2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Rolex
Transatlantic Challenge was celebrated at the 100th anniversary of the 1905 race for the Kaiser's Cup also known as "The Great Ocean Race". In this race, there was a skipper named Charlie Barr
who raced the 3-masted schooner called Atlantic
across the Ocean
for nearly 3000 nautical miles (5,556 km) of the North Atlantic to set a monohull
unbeaten record for the 1905 course of exactly only 12 days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 19 seconds.
In the years that followed, other yachts made the same west-east Atlantic crossing in much faster times but not, however, in any official race, this was not to happen until the 2005 RTAC. The Atlantic held her title for 100 years, making it the oldest record recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Council of the ISAF
.
In addition to some official records, there were also a number of impressive silver cups to be passed along for various titles and classes, and some major pre- and post-race festivities held respectively by the New York Yacht Club
and the Royal Yacht Squadron
at Cowes
, on the Isle of Wight
.
off Sandy Hook
, New Jersey
, in the vicinity of the former Sandy Hook Lightship. Though she is no longer with us, the old Lightship Ambrose
was a starting point for many transatlantic record attempts.
Entrants raced north and eastward toward The Lizard
, on the southwestern tip of Cornwall
. There was a northern course boundary of sorts, established by the International Ice Patrol
.
Yachts were required to pass through a "gate" (imaginary line) extending from the Lizard Point Lighthouse to a point four miles (6 km) offshore. The course then ran another 142 nautical miles (263 km) farther to the second finish near the Needles Channel entrance at the western end of The Isle of Wight.
Yachts
The 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was open to monohull yachts whose deck lengths were 70 feet (21 m) long or greater. There was no upper size limit.
The 21 entries in the 2005 RTAC ranged in size from the 70 feet (21 m) Swan sloop
Stay Calm up to the 252 feet (77 m) square-rigged clipper ship Stad Amsterdam
.
Four divisions started: "Classic" (including the Fife-designed
Sumurun), "Performance Cruising", "Classes 1 and 2" (like the luxurious Tiara) and "Grand Prix" (in which the record-shattering maxi yachts Mari-Cha IV and Maximus duked it out). The Classic division's handicap system was a modification of a previous NYYC Cruising Rule.
Performance Cruising and Grand Prix divisions operated under Americap II and IRC handicap systems.
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
Transatlantic Challenge was celebrated at the 100th anniversary of the 1905 race for the Kaiser's Cup also known as "The Great Ocean Race". In this race, there was a skipper named Charlie Barr
Charlie Barr
Charlie Barr , was an accomplished sailing skipper who captained the winning yacht in the America's Cup three times.-Early life:...
who raced the 3-masted schooner called Atlantic
Atlantic (yacht)
The Atlantic was built in 1903 by Townsend and Downey shipyard, and designed by William Gardner, for Wilson Marshall. The three-masted schooner was skippered by Charlie Barr and it held the record for fastest transatlantic passage by a monohull in the 1905 Kaiser's Cup race...
across the Ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
for nearly 3000 nautical miles (5,556 km) of the North Atlantic to set a monohull
Monohull
rightA monohull is a type of boat having only one hull, unlike multihulled boats which can have two or more individual hulls connected to one another.-Fundamental concept:...
unbeaten record for the 1905 course of exactly only 12 days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 19 seconds.
In the years that followed, other yachts made the same west-east Atlantic crossing in much faster times but not, however, in any official race, this was not to happen until the 2005 RTAC. The Atlantic held her title for 100 years, making it the oldest record recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Council of the ISAF
International Sailing Federation
The International Sailing Federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for the sport of sailing....
.
Four records were up for grabs in the 2005 RTAC
- Atlantic
' s record, for yachts which do not use a powered sailing system. - The NYYCNew York Yacht ClubThe New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ...
organised Ambrose TowerAmbrose LightAmbrose Light, often called Ambrose Tower, was a light station at the convergence of several major shipping lanes in Lower New York Bay, including Ambrose Channel, the primary passage for ships entering and departing the Port of New York and New Jersey....
to The NeedlesThe NeedlesThe Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, England, close to Alum Bay. The Needles lighthouse stands at the end of the formation...
Race, open to all entrants. - The Monohull Transatlantic Passage Record.
- The Transatlantic Powered Sailing Systems Record .
In addition to some official records, there were also a number of impressive silver cups to be passed along for various titles and classes, and some major pre- and post-race festivities held respectively by the New York Yacht Club
New York Yacht Club
The New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ...
and the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
at Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
, on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
The Race Course
The 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge began May 22nd at a point near Ambrose TowerAmbrose Light
Ambrose Light, often called Ambrose Tower, was a light station at the convergence of several major shipping lanes in Lower New York Bay, including Ambrose Channel, the primary passage for ships entering and departing the Port of New York and New Jersey....
off Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook, New Jersey
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit, approximately 6.0 miles in length and varying between 0.10 and 1 miles wide in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, along the Atlantic Ocean coast of eastern New Jersey in the United States. The barrier spit encloses the southern entrance of Lower New York Bay...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, in the vicinity of the former Sandy Hook Lightship. Though she is no longer with us, the old Lightship Ambrose
Lightship Ambrose
Lightship Ambrose was the name given to multiple lightships that served as the sentinel beacon marking Ambrose Channel which is the main shipping channel for New York Harbor....
was a starting point for many transatlantic record attempts.
Entrants raced north and eastward toward The Lizard
The Lizard
The Lizard is a peninsula in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The most southerly point of the British mainland is near Lizard Point at ....
, on the southwestern tip of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. There was a northern course boundary of sorts, established by the International Ice Patrol
International Ice Patrol
The International Ice Patrol is an organization with the purpose of monitoring the presence of icebergs in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and reporting their movements for safety purposes. It is operated by United States Coast Guard but is funded by the 13 nations interested in trans-Atlantic...
.
Yachts were required to pass through a "gate" (imaginary line) extending from the Lizard Point Lighthouse to a point four miles (6 km) offshore. The course then ran another 142 nautical miles (263 km) farther to the second finish near the Needles Channel entrance at the western end of The Isle of Wight.
Yachts
The 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was open to monohull yachts whose deck lengths were 70 feet (21 m) long or greater. There was no upper size limit.
The 21 entries in the 2005 RTAC ranged in size from the 70 feet (21 m) Swan sloop
Nautor's Swan
Oy Nautor AB is a Finnish producer of luxury sailing yachts, based in Jakobstad. It is known for its Swan line of fiberglass yacht. The company was founded in 1966 by Pekka Koskenkylä...
Stay Calm up to the 252 feet (77 m) square-rigged clipper ship Stad Amsterdam
Stad Amsterdam
The Stad Amsterdam is a three-masted clipper that was built in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 2000 at the Damen Oranjewerf....
.
Four divisions started: "Classic" (including the Fife-designed
William Fife
William Fife III OBE , also known as Wm. Fife, Jr., was the third generation of a family of Scottish yacht designers and builders....
Sumurun), "Performance Cruising", "Classes 1 and 2" (like the luxurious Tiara) and "Grand Prix" (in which the record-shattering maxi yachts Mari-Cha IV and Maximus duked it out). The Classic division's handicap system was a modification of a previous NYYC Cruising Rule.
Performance Cruising and Grand Prix divisions operated under Americap II and IRC handicap systems.