All the latest news on boating, berthing and harbour developments from around the UK
ICONIC SAILING RACE RETURNS HOME TO SOUTHAMPTON
After almost a quarter of a century, MDL Marinas has announced it has partnered with the Ocean Globe Race to bring the iconic event back to Southampton.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Whitbread Round the World Race, the fully-crewed retro Ocean Globe Race will be run in the spirit of the original 1973 race, starting and finishing at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, as so many editions of this epic sailing challenge did before.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have MDL onboard for the 2023 Ocean Globe Race and starting from Ocean Village in Southampton is a personal dream for me,” says Don McIntyre, Ocean Globe Race founder.
On September 10 over 160 sailors will depart Ocean Village onboard the 15 yachts to complete the four-leg, 30,000-mile race around the world via the three great capes; Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, Australia’s Cape Leeuwin, and South America’s notorious Cape Horn.
Onboard the privately-owned, pre-1988 sailing boats, the international crews will have no GPS, no high-tech equipment and no computers and will navigate using only a sextant, charts and the stars.
Tim Mayer, sales and marketing director at MDL Marinas, adds: “What better way to celebrate MDL Marina’s 50th anniversary than to join forces with Don McIntyre to bring the Ocean Globe Race to life.
“By hosting the start and finish of this retro edition of the historic race at our Ocean Village Marina, we’re hoping to recreate the jubilant atmosphere of the early races.”
• oceangloberace.com; mdlmarinas.co.uk
NEW LINE OF ELECTRIC CATAMARANS IS LAUNCHED
Dream Yacht Worldwide, one of the world’s leading sea vacation companies, and Fountaine Pajot, global designer and builder of leading-edge luxury catamarans, has announc
