Since 1987, veteran round-the-world racer Skip Novak has been leading high-latitude sailing expeditions in the deep southern ocean and Antarctica. Based in Porto Williams, Chile, at the tip of South America and not far from Cape Horn, Novak spent 14 years sailing aboard his first expedition yacht Pelagic. He subsequently built a larger, purpose-designed expedition yacht, with naval architect Tony Castro, based on all he had learn about high-latitude, expedition sailing. His second boat, Pelagic Australis, and Pelagic are now actively sailing with expeditions year around.
But soon there will be three. On February 22, 2021, the brand new Pelagic 77 Vinson of Antarctica was launched by her builders KM Yachts in The Netherlands and fitted with her new carbon fiber masts. The boat was built for Chilean entrepreneur and adventurer Nicolas Ibanez Scott and will become the third yacht in the fleet managed by Novak and his team.
Upon the launch, Novak commented, “This expedition ship builds on the success of Pelagic Australis and was conceived and designed for high latitude expedition voyages. That calls for a high level of self reliance, practical ease while sailing and, of course, given the Pelagic philosophy, simple systems that can be easily maintained even in remote areas without specialist help.”
Like the first two Pelagics, the new boat has a massively strong aluminum hull. She has a stub keel that houses a centerboard, twin rudders and twin propellers. The schooner rig brakes the sail plan in to sails of a manageable size so that all halyard and sheet work can be done with manual winches, instead of electric or hydraulic winches. The center cockpit and dog house on deck provide plenty of protection against hostile elements and offer a large social area at deck level. Down below there is a large galley area and dining room aft, while the six, double sleeping cabins and two heads are positioned forward.
The boat will be ready for sea trials in the North Sea by the end of March where it is sure to find her first storms and heavy weather. That is what Vinson of Antarctica was designed and built for. Vinson, by the way, was named for the highest mountain in Antarctica.
For more information on Pelagic yachts click here. http://www.pelagic.co.uk/yachts/about.asp
For more information on Pelagic Expeditions click here. http://www.pelagic.co.uk/over_overview.asp
