Duelling Dragons set for the Panerai Transat Classique 2015

Altair set for the Panerai Transat Classique 2015 © Panerai Transat Classique 2015

Adventuress set for the Panerai Transat Classique 2015 © Tim Wright / www.photoaction.com

The Panerai Transat Classique 2015, already a transatlantic race like no other, has taken on a whole new dimension with the entry of two vessels designed by William Fife III, the schooners Altair and Adventuress. Bearers of the famous Fife dragon, these grand old ladies of yachting have perhaps, at last, found an event worthy of their fire-breathing insignia.

Historic! Unique! Exceptional! For the first time in the history of yachting, two vessels designed by celebrated Scottish architect William Fife III will be battling it out in a race across the Atlantic. By signing up for the Panerai Transat Classique, the schooner Adventuress has transformed this exceptional race—already remarkable because of its route and line-up—into an historic event. And the mouth-watering prospect of her confrontation with Altair looks set to be a major and indelible moment in the annals of sailing. Even the genius from the Clyde would never have imagined that two of his finest and most elegant creations would one day duel their way across 3,000 miles of ocean. Symbolizing the fiery determination of these giants of sail to dominate their peers, the dragon motif at the bow is common to all the sailboats designed by the Fifes. And judging by the motivation and commitment exhibited by their respective crews, the duel is going to be lively and intense, and a paradigm of courteous fair play.

Phenomenal face-off

First up we have Altair, the majestic schooner which needs little presentation. Launched in 1931, her 131' length overall is symbolic of the renaissance of classic sailing which came about in the mid-1980s. A familiar face on the Mediterranean classic yacht circuit, she has won just about every event and is now setting her sights firmly on the wide open sea and the long rolling swell in the trades. At the head of an experienced racing crew, her skipper is looking forward to piling on every shred of sail—without of course comprising safety. Taking her on is Adventuress, a 100' gaff schooner and newcomer, or rather, "new-returner" to the classic sailing world after a long refit in the American shipyard Rockport Marine (Maine). That a Fife gets given a new lease of life in Herreshoff country would, at one time, have been inconceivable given the intense rivalry between British and American yacht designers.

Remarkable rebuild

Adventuress was built in 1924 on the shores of the Clyde, in Fairlie (home of the Fife dynasty), Scotland. She was given teak planks on sturdy oak frames and her original rig comprised a Bermudan main sail and a gaff-rigged mizzen. Hull construction is teak planking on oak frames. Her history is patchy but we do know she was requisitioned by the Germans in World War II and used as a patrol boat before getting scuttled - by the Germans or the French? - at the entrance to Villefranche-sur-Mer harbour. Refloated in 1950, she was comprehensively refitted and rigged as a ketch and then set off for the American East Coast where she sailed, from the Caribbean to New England, under the name Isabel. Subsequently she was purchased by her current owner who, a purist at heart, decided to rerig her according to the designer's original plans. The designers and shipwrights of Rockport Marine - in consultation with the Fife archives logged gutless hours throughout the restoration process to ensure that the proper decisions were made to continue it's a legacy as a sailing vessel. Expertise and precision in carpentry, rigging, bronze casting and much more were all part of the journey to completion. The efforts were appropriately awarded as "restoration of the year" by Classic Boat magazine in 2013.

Philosophy for life

On the occasion of her re-launch, in 2012, her owner; a New Yorker, and a yachtsman of Turkish origin, quoted the English poet John Keats; "a thing of beauty is a joy for ever". The proud owner of a timeless silhouette has dreamt far beyond the historical existence of the vessel. To some this may be a sailboat, for the owner consider it a means to go back in time; a philosophy and a desire to explore, and be educated by the sea as the Bygone's once did in history. Kenny Coombs, the recently deceased founder of the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta was chosen as the sail master to uphold this passion. His successor Seth Salzmann with a fervent spirit and dedication continues to educate and discover the vast oceans whilst encapsulating this craft. The ideology does not end in the ranks; "It is a team - we all work, learn, explore and struggle together". A core team of seven have navigated Islands, explored coastlines, and crossed oceans; now the young, once green crew of the Adventuress are keen to participate in a historical event such as this. No doubt about it, this duel on the high seas between Altair and Adventuress is going to be an epic! Get ready for 7 January and the start of the Panerai Transat Classique 2015, transatlantic racing at its most elegant, from Lanzarote to Fort-de-France.

Start: 7 January 2015, Lanzarote (Canary Islands)
Finish: Fort-de-France, Martinique

www.paneraitransatclassique.com