Rambler on record breaking form

George David's supermaxi approaching Guadeloupe in the RORC Caribbean 600

By mid-morning on day two, the majority of the the RORC Caribbean 600 fleet is now heading for the top part of the course and should be around StMaarten during the day.

George David’s supermaxi Rambler 100 is setting a good pace and is already only two hours from reaching the southwest corner of Guadeloupe, 270 miles from the finish. The Juan K-designed canting keel speed machine is expected to cross the finish line before day light tomorrow and is well on course to beat the monohull course record of 44hr 5m 14sec, set by Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard in 2009.

ICAP Leopard is 42 miles behind Rambler 100, screeching along at over 20 knots, on the long sleigh ride to the bottom of the course. Rambler 100 is the hot favourite to take line honours and is currently winning the race on corrected time but the outcome is by no means a forgone conclusion.

In IRC Zero Richard Oland’s Southern Cross 52 Vela Veloce is the class leader, with 385 miles to go they are at the very top of the course and rounding St.Maarten. Peter Harrison’s Farr 115 ketch Sojana is having a great race, showing the magnificent yacht’s pedigree in big breeze on this stunning race course.

Brian Benjamin’s Carbon Ocean 82 Aegir is having a fine debut race at the RORC Caribbean 600. “The boat is really optimised for the Mediterranean and the solid Trades are giving us a bit more than that,” commented the boat’s builder Britt Colombo from on board. “Last night was pretty hard work with a lot of sail manoeuvres and shifty conditions around the back of St.Kitts but this is just fantastic sailing, it is great to be out here.”

IRC One has Piet Vroon’s Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, on the charge en route to St Maarten with 405 miles to go. The crew on board is well-drilled and made short work of the chicane at the top of the course. Shortly they will be North of St Maarten and will be lining up for the long power reach to Guadeloupe, no doubt the crew will be able to get a rest from last night’s excursions. Two extremely well sailed charter yachts are chasing after Tonnerre de Breskens.

Andy Middleton’s First 47.7 is currently second on handicap but they do have a secret weapon, Bill Blain, whose has won a string of RORC trophies in recent years. Philippe Falle’s Beneteau 50 Hydrocarbon Logic is third in class.

The Army Sailing Association’s A40 British Soldier had a first class start and they have continued to lead their class on handicap, they have taken the most northerly line of any of the yachts after Saba.

Two yachts have retired from the RORC Caribbean 600. Gonzalo Botin’s Class 40 Tales has an injured crew member (badly swollen ankle). They are returning to Jolly Harbour, Antigua to seek medical attention. Bernie Evan-Wong’s Mumm 36 High Tension was dismasted just after dawn northwest of Saba. No one was hurt in the incident and Antigua Barbuda Search and Rescue coordinated with the Martinique Co-ordination centre to offer assistance. However none was required, the rig was recovered and Evan-Wong and his team are motoring back to Antigua.