New Single-handed Round Britain And Ireland Record

On Tuesday 8 June at 19h31m48s BST Belgian skipper Michel KLEINJANS sailing his Open 40 ‘Roaring Forty’ crossed the finish line off Ramsgate after his singlehanded record attempt around Britain and Ireland.

The new singlehanded record time set by Kleinjans is now 11d 12h 26m 12s subject to ratification. The former record was set in 2000 by Peter Keig with his 38-footer ‘Zeal’ after a voyage of 18d 13h 59m. Kleinjans reduced that record by more than 7 days.

Considering the gruelling calm weather (no wind, thick fog patches) as well as the electrical problems encountered at the end of his voyage (no more battery charger, hence no more nstruments, VHF, nor autopilot), Michel KLEINJANS estimates that a time well under 10 days is far from being impossible.

The Round Britain & Ireland route is theoretically 1787 miles long.

‘Roaring Forty’ is a carbon hulled Open 40 designed in 1997 by Ad Konijnendijk of the Lutra Design Group.