Don Mclntyre is the instigator of the Golden Globe Race. This round-the-world race celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first non-stop solo round-the-world race. Following the success of the race won by Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, the second edition of which is scheduled for 2022, this Australian imagined reliving the mythical round-the-world race, the famous Whtbread. In 2023 the Ocean Globe Race will start.
But this tireless adventurer has also imagined a round-the-world race on a minimalist sailboat. For this he proposes the plans of a 5.80 m (18 feet) sailboat in memory of an expedition he made in 2010. With 3 other accomplices, he crossed the Pacific Ocean from Tonga to Kupang (4000 miles) in the wake of the Bounty's men who had been abandoned on an 18-foot rowboat in open sea.
300 euros the plans
The plans propose to build a 5.80 plywood sailboat that can be easily stored in a 6 m container. The mast is sleeved to split in two, the keel and rudders are easily removed. The plans are for sale 300 euros. And you can choose to build your own boat in a few months or entrust the construction to a shipyard.
"I love small boats for their simplicity and pure adventure. In addition, building this 5.80 with plywood from sustainable plantations reduces the environmental impact as much as possible," says Don McIntyre.
The ClassMini 5.80
A regatta class will be formed, the ClassMini 5.80 with an offshore regatta programme. In 2021, a single-handed transatlantic race should take place, while a round-the-world race is scheduled for 2024. There's no question here of playing with the high latitudes or Cape Horn, as it's a race with a stopover that will be raced while remaining in the Tropics.
Currently the first example of this class is under construction in Poland. It is intended for Don McIntyre, who will be doing a promotion transat in November 2021. The boat will then be used to sponsor other sailors.
With this simple class being financially accessible, Don McIntyre hopes to reach out to young people to make them want to build their boat and compete in the race.
