Belgian sailor sets off for Round Ireland record attempt
by Bert Janssen 4 Oct 2005 16:33 BST
On Saturday October 1st at 12.57 GMT Belgian yachtsman Michel Kleinjans and his Open 40 ROARING FORTY finally set sail in Dun Loaghaire in an attempt to better the existing single handed Round Ireland record.
The broken starter engine that forced him to delay his departure almost for a week has finally been repaired, allowing Michel Kleinjans to seize the first weather window and start his clockwise chrono race.
On Monday morning ROARING FORTY’s position was just off the Blasket Islands on the South-West coast of Ireland, where lack of wind seriously reduced progress. Fortunately for the Belgian skipper the wind picked up in the afternoon and weather maps show that it is likely to stay, allowing ROARING FORTY to make good progress towards the finish line in Dublin Bay. Le temps de permettre à Michel Kleinjans de prendre possession de ce record tant convoité.
ROARING FORTY is an Open 40 built in 1997 to a plan of Ad Konijnendijk (the same guy that designed TONNERE DE BRESKENS and now FORMIDABLE of Piet Vroon).
The single handed Round Ireland record, 5 days, 12 hours and 11 minutes, is held by Irishman Michael Liddy sailing his production Beneteau 40.7 AFAOM.COM.
The record for crewed yachts is held by the French 60-footer CITY JET/SOLUNE, in a time of 57 hours and 41 minutes.