Which Boat Would YOU Choose for Golden Globe Race?

[Steadman Uhlich]

Which Boat Would You Choose for Golden Globe Race?

This thread is a challenge to you. It is started with the hope that the discussion will prove fun to those who participate or read it. This is a challenge of what YOU would choose to sail around the world in a race today, IF you were given a choice from three historic boats that were in the original race.
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Background:
In 2018 there is going to be a race around the world to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the famous 1968 Golden Globe Race, which was the first solo non-stop circumnavigation race.

That historic race was a very interesting one for several reasons and one of them was the personalities of those involved. The race also had several different types of boats entered.

In contrast, the planned 2018 race has some restrictions on what kind of boat can be entered in the race.
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Entrants are restricted to using the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Sir Robin in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite based navigation aids.
Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 – 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 with a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge, similar in concept to Sir Robin’s Suhaili.

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The Purpose of this Discussion/Thread?

I think it would be much more interesting if they just offered the 2018 contestants a choice of one of three boats, and the sailor had to pick which one he thought was fastest and overall best choice for the race.

What would make this even better would be that these three boats would be identical copies of the three most noted boats that were in that race!

1. Knox Johnston's boat - Suhaili (monohull, wood)

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston left Falmouth in his 32-foot (9.8-metre) boat Suhaili, one of the smallest boats to enter the race. The boat was a Bermudan ketch made of wood, built in India.

2. Moitessier's boat - Joshua (monohull, steel)

Bernard Moitessier had a custom-built 39 foot (11.9*m) steel ketch, Joshua, named after Joshua Slocum. Built in steel at the Meta yard in France.

3. Crowhursts's boat - Teignmouth Electron (multihull, trimaran)

Donald Crowhurst's boat, Teignmouth Electron, was a 40-foot (12*m) trimaran designed by Arthur Piver. See a sistership photo of a Piver Victress if you want more details on the design.

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Your Challenge?

Given a choice of picking only ONE of the above boats for this challenging race, which of the three boats would YOU choose, if YOU were going to race around the world today?

[B]Please post why you would choose that boat. Remember, it is an identical copy made of the same materials and workmanship. /B]
What about it makes it the best choice to you for your race?
What do you like about that boat, over the others?


I am posting a few photos to show the boats, and a map of the route of the race.
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For those who don't already know much about this historic yacht race, here is a short description with a few of the many interesting things about it:

Wikipedia: "On 14 June 1968 Robin Knox-Johnston left Falmouth in his 32-foot (9.8-metre) boat Suhaili, one of the smallest boats to enter the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Despite losing his self-steering gear off Australia, he rounded Cape Horn on 17 January 1969, 20 days before his closest competitor Bernard Moitessier, who subsequently abandoned the race and sailed on to Tahiti. The other seven competitors dropped out at various stages, leaving Knox-Johnston to win the race and become officially the first man to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and single-handed on 22 April 1969, the day he returned to Falmouth. Knox-Johnston donated his prize money for fastest competitor to the family of Donald Crowhurst, who committed suicide after attempting to fake a round the world voyage."

Much more interesting information can be found in a detailed article on Wikipedia:

Sunday Times Golden Globe Race - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Steadman Uhlich]

Which one would I pick?

I would pick Joshua.

I like the idea of a steel hull in the higher latitude sailing around the capes.
I liked the ketch rig.
I like the size.
I like the "bubble" hatch so the sailor can remain below but check on the status of the sails and rig during heavy weather.
And as I recall, it had a watertight compartment in the bow.
I even like the red paint job.

[roverhi]

Interesting that they limited it to 36'. That leaves out boats Like Moitessier's Joshua as well as Atkin's Ingrid design. The Westsail 32, same boat as Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, will probably be the big beneficiary as there are a bunch of them out there and are relatively cheap. They'll easily do 150-180 mile days in the blustery 40s. The Taiwan built canoe stern boats designed by Robert Perry or ripped off from his design will probably be other big choices. Personally, would want a steel boat but you give up a lot of ballast stability in smaller boats because of the weight of the hull.

Of course, would go with Joshua if it was allowed. The additional water line alone would justify it's choice.

Don't know much about Multi-hulls but would be afraid of them sailing solo in the high latitudes. Just something about turning turtle that scares the crap out of me for open ocean sailing. With a crew that would stay alert, pop the mainsheet and steer off in gusty winds would be another story. Sure a multi would eat up the monos for outright speed. Unfortunately, they don't sail for s**t upside down.

Will be interesting to see how many entries and what kind of boats they chose.

[tenchiki]

If you are going to restrict it to 3 boats, at least pick the ones that made it through the southern ocean! For the tri, that would mean Nigel Tetly's "Victress". It crossed it's outbound track, and if babied probably would have finished.

[JPA Cate]

I'm sure a tri could go faster, and if babied might finish, but you gotta finish to win, and I'd take the Joshua, too.

