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CLASSIC
2003 INFO FOR INFORMATION: ENTRY
FORMS: PRESS
INQUIRIES:
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Tall Ships® World Peace Cup
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Tall Ship® Talk
By Captain Uli Pruesse
Tall ships, as we know, are as special as they are beautiful.
They are as splendid to the eye as they are to sail and it is an unbelievable
wonder to sail on them when they take part in the Tall Ship® sailing
festivals of the world. Watching the guys doing the deckwork or taking
the opportunity to put your own hands to sheet or halyard next to
the deck crew from all over the world is an exhilarating experience.
Mr. Mikael Krafft, the owner of the Star Clippers—and a schooner
man, built these clipper ships, thus giving the general public a chance
to go to sea “hands on”. His idea of global tall ship sailing
with a multinational crew and inter-national guests on board has made
the tall ships available for everybody. This is what was needed and
congratulations are due to the man who made it possible - as last
April was Star Clippers 10th birthday and the SPV Star Clipper will
be TEN years old during the 2002 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. The
media in Antigua announced in the fall of 2000 that the dredging of
Falmouth Harbour is planned, this will be a key point in attracting
more tall ships to the Regatta and calling Antigua their home port
for the winter season. We do hope that the dredging operation will
happen very soon as we all want to see these Tall Ships in Antigua.
The classically designed lines and traditional rigging, combined with
top of the range luxury, comfort, safety and high internal standards
are the keys for their success. These ships, Star Clipper and Star
Flyer are true sailing ships. During the annual Tall Ships® World
Peace Cup races, Star Clipper always competes well in the challenge
between the large schooners. These being: Fleurtje, Aquarius, Highlander
Sea, Sir Robert Baden Powell, HMS Rose, Mandalay, and Irene. In 2001
Star Clipper won the Best Elapsed Time–but what a beautiful sail
with Westward–who won the Best Corrected Time and who had arrived
at the start line straight from the Bermudas along with the French
schooner Bel Espoir II.
HMS Rose (the “Spirit of the Regatta” for 2000) spent the
summer of 2001 in Newport, RI. and is now awaiting the beginning of
a huge conversion into the Surprise for the movie of Patrick O’Brien’s
sea faring novels. Capt. Richard Bailey can’t wait to get it
completed! We wish him much luck, fun and a safe return to Antigua.
Sir Robert Baden Powell will be back in 2002 after an early departure
from the West Indies in 2001. The great news is that our Grand Old
Lady, Sea Cloud will join the Tall Ships® World Peace Cup races
in April 2003.
Stad Amsterdam had to leave early for the USA in 2001
but we are all hoping she will be able to take part in the Tall Ships®
Worlds Peace Cup next year in Antigua—just as we are inviting
all the other tall ships to join us in the warm waters of the Caribbean
year by year. We do have two new passenger sailing vessels, the three
masted Barque Sea Cloud II and the five masted full rigged ship Royal
Clipper. When I sailed on the Royal I could not wait to get the wind
...to get her running... The ship is fast with a 60-degree close haul
and with a wind speed of about 15 knots, we easily did 12 knots. The
Royal’s top speed so far is 16 knots from Iles des Saints down
to Guadeloupe and coming from Barbados passing South of St. Lucia
in 20 knot winds, flat seas and a very good sail trimof the jibs,
staysails and a goodhelmsman...and of course the willing passengers.
The first Atlantic crossing with the Royal was a sensation. We sailed
from Las Palmas to Barbados in 10 days with full sails straight shot
and little bit of luck with the trade winds blowing steadily 10-15
knots or more. Star Flyer and Star Clipper are very good manoeuvring
under sail or engine. The Royal is extremely well balanced and manoeuvres
as a dinghy...just perfectly. The long keel, the huge rudder and the
very well balanced sail plan are the keys for these attributes. The
owner has once again built a good ship. I can’t wait to see these
ships together with the other tall ships in the waters off Antigua.
We look forward to meeting other Class A vessels and finding out who
really is the fastest Tall
Ship in the world!
Tall Ships is a registered trade mark and servicemark owned by ASTA
Tall Ships® World Peace Cup
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| Seamanship | Barquentine Star Clipper |
| Clear Deck | Eye of the Wind |
| Bright Work | Eye of the Wind |
| Dinghy Race | Antigua Yacht Club Team |
| Spirit of Tradition | Eye of the Wind |
| Knot Tying | Eye of the Wind |
| Most Photogenic | Eye of the Wind |
| Most Enthusiastic Crew | Eye of the Wind |
| Fastest Corrected Time | Eye of the Wind |
| Fastest Elapsed Time | Eye of the Wind |
| Longest Time Chef on board | Eye of the Wind |
| Farthest Sailed Ship | Eye of the Wind |