10 everyday people attempt to sail across the Atlantic Ocean …. without using GPS
In March 2019 ten amateur sailors will meet up in St Lucia to be taught how to navigate at sea using just the Sun, Moon, stars and planets. They will then set sail on a 60’ yacht to find their way across 3000nm of the Atlantic Ocean to the south coast of England.
The challenge has been out on by a new partnership between the Golden Globe Race and Rubicon 3 Adventure Sailing.
Interest in these types of more extreme challenge has exploded thanks to the current Golden Globe Race, which has 8 solo sailors attempting to sail around the world, solo, non stop and without any electrical aids at all. Contestants such as Susie Goodall, the only female entrant and a skipper for Rubicon 3, have captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands of people all around the world.
Now Don McIntyre, organiser of the race has teamed up with Rubicon 3, one of the top ocean sailing schools, to offer 10 plucky amateurs the chance to try something similar. It may not be heading around the world solo for a year, but sailing across the Atlantic Ocean is a serious challenge for anyone, and doing so using just a sextant for navigation even more so. The ten crew will face daily challenges not just to keep the yacht sailing well but also to snatch glimpses of the Sun or the stars to use the sextant to fix their position and make sure they are on course for home. Their determination and spirit will be rewarded after nearly 3000nm at sea with the huge achievement of making landfall in England and hearing the call that has resonated amongst sailors for hundreds of years ‘Land ho!’
Explaining what led to the idea, Rachael Sprot, founder of Rubicon 3 said, “What the Golden Globe has done is incredible. We have never known so many people gripped by the daily drama of a handful of solo sailors working their way around the world and interest in ocean sailing and astro navigation has gone through the roof. This is now a chance for everyday people to come and try the challenge themselves. They absolutely don’t have to be an experienced sailor or athlete to apply for the challenge. They might be a taxi driver, nurse or a teacher. What will determine their suitability is simply the right mindset and a decent sense of humour when we haven’t see the Sun for three days!”
Dom McIntyre, founder of the Golden Globe Race added “this race has captured the imagination of people all around the world. I have spent most of my life on one adventure or another and that mindset of just doing it is everything. We share Rubion 3’s passion for opening up this type of adventure to as many people as possible and would urge anyone contemplating doing it to grab the chance while they can”.
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Details Follow
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KEY INFORMATION
• Event is being run by Rubicon 3 on S/Y Hummingbird, a Clipper 60
• 10 crew positions are available
• No previous experience is required.
• Age range for applicants is 18-70yrs
• Trip page can be found at
• Celestial navigation course start in St Lucia on 27th March 2019
• Leg 1: St Lucia to Azores March 28 – April 27 2019: £3,250
• Leg 2: Azores to England April 28 – May 12 2019 :£2,198
• Full Atlantic Crossing March 28 – May 12 2019 £4,450
• Applicants are required to be in good health and should contact bruce.jacobs@rubicon3.co.uk for more information or visit www.rubicon3.co.uk
• Full details of the challenge can be found at:
o Transatlantic Celestial Navigation Challenge
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Golden Globe Race
https://goldengloberace.com/en
Stepping back to the Golden Age of solo sailing.
18 sailors…30,000 miles non-stop…Alone…With no outside assistance
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 began in 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.
RUBICON 3
Committed to making the magic of ocean sailing accessible to all, Rubicon 3 are no strangers to the art of celestial navigation. As the leading blue water training provider their Ocean Crossing Masterclass series which provides a structured training course in the art of ocean sailing is the only one of its kind globally. Long-time proponents of celestial navigation, they sponsored Susie Goodall’s sextant for the 2018 Golden Globe race and run a weekend course in Celestial Navigation, simplifying the concepts and teaching in plain English.
Clipper 60
Built in 1996 for the Clipper Round the World Race, Rubicon 3 now operates three of these incredible ocean sailing yachts. Providing a superbly platform for amateur sailors to experience the high seas, the Clipper 60s have 32 circumnavigations between them and several seasons in the high latitudes. Maintained to rigorous MCA Category 0 standards there are only a handful of vessels designed worldwide which can match their safety record. Now fully refitted for expedition work Starling boasts many added extras including water-maker, Jordan Series drogue and powerful RIB.
CONTACT
For more information and high resolution images please contact
mailto:Bruce.jacobs@rubicon3.co.uk
00447456642164