Yvan Bourgnon loses his catamaran on rocks in Sri Lanka while attempting to reach the shore during his beach cat circumnavigation attempt

Yvan Bourgnon's catamaran on which he has nearly completely circumnavigated has sadly been lost on the rocks in Sri Lanka.  Yvan has thankfully survived without injury but the boat is a complete write off.  His plan is to head back to France and attempt to raise funding for another catamaran built along the same principle of no accommodation and short LOA to complete his adventure.

Here is a rough translate of the news article:

http://www.en-avant-toute.ch/page/yvan-bourgnon.html

Big problem on arrival in Sri Lanka

"A few miles from the finish, the wind will was finally appeased; so I set the autopilot to sleep a few moments with a heading seaward. I woke up on a surf spot with huge waves crashing on the rocks. I was thrown out of the boat and thought I live my last moments being drawn in by a mishmash of pebbles, pieces of boat and water rollers. I'm out of it unscathed. It's just a miracle!"

This accident does not mark the end of my project. I intend to find a partner and additional funds in the coming weeks to arm a catamaran of existing sport and continue the adventure...

Yvan Bourgnon (August 1, 2014)

I've had a few people email me to see if there is anyway they can help Yvan complete his adventure.  There is a donations page on his website here:

http://www.en-avant-toute.ch/page/j-embarque-avec-yvan.html

photo courtesy the Daily Mirror

Yvan Bourgnon's circumnavigation in a beach cat, video from latest leg of the journey Guadaloupe to Panama

Yvan Bourgnon departs on the next leg of his beach cat circumnavigation Martinique (Guadaloupe) to Colon (Panama)

From the following entry on Yvan Bourgnon's FB page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/yvan.bourgnon/photos/a.291016674251063.79161.117142148305184/748750488477677/?type=1&theater

 

The rough bing translate:

 

It seems that this man is happy to resume the sea!
It is the smile on his lips and in Olympic form that Yvan is slender on the sea of the Caribbean, today at 11:20 (local time) of the sailor in the direction of the Panama.
We wish him beautiful sailing, lots of fun and a lenient weather!
 Fair winds Yvan

 

the tracker is here:

http://ledefidyvanbourgnon.com/suivi-en-temps-reel/

 

 

 

Yvan Bourgnon prepares to depart from Martinique bound towards Colon (Panama) on his beachcat circumnavigation attempt

Yvan is set to depart tomorrow from Martinique (Guadaloupe) for Colon (Panama) a gallery of photos is available on facebook of the final preparations.

https://www.facebook.com/yvan.bourgnon.9/posts/10151963720219353

Matakana Island Raid 2014 for off the beach cats, 7th February Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat club

From the following entry on the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat club website:

http://www.yacht.org.nz/news/id/330

The Matakana Island raid for 2014 is fast approaching

This exciting social race is now into it's 6th edition, and is open to multihulls with a LOA 5m and greater. Plenty of fun to be had, meet new friends and catch up with old ones.

This years race begins with a Friday night race starting off the yacht club on 7th Feb, although if you miss this leg not to worry this year this result can be dropped, and dinner can be ordered from the yacht club.

Saturday will see racing up to Bowentown, and staying at the family friendly Athenree hot pools and camp ground. On Sunday we'll race back to Tauranga

read more here

and a video of the 2013 event:

Article by Richard Gladwell on the Olympic Nacra 17 catamaran: ISAF's experiment gets big tick from top crew

From the following article on Sail-World by Richard Gladwell:

http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=118082

The Nacra 17 is enjoying a stellar rise amongst the sailing and multihull community, both because of its design pedigree from US design team of Melvin and Morelli, and the fact that mixed gender crews are offering a new dimension to Olympic sailing.

The great experiment has worked.

Since the introduction of the mixed gender crew concept, and then the trials conducted by the ISAF to select a purpose designed boat for the 2016 Olympic event, the sailing world has been pondering the options.

Now these are starting to emerge, but as yet no best combination of roles in the boat, weight and height combination, or set up have really emerged.

All crews in the Nacra 17 at December's ISAF World Sailing Cup Melbourne acknowledge that they are on a steep learning curve and are learning with each race sailed.

A new crew having racing their first regatta together at Melbourne, are Olympic Silver medalists Darren Bundock and Nina Curtis.

Bundock (42) oozes multihull experience – a former World Champion in the Tornado class, and Olympic Silver medalist in the same year, 2008, the tall, slightly built Australian is acknowledged as one of the top racing multihull sailors in the world.

read more here

20th Hobie 16 Worlds 2013, Huskisson, Jervis Bay, NSW set to welcome nearly 500 competitors

From the following article by David Brookes on the Hobieclass.com website:

http://www.hobieclass.com/?Page=9852

20th Hobie 16 Worlds numbers
Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Member for the South Coast, Shelley Hancock, has announced that Huskisson, Jervis Bay, New South Wales, will welcome a record number of entrants for the world’s largest Hobie 16 World Championships, held from Friday 31 January to Saturday 15 February 2014. The Hobie 16 World Championships is the pinnacle competition for the largest and most popular catamaran class in the world.

More than 365 teams, comprising almost 500 competitors from 27 countries will battle it out during the 16-day sailing regatta on the idyllic waters of Jervis Bay.

A single class, multi-hull event, the regatta ensures a level playing field for competitors, where all will be sailing in identical Hobie catamarans.

“This is great news for our community, and we look forward to welcoming the competitors and visitors to our beautiful region for the 20th Hobie 16 World Championships,” Ms Hancock said.

“With previous World Championships hosted in Canada, Mexico, New Caledonia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates and The Virgin Islands, Jervis Bay is in good company hosting this truly global event.”

read more here

 

Retrospective video of the trans Atlantic leg of Yvan Bourgnon's beach cat circumnavigation attempt

Yvan Bourgnon's circumnavigation in a beachcat attempt, Yvan now sailing solo and more than half way across the Atlantic destination Point a Pitre

The tracker is active for Yvan Bourgnon's circumnavigation attempt is active at:

http://www.en-avant-toute.ch/yvan-bourgnon/le-defi/suivi-en-temps-reel/

here is a recent update: