The fourth edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club Transatlantic Race starts tomorrow at the Marina Lanzarote, bound for Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada.
This year, the race will also take place as the first leg of the Atlantic Anniversary Regatta, an extraordinary series of events spanning 9-months between November 2017 and July 2018. It’s the first regatta series ever that crosses the Atlantic Ocean twice- in both directions- held in honour of the 50th and 150th anniversaries of the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein and the YCCS club respectively.
Tomorrow 23 teams will head to the starting line ready to travel over 3000 miles in their monohulls, in the race to claim the coveted IMA Transatlantic Trophy! Amongst the 23 entries, are 6 maxis including the 98ft canting keel Maxi, CQS, of Finnish round the world race veteran Ludde Ingvall.
For some teams this is their first transatlantic crossing, but for others it is just another to add to a long list. For Spanish veteran Guillermo Altadill, this will be his 19th time!
Here at Hall Spars, we will be keeping a particular eye out for the 9 teams hitting the sea with our masts and booms. This years two fittings were on the all-carbon fibre IRC 54 Teasing Machine, owned by Eric de Turckheim, and the Elliot 52ft yacht Outsider. Both completed with a full Hall Spars Mast and Boom package, as well as ECsix Future Fibres rigging, means that these two boats have the perfect combination of strength and reliability!