want more than the market bears; they hold on to their boat only to drop their price when it's too late.