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One of sailing’s oldest marks falls in a transatlantic race that proves why ocean crossings are still a major challenge.
by Kenny Wooton
photography by Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex
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10/01/2005
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Given the inexorable march of technology and the ever-evolving sophistication of yacht design, it would have been surprising if a competitor in
the 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge had not broken one of the
longest-standing and most-coveted records in sailing – the fastest race passage
across the Atlantic east-to-west. As it turned out, six of the 20 competing
yachts bested the 100-year-old record set by the schooner Atlantic with
the legendary Charlie Barr at the wheel. As many predicted, Hong Kong
entrepreneur Robert Miller’s high-tech schooner Mari-Cha IV led the
parade.
 "This was a great achievement," Miller said, shortly after
arriving in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. "We put the yacht and her crew to an
endurance test, and we passed. It was a great emotional experience for me." (Click image to enlarge)
Miller’s yacht completed the passage from Ambrose light tower
off New York Harbor to Lizard Point off England’s Cornish coast, in 9 days, 15
hours, 55 minutes and 23 seconds, shaving nearly three days off
Atlantic’s record, which had held against all comers since 1905. The
shortest distance between the two points is 2,925 nautical miles. Mari-Cha
IV averaged 12.61 knots for the crossing. In the century since
Atlantic set her record, only a handful of sailing yachts have made the
passage faster. The ones that have, including Mari-Cha IV in 2003 just
six weeks after her launch,
chose optimal weather conditions. Mari-Cha IV’s performance in the Rolex
Transatlantic Challenge, organized by the New York Yacht Club, is the first time
the 188-foot three-masted schooner’s elapsed time has been bested in a
sanctioned race. "The feeling on board was electric, but also emotional," Miller
said as his yacht crossed the line at the Lizard. "Even though we have crossed
the Atlantic faster on board this great boat, this has definitely been the
toughest test yet for Mari-Cha IV and her crew." Miller built the
141-footer with the stated purpose of breaking records. Displacing just 50 tons,
she is a lightweight flyer with little more than a nav station, pipe berths and
a rudimentary galley below. She is capable of speeds approaching 40 knots.
Mari-Cha IV’s 2003 crossing of just over 6-and-a-half days stands as the
outright transatlantic record for monohulls.
Top: Skippers meeting in the famed Model Room of the
New York Yacht Club. Photograph by Dan Nurneyi/Rolex. Bottom: Palawan’s owner Joe Hoopes with daughter
Elliott. Photograph by Billy Black. (Click images to enlarge)
The eclectic fleet included Mari-Cha IV’s Grand Prix
Division rival Maximus, a new 100-foot water-ballasted, canting keel
sloop and a variety of luxury performance cruising yachts, several maxi racers,
a contemporary clipper ship built for sail training and several wooden
classics. The yachts were tested from the outset when the May 21 start was
postponed for weather.
The following day there was barely a breath of wind. The
clipper Stad Amsterdam struggled to make the start line. But fortunes
soon changed – too drastically for some. A number of boats endured rig and sail
damage and crew injuries. Four yachts retired early due to gear failures or time
constraints. Light air hounded the fleet for much of the remainder of the event.
The classics took more than three weeks to cover the full 3,062 nautical miles
to the ultimate finish at the Needles on the western end of the Isle of
Wight.
Top: Bandleader Peter Duchin, race chairman Robert
Towbin and Richard Hatch. Bottom: Ed Sisk, Rana and Dirk Johnson from Churchill Yacht
Partners and Whisper owner Hap Fauth. Photographs by Billy Black. (Click images to enlarge)
Atlantic’s record passage in the 1905 race for the Kaiser’s
Cup was a watershed. Barr had already achieved sailing fame in the America’s Cup
helming defenders Columbia and Reliance. Generally not one to
underplay his skills, Barr told a newspaper reporter before the race, "I do not
agree with many that the race will be finished inside of two weeks."
Top: Drumbeat in Manhattan before the race. Photograph by Dan Nurneyi/Rolex. Bottom:
Wendy Horn and Mike Slade, owner of Leopard,
and Heather Slade
at the gala on board the Intrepid museum. Photograph by Billy Black. (Click images to enlarge)
But finish inside two weeks he did. Atlantic’s race
record of
12 days, 4 hours, 1 minute, 19 seconds has seduced generations of
yachtsmen. The World Sailing Speed Records Council requires yachts
intending to
lay claim to Atlantic’s record to not use powered
sailing systems.
Although most of the cruising yachts in the race could
not meet that
requirement, there were plenty of other trophies. Despite
having a clear shot at
beating Atlantic’s mark, Miller
directed much of his attention toward
Maximus, which, like
Mari-Cha IV, was designed and built to break
records.
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