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15 August 2022
Today, at 10 AM UTC+2 Norbert has waved goodbye to all fans, partners, friends, family and the whole Innovation Yachts team to fulfill his lifetime mission to set the world record of sailing around the world nonstop, single-handed, without assistance through all five oceans including the most dangerous oceans on the planet: the Arctic Ocean and Southern Ocean.
Norbert took off from the Vend?e Globe pontoon, Les Sables d’Olonne which he associates with great memories about his successful Vend?e Globe participation in 2009. After he left the channel, he set sails and crossed the starting line, which also will be the finish line, at 11h07’13 UTC+2. Norbert started off on long light waves with a gentle breeze under a scattered sky accompanied by many people, who wished him “fair winds”.
The adventure continues online. Click here to follow Norbert’s progress and to be up to date.
https://innovation-yachts.com/aal/tracking/
The challenge will cover at least 32000 nautical miles and will take around 200 days at sea.
The purpose of this project is to ultimately confirm the quality and safety of the Innovation Yachts’ new yacht building concept and to promote environmentally friendly sailing.
The sailing yacht “Innovation Yachts Open60AAL”, built by Innovation Yachts is fully electric and will be powered only by renewable energy like wind, hydro generators and solar power. This 60ft boat was built out of fully sustainable and recyclable materials like volcanic fiber, balsa wood and biocompatible epoxy. The entire Innovation Yachts – ANT ARCTIC LAB team would like to thank everyone who came and wished Norbert “fair winds”.
The departure video can be found on Facebook: Norbert Sedlacek Ant-Arctic-Lab.
NORBERT SEDLACEK KOCH
Norbert Sedlacek was born on 27th January 1962 in Vienna into a family of Viennese officials. He acquired a compulsory education and then he attended a waiter training in Hilton hotel in Vienna.
After a military service and several years as a waiter, in 1984 he moved by his father’s request to Wiener Stadtwerke, a public transport company, located in Vienna. His father wanted him to make an easy career within the public service.
After a few years of quiet life, the driving of trams in Vienna started to bore Norbert. Reflecting of his future, he decided to have a more active life and travel around the world.
In 1994, Norbert Sedlacek discovered sailing and he was convinced that this sport is not just a hobby, but his vocation. From that moment, he did everything to become a professional sailor.
He was persuaded to pass from the tram to the cockpit of a yacht.
IY OPEN60AAL INNOVATION YACHTS
The IY Open60AAL – which was designed, developed and built by Innovation Yachts – will deliver ultimate proof of quality, safety, functionality and durability of the Innovation Yachts philosophy.
It’s being built using fully sustainable and recyclable materials and the project will test to the limits “real” boat building solutions – such as recyclable composites, harmless matrix systems and natural core materials.
No fossil fuel ! The IY Open60AAL is fully electric with two electric engines acting also as hydro generators to generate power while sailing.
Energy is also generated by solar panels and both sources allow the IY Open60AAL to be energy self-sufficient.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Hull
Hull length: 18.28 m
Hull beam: 5.82 m
Displacement: 9,500 kg
Draft: 4.50 m
Air-draught: 29.00 m
Construction Materials: volcanic fiber – balsa core sandwich, biobased epoxy
Sail Area
Full Batten Main Sail: 170 m?
Big Gennaker: 400 m?
Middle Gennaker: 300 m?
Small Gennaker: 200 m?
Code 0: 140 m?
Genoa: 120 m?
Solent: 110 m?
Staysail: 35 m?
Sturmjib: 20 m?
Design / Architecture
Concept: Norbert Sedlacek Koch, Marion Koch
Design: Marion Koch, Norbert Sedlacek Koch
Architecture: Marion Koch, Vincent Lebailly
Construction
Shipyard: Innovation Yachts
https://innovation-yachts.com/