The Eco 60 Class of ocean racing yachts today launches its own dedicated website. The new class – which currently makes use of Open 60 yachts launched before 2003 – was created as an ecological, sustainable and affordable ocean racing yacht still capable of blistering speeds and top performance, with a proven track record of reliability and safety.
The Eco 60 Class website – www.eco60.org or www.eco60.net – goes live today with detailed information about the yachts and the background to the class, as well as a section devoted to Eco 60s for sale.
The class is all about allowing enthusiastic sailors with limited funds to make their mark on the world of ocean racing, and will be premiered in the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010. The Eco 60 Class takes advantage of the large market of third generation Open 60 yachts for sale, effectively recycling them back into the world they were built for – solo ocean racing.
As the ever increasing costs of the new Open 60s puts them beyond the reach of all but the few very big sponsors, there is a need to produce a class that is affordable to more sailors with the spirit of adventure and keep around the world solo sailing accessible. These tried and tested racing machines, proven in the toughest oceans around the world with a pedigree of success, are lying unused. However, their potential remains and can be harnessed as Eco 60s.
Reliable and safe, these racing yachts also come at a fraction of the cost of their newer counterparts, making ocean racing more affordable and accessible.
Race rules will set limitations on the number of sails, the size of shore crews and the extent of refit work permitted in order to further reduce budgets. But it’s not just about money – the Eco 60 Class will also be governed by a framework designed to improve the ecological and environmental impact on the planet. This includes a limit on the use of fossil fuels to encourage sailors to use more sustainable methods such as wind, solar and hydro power.
VELUX 5 OCEANS chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has been a pioneer of the Eco 60 Class after sailing one to glory in the 2007 edition of the VELUX 5 OCEANS. He said: “In ocean racing, to finish first you first have to finish. For my 2006/07 VELUX 5 OCEANS campaign I chose an older boat, strong and well tested. Of seven starters, four of us finished. In the 2008 Vendée Globe, only five out of the twenty one new generation yachts completed the course, compared to six out of the nine ‘Eco 60’ yachts which successfully returned to Les Sables D’Olonne after circumnavigating the planet.”
“The 28-year history of the VELUX 5 OCEANS is peppered with stories of unknown sailors of limited means who emerged to make their mark on ocean racing. Some became famous; others simply achieved their life’s dream of a solo circumnavigation. The Eco 60 Class continues that tradition.”