Daedalus (yacht)
| Other names |
Formule Tag ENZA New Zealand (1993–94) Royal & SunAlliance Team Legato Doha Spirit of Antigua |
|---|---|
| Designer(s) |
Nigel Irens Adrian Thomson (re-design) |
| Builder | Canadair |
| Launched | 1983 |
| Racing career | |
| Skippers |
Mike Birch Peter Blake Robin Knox-Johnston Tracy Edwards Tony Bullimore |
| Specifications | |
| Displacement | 14.5 t (14.3 long tons; 16.0 short tons) |
| Length | 30.50 m (100.1 ft) (LOA) |
| Beam | 12.80 m (42.0 ft) |
| Draft | 3 m (9.8 ft) |
| Mast height | 33 m (108 ft) |
| Sail area | 300 m2 (3,200 sq ft) (upwind) 534 m2 (5,750 sq ft) (downwind) |
Daedalus is a maxi-catamaran, that participated in numerous open-ocean races under various owners and names.
Originally named Formule Tag, this maxi-catamaran was built by Canadair in Québec, Canada in 1983, under the supervision of Canadian skipper Mike Birch and British designer Nigel Irens. The yacht was built to compete in the inaugural Transat Québec-Saint-Malo—a trans-North Atlantic sailing race celebrating Jacques Cartier's 1534 voyage from Saint-Malo, France, to present day Québec City.
It was the largest sailing catamaran of its time, with a length of 85 feet, and participated in a number of races. In 1984 Birch and crew sailed her to a new record for Day's Run, sailing 512 nautical miles in 24 hours.
In 1993, Formule Tag was purchased by Robin Knox-Johnston and future two-time America's Cup winner Peter Blake. The two skippers renamed her ENZA New Zealand (Enza an acronym for Eat New Zealand Apples). The two launched a 1993 attempt (thwarted by damage) on the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest sail circumnavigation of the world. They captured the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994, circling the globe in 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes and 22 seconds.
By 1998, British skipper Tracy Edwards had bought the yacht and renamed her Royal & SunAlliance. Edwards and crew set a new record for an all-female crew sailing across the North Atlantic, at 9 days 11 hours 21 minutes and 55 seconds. Tracy and her crew broke a total of seven world records with the Royal & SunAlliance, including a Channel Record that stood for three years. During their attempt to win the Jules Verne Trophy, the Royal & SunAlliance was dismasted in the Southern Ocean.
...
Wikipedia