Ann

[El Pinguino]

Joshua,

They reckon that Victress was pushed too hard at the end cos Tetly thought he was trying to beat Crowhurst....

[Snowpetrel]

Joshua as well, but I could be tempted by Capt Browne or Galway Blazer.

Nigel Tetley sure did well with Music for pleasure, certainly showed what could be done with a trimaran.

I delivered a sistership to Suhaili. Fantastic little boat, and the only boat I have sailed that would self steer dead downwind happily with a lashed helm.

Sent from my HTC_0PCV2 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[FSMike]

Seems to me that if they're going to do this they ought to use the original rules.
A purpose built trimaran? Works for me.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Some Details on Suhaili:

I came across these design and build details about Suhaili. I was not aware of these before.

Suhaili

SOURCE: RKJ site.

"Built of teak. Designed by William Atkins as “Eric” in 1923, her design is based on the Norwegian sailing lifeboat designs of Colin Archer. Thames Tonnage 14. Net Tonnage 6.29. Official Number 306242 of London. Signal Letters MHYU. Began as a concept whilst serving as 2nd Officer on a deck passenger ship trading between Bombay and Basra with two 3rd Officers Peter Jordan and Mike Ledingham. Building started on a slipway in Bombay Docks in 1963 using teak throughout. The keelson is 1’ 2” x 10" and 22 feet long, planking 1 ¼ “ teak. She is the first boat to ever sail non-stop around the world."

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Interesting that they limited it to 36'. That leaves out boats Like Moitessier's Joshua as well as Atkin's Ingrid design. The Westsail 32, same boat as Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, will probably be the big beneficiary as there are a bunch of them out there and are relatively cheap. They'll easily do 150-180 mile days in the blustery 40s. The Taiwan built canoe stern boats designed by Robert Perry or ripped off from his design will probably be other big choices. Personally, would want a steel boat but you give up a lot of ballast stability in smaller boats because of the weight of the hull.

Of course, would go with Joshua if it was allowed. The additional water line alone would justify it's choice.

Don't know much about Multi-hulls but would be afraid of them sailing solo in the high latitudes. Just something about turning turtle that scares the crap out of me for open ocean sailing. With a crew that would stay alert, pop the mainsheet and steer off in gusty winds would be another story. Sure a multi would eat up the monos for outright speed. Unfortunately, they don't sail for s**t upside down.

Will be interesting to see how many entries and what kind of boats they chose.

I enjoyed reading your comments. Thanks for adding to the discussion.

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What follows is not meant with any disrespect for the accomplishment of RKJ. I am merely asking a question based on curiosity and with no hidden agenda.
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I do think it is interesting that the new race does not allow any boats that would fit the description of RKJ's competitors in the original race.

Anyone think that is to prevent a different "winner" outcome, regarding boat design?

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by tenchiki

If you are going to restrict it to 3 boats, at least pick the ones that made it through the southern ocean! For the tri, that would mean Nigel Tetly's "Victress". It crossed it's outbound track, and if babied probably would have finished.

Good point!

Each boat that entered that race could be a contender in the beginning.

I simply picked the three that I thought most members here would recognize (most noted boats) and because they are so different in form/design.

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It was unfortunate that Tetley's boat broke up and sank below him (he had to abandon and get in his life raft).

It is also unfortunate that his life ended so soon after the race, and after getting a new boat to replace his lost one, and in bizarre circumstances too, according to the coroner's inquest.

Nigel Tetley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Joshua as well, but I could be tempted by Capt Browne or Galway Blazer.

Nigel Tetley sure did well with Music for pleasure, certainly showed what could be done with a trimaran.

I delivered a sistership to Suhaili. Fantastic little boat, and the only boat I have sailed that would self steer dead downwind happily with a lashed helm.

Sent from my HTC_0PCV2 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Thanks for adding that above.

I would have enjoyed a ride on that sistership, imagining what it must have been like for RKJ on Suhaili. I wish I had that experience (from among the many you have I wish I had).

[Scout 30]

Why exclude tri's? It would be interesting to see someone do the race in a replica of Crowhurst's boat & prove that he could have completed the race. For anyone who hasn't seen Deep Water it's a really interesting movie.

[suttwi]

Joshua This day in time, steel for the Southern and Indian Oceans. Lots of container cargo floating around these days.

I laughed so hard, tears ran down my leg

[Steadman Uhlich]

One of the reasons I like the Joshua boat is the material (steel).

Why would that matter?

Well….Tetley's trimaran (made of plywood, IIRC) broke up before finishing and sank.

And, there are some things out there that go "bump in the night."

Here is an account of one 50+foot yacht that sank after hitting a growler (low lying small iceberg) off of the Falklands.

Mayday! How the growler got us: In their own dramatic words and pictures, the couple struck by an iceberg and saved by the Royal Navy tell of their terrifying ordeal | Daily Mail Online