Clipper design
By incorporating massive asymmetric spinnakers flown
from the six-foot bowsprit and state of the art electronics, the boats will deliver improved performance and new speed records are likely to be recorded.
South coast sailing company Clipper Ventures is gearing up for the next edition of the biannual Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The race – Clipper 13-14 – will showcase a new fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts, currently under construction.
The brainchild of legendary sailor, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Clipper allows novice sailors the opportunity to sail around the world. One of nine sailors to compete in the Times Golden Globe Race, Sir Robin set off from Falmouth on 14 June 1968. He had no sponsorship for his attempt and with his yacht Suhaili packed to the gunwales with supplies, he set off on a voyage that was to last just over 10 months.
He arrived back in Falmouth on 22 April 1969, after 312 days at sea. As the winner of the race, he secured his place in the history books as the first man ever to sail solo and non-stop around the world.
Sir Robin wanted everyone to have the opportunity to experience the challenge and sheer exhilaration of ocean racing. As he says, “Fewer people have raced a yacht around the globe than have climbed Mount Everest.”
In 1995 he set up Clipper Ventures, providing ocean racing yachts and equipment, qualified skippers and intensive training. Through the company’s teaching division, Clipper Training,
it has transformed more than 4000 novices into racing yachtsmen and women, able to reach the pinnacle of ocean sailing – a full circumnavigation. To date, the company has organised eight editions of the round the world yacht race for non-professional sailors, Clipper 13-14 will be the ninth.
Organisers supply a fleet of 10 identical 68-foot stripped down racing yachts – each sponsored by a city, a region or a country – and man them with 10 fully trained skippers, employed to lead the crews safely around the course. In 2013, this will increase to 12 yachts, the brand new fleet of 70s. The current race, Cipper 11-12, has seen the teams sail over 25,000 miles and visit seven countries across the continent, since setting off from the Solent in July last year.
The race track is 40,000 miles long and it will take 11 months to complete the circumnavigation. The race is divided into a series of eight legs and crews can decide to race one of them, select a combination of legs or sign up to become a round the world crew member and complete the full circumnavigation. There are 15 individual races in total and, just like in Formula 1, points are awarded at the end of each race, building towards a championship total.
The next edition of the race – Clipper 13-14 – welcomes the third generation of
ocean racing yachts. Currently being built in Qingdao, China, the 12-strong fleet of bigger and faster new boats will serve in the next four editions of the race.
“By incorporating the very latest features in the hull design, massive asymmetric spinnakers flown from the six-foot bowsprit and state of the art electronics from GARMIN, the boats will deliver improved performance and new speed records are likely to be recorded,” said Joff Bailey, Clipper race director. “The crew signed up for Clipper 13- 14 and beyond, can look forward to speeds of 30 knots and upwards.”
The Clipper 70 was designed by Tony Castro Naval Architects and is being constructed by Nautic Star Marine in the Shandong Province.
The project is being overseen by Rob McInally, skipper of Nova Scotia in Clipper 07-08 and Team Finland in 09-10.
“The yacht looks like it is going to be very exciting to sail,” he said. “The underwater design of the hull offers the next level of sailing for future Clipper crews and the twin wheels and twin rudders provide the helming characteristics required for higher surfing speeds.”
The first boat of the new fleet was recently released from its mould and work on the
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