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Branson to join Playstation for May TransAtlantic Attempt
Author: Playstation Media
Fossett and Crew Ready for Early May TransAtlantic Attempt
- Branson Joins Quest for Record
24th April 2000 New York City, USA: Following the recent high-profile launch
and (temporary) demise of rival Pete Goss’ radical giant catamaran, American
balloonist, endurance sportsman, yachtsman and adventurer Steve Fossett and
his own 105’ (32 m) mega-cat PlayStation remain on course to tackle one of
the sailing world’s biggest records - the USA-UK TransAtlantic mark (6 days
13 hours 3 mins 32 secs) set in 1990 by Serge Madec on Jet Services V.
An attack on the record in early May now appears most likely.
Skipper Steve Fossett e-mailed the crew on Easter Sunday: "Meteoraologist
Chris Bedford reports that there are no TransAt start possibilities through
May 1, due to the continuing winter storm track. However, there is a
favorable change in pattern in the 10 day forecast. We should regard May 1 as
our earliest Ready Date.
Our Sail Training Week (including the Bermuda - NYC delivery) was a success,
in my opinion. Our 39 hour delivery from Bermuda to NYC was the fastest that
course has ever been sailed, although we did not officially time it. For that
matter, our 5 hour circumnavigation of Bermuda was also faster than that had
ever been done.
We should now be ready to press hard when we sail for the TransAtlantic
Record."
PlayStation’s first TransAtlantic record attempt (December ’99) was halted
by broken mainsail battens caused by a sudden 60 knot squall. Since then,
Steve and the crew have been very busy preparing for the next one. After a
short break for Christmas and swift repairs in Newport, Rhode Island, the
world’s fastest ocean sailing yacht then set a new Newport to Bermuda world
record in January ’00 with a time of 38 hours 35 minutes, knocking over 2
hours off Fossett’s own previous (solo) mark. March and April have been
spent ocean testing from a Bermuda base, ending up this week in New York City
to begin final preparations for a TransAt departure - potentially any time
after 1 May.
Joining skipper Steve and PlayStation’s ten-man crew for the attempt from NY
will be Fossett’s fellow ‘round-the-world balloon challenger Richard Branson
- himself a TransAtlantic world record setter via hot air balloon and power
boat - as a full crew member. Australian America's Cup and Whitbread crewman
Nick Moloney has also joined the permanent crew effective immediately.
Following the NY-UK world record attempt, an entire summer of further record
setting is planned for Steve and PlayStation - all in preparation for the
ultimate yacht race - and a confrontation with Pete Goss’ rebuilt Team
Philips plus a whole fleet (up to 10 boats) of extraordinary unlimited
multihulls - ‘The RACE’ of the Millennium - non stop, no rules, around the
world - starting in Barcelona at 1200H on 31st December 2000.
More Information: www.fossettchallenge.com
See also: CHRYSLER 22 SK for sale
