Everybody is talking about her for monthes. And we will not stop talking or writing about her in 2003 ! The new Pogo, from Sructures shipyard and designed by Finot, will be at the start of the next Transat 650... For sure.
In Sainte Marine, her port of call close to the shipyard (south-west of Brittany), the first Pogo 2 has passed through stability and insubmersibility tests as did confirmed Erwan Tymen by mail to the redaction. He also has sent the photos of the test which present the first Pogo 2 at sea... But not yet sailing.
"The Pogo 2 has been launched in Ste Marine" he wrote. "We are going to test her at sea toward the next week. She will then been craned out of water to add the electronics and fittings. The boat is then not completely finished and we will not open her for ’press tests’ before the end of January..."
The main goal for this new Pogo will now to get qualified for the Transat 650 Charente Maritime - Bahia in September.
If the prototype division is nearly full, eight monthes before the start, there is still few places in the serie one which is opened to nearly 50 percent of the entries. Pogo 2 owners will then have the first part of the season to enter in 1000 nm long solo races and sail their 1000 nm long qualification course get qualified for the solo transat.
Structures’ goal is then nearly reached as more than 10 boats are already charged by new owners. This will then qualify this new production for the serie division of the Transat.
Le Pogo 2 est un plan Finot annoncé 250 kg plus légé que le Pogo 1...
The inaugural McIntyre Mini Globe Race (MGR) has officially set sail, and what a start it’s been ! The first leg from Antigua to Panama has already delivered drama, camaraderie, and a masterclass in offshore sailing in these Mighty Mini’s. With 15 ALMA Class Globe 580s battling it out over 1,200 nautical miles, the MGR is proving to be (…)
Expected in the middle of Thursday night, the conclusion of the first leg of the 24th edition of La Boulangère Mini Transat (1,350 miles from Les Sables d’Olonne to Santa Cruz de La Palma) for the Proto category ultimately took place after 9 hours, on Thursday morning. The doldrums, with no wind, made their appearance on the final fifteen miles (…)
With late starter Jim Schofield from Ireland arriving safely in Marina Rubicon Lanzarote on the 10th of November, all entrants of this eventful inaugural qualifier are now gathered in Lanzarote (Spain), including Class Globe 5.80 Class founder Don McIntyre.
The Mini 6.50 has finally touched the water and is foiling. The boat is currently undergoing testing conducted by the yard Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel, Germany.
If you needed proof about how well you can control and understand your boat, you just had to sit back and watch the last miles of Ian Lipinski’s race this morning between the islet of Cabri and the finish line of the Mini-Transat La Boulangère. After a final gybe, the skipper of Griffon.fr hurtled along under large spinnaker before opting for a (…)
Race after race, the Mini Transat has always maintained its popularity. For this 2017 edition, entrusted to the Collectif Rochelais pour la Mini Transat, the race will host a full contingent as the number of applicants signed up for the adventure already exceeds the 84 places made available by the organiser. Unquestionably, it is this loyalty (…)
Cette nuit, c’est passé par l’Ouest. A 4h00, Belgacom est en tête de la course avec 3,6 milles sur Groupama et Bonduelle pointe… 8e. Chez les monocoques, Sill Plein Fruit leader encore hier matin s’est recalé vers l’Ouest, a donc empanné et perd du terrain en route directe. Ecover, bien calé à l’Ouest, en profite et se glisse devant. Il pointe (…)
The Transat Jacques Vabre Race HQ in Paris has just received the news that Sergio Tacchini (Fauconnier/Proffit) is retiring to home base at Port La Foret in France. They managed to detail more of their incident this morning and here is a transcript of that explanation from their shore team.
Les concurrents mis à rude épreuve, par les conditions météo et pour certains, par la casse sur leur bateau, et déjà des escales programmées et un abandon… Dans les trois classes, les leaders poussent leurs machines aux limites de ce qu’ils jugent raisonnable... et ça tient !
Jean Luc Van Den Heede s’éloigne inexorablement des côtes brésiliennes et des températures clémentes. Depuis hier c’est en polaire et ciré que l’Amiénois navigue à l’approche des fameux quarantièmes rugissants.
With the arriving of Christian Saury took end this edition of the Transat 650. They were 60 single-handed skippers to start from La Rochelle on September 22nd : 27 in the serie division and 33 in the prototype one.
Avec l’arrivée de Christian Saury s’est terminée cette nouvelle édition de la Mini-Transat, baptisée cette année Transat 650 Charente Maritime - Bahia. Soixante concurrents avaient pris le départ de La Rochelle le 22 septembre dernier : vingt-sept bateaux de série et trente trois bateaux prototypes.
La bataille des superlatifs pour qualifier le départ des quatorze multicoques de cette cinquième Transat Jacques Vabre est à l’image de leur engagement sur l’eau. Incroyable « l’agressivité » avec laquelle les protagonistes sont entrés dans le vif du sujet. Départ au raz de la bouée mouillée au bateau comité à la seconde près - à 12h50 (…)
As the 14 giant three-hulled speed machines were towed out of the Paul Vatine Basin in Le Havre mid-morning to begin their 5,300 mile transatlantic drag race, the sky cleared, the breeze filled in from the North at 12 – 15 knots, and the sun lit up the bay off St. Adresse – all the finest ingredients for a truly spectacular start !