If American readers of Rule69 wonder how France became the pinnacle of short-handed offshore racing, just take a moment to read this.
How many knew about the Mini Atlantique? It’s a solo offshore race just concluded in Les Sables d’Olonne, France. The race is a tough there and back that started from France on July 22 and raced to Horta, on the island of Faial in the Azores, some 1,300 miles away. After a brief stopover that gave the crews time to rest and recuperate, and perhaps have time for a coffee and pastel de nate at the legendary Peter’s Cafe Sport, it was time to race back home again.
The Atlantic this time of year can dish up both light trade-wind like conditions, or the kind of weather that makes you cry for your mother at night. It all depends on the location of the North Atlantic High or more colloquially, the Azores High. If the High is in a good mood it can move over mainland Europe and give those people baking their bodies to a bronze brown on the beaches in Portugal and Spain, perfect conditions to do so. If the High packs up early and heads back to sit over the Azores islands it can leave some gnarly weather and headaches behind.
The real meat of the race are the competitors who show up in their Mini 650’s and challenge themselves. For this summer’s race 22 brand new, highly strung Mini 650’s entered. For those not familiar with the boat it’s a pocket-rocket designed with one thing in mind; to bring terror to those that take on the challenge of sailing one. They are fast, very fast mostly because of their innovative hull shapes, massive amounts of sail area and very spartan interiors.
They are also only 22 feet long. Many boats in this years race sported scow bows (we will cover them in an upcoming piece), many of the boat were quite conventional and some were extraordinary. The Mini Class 650 is where new design ideas are tested because once these sailors master the mini, most of them look toward the next challenge; the Vendee Globe in an IMOCA(60).
I have been to the Azores numerous times. Horta is my favorite place and I already have an eye on a plot there where one day I hope to build and retire. When I first went to the Azores in ‘79 whaling was still legal and we would watch the whalers leave port in their long boats, harpoons recently sharpened. They would spot a whale, usually a sperm, and the harpoonist would work his talent and harpoon the animal. That’s when the fun began.
It was called a Nantucket Sleighride when the pissed off whale took off with the boat and sailors in tow. The ride could last days until the whale tired by which time they were halfway to Boston. It was a long, long row back to Horta towing the whale, but the journey was fueled by the anticipation of a huge celebration when they arrived with the one thing that sustained the economy of the island.
These days I take a stance against killing whales but back then I was just a snotty nosed kid that loved adventure and thought that whaling from a tippy boat powered by a small sail and oars was just as life should be. I also went to a few bullfights in Spain and they were also huge fun, (not for the bull), but never again. I have grown up. I think.
If you are ever in Horta go to Peter’s Cafe sport and have that pastel de nata. It’s a rich custard tart that is so Portuguese and goes very well with a strong coffee. I like my coffee black if you are interested in buying me one. – Brian Hancock. Photo thanks to Vincent Olivaud.
