Spirit of Canada update

Derek Hatfield's brand new Open 60 sets sail down the St Lawrence

Derek Hatfield writes: Spirit of Canada and the team left Port Credit on Sunday 30 September and after four full days of sailing and motoring down the St Lawrence River, arrived in Caraquet New Brunswick to a warm Acadian welcome from my home province. It was great to be back in New Brunswick. In Caraquet, Rene Friolet hosted us in his boatyard with a haul out to work on the bottom of Spirit of Canada. After just three days in Caraquet, we delivered the boat to Halifax and we are currently at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron preparing for the delivery to Brazil in the next week or so.

The Open 60 is performing beyond expectations and is very exciting to sail. By the time we arrive in Brazil, I will have sailed almost 5,000 miles on the Open 60 and will be getting some valuable sea time under our belts.

People are constantly commenting to me that they are very impressed that we have made it this far and that we are so close to actually racing the boat. My response is always the same; it is because of the support of those people that have donated to put their names on the side of the boat. Thank you. I am honoured and privileged to have over 5,000 individuals and corporations believe in us. The new Spirit of Canada exists because of those people and their faith in the team. Our goal still remains to have 10,000 names on the hull so please spread the word.

As in our last race around the world, the goal for the Vendee Globe is motivate Canadians and make them proud of this great nation.

Here we go again.

Take care,

Derek