UK-Halsey lofts on both sides of the Atlantic are involved with singlehanded transatlantic projects. Last fall, Aurelia (Lia) Ditton sailed her Open 40 DANGEROUS WHEN WET to a second-place finish in the Monohull Class 3 in the 3500-mile Route de Rhum from Saint Malo, France to Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. Lia does everything fast: in just five weeks she bought the boat, had her team completely refit it, and then sailed a 1000 mile qualifier. Ten days before the race, she ordered a new mainsail from UK-Halsey in Hamble. Brian Chapman of UK-Halsey Toronto designed the sail. UK-Halsey France made the Tape-Drive Titanium skin and UK-Halsey Hamble worked four days and four nights straight to finish it. The sail got some very cool details including steps sewn into the luff so that Lia could climb the mast unaided. On the U.S. side of the Atlantic, UK-Halsey Mystic in Connecticut has been working with Clay Burkhalter who is campaigning his Mini 6.5 (a powered up 21 foot box rule design) with the goal of racing in the 2007 Mini TransAt. This is a 4240-mile ocean race from France to Brazil. Clay�s boat, ACADIA, designed by his uncle Rod Johnstone, will be the first US-designed boat to compete in the event since 1979.
Clay started out his campaign with another sailmaker, even though UK-Halsey Mystic is the nearest loft to the boat�s home base. Clay thought he had to go with a sailmaker with a reputation, but he quickly found out that it�s more important to use a sailmaker who will work with him, not just drop off sail bags. Clay says his boat is definitely faster since switching to UK-Halsey. UK-Halsey Mystic�s designer John Fries says, �Clay and Rod are very happy with the sails and support they have received from our loft. ACADIA will be a full UK-Halsey boat for the 2007 Mini TransAt.�
For more information about Clay�s effort keep reading future issues of our newsletter or go to Clay�s web site: www.teamacadia.org. Clay is still looking for a naming level sponsor.
|
