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Displaying items by tag: Mini 650

With a target of this season's 220 nautical mile French Solo Trophée Map race, Dublin Bay offshore sailor Mark O'Connor has launched a Mini 650 campaign.

The 23-year-old UCD engineering student has entry into the 2023 Mini Transat as the main aim of his solo move.

A regular crewman racing on Chris Power Smith's J122 Aurelia in the ISORA Series, O'Connor learned to sail in the National Yacht Club junior section where is he is now an active member of the East Pier club's U25 section.

Mark O'Connor's new boat is an American built Pogo 2 type Mini 650, hull number 840Mark O'Connor's boat is a Pogo 2 type Mini 650, hull number 840 that is now on the water in Dublin Bay

O'Connor's boat is an American built Pogo 2 type Mini 650, hull number 840. It was purchased in Barcelona and transported to France before travelling by ferry to Dublin.

O'Connor plans to work on 'learning the boat' and how to sail it, before competing in the mini regatta series with the aim of qualifying for the Mini Transat.

O'Connor's Mini 650 on her way to DublinThe new NYC-based Mini 650 on her way to Dublin

Published in Solo Sailing
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#solosailing – It seems there's nothing a helicopter can't handle in terms of recovery, even in a worst case scenario like the one above.This successful salvage lift of a Pogo 2 Mini 6.50 was completed at Bovisands beach on the east side of Plymouth Sound in Devon, England. That's a 430 kilogram keel too! 

Published in Solo Sailing
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About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 02 September 2019.