On 26 July, Sedlacek, once a tram driver in Vienna, will be setting off on his sixth major record attempt. The man has already sailed around Antarctica non-stop and single-handed and was the first German-speaking sailor to complete the Vendée Globe (11th place). And now the really long challenge: 32,000 nautical miles solo without stopping to the Arctic and back south along the entire Atlantic, around St Helena High and the Cape of Good Hope, through the Indian Ocean, past Cape Leeuwin, through the Pacific and, after rounding Cape Horn, back up again and back to France.
Sedlacek wants to set a record with Imoca derivative
The whole thing with the Imoca derivative built at Sedlacek's shipyard in the sailing mecca of Les Sables d'Olonne Innovation Yachts Open 60AAL. The latter letters stand for Ant Arctic Lab, the name of the project. Lab, because the boat is a test vehicle designed to prove that the construction method using recyclable composite materials, bio-based resins and natural core materials is solid and durable. The boat has already proven this, having been launched and extensively tested in 2018. However, five record attempts failed, and quite early on in European waters. In 2018 there were technical problems with the power supply, in 2019 damage to the sail wardrobe forced the boat to turn back, which Sedlacek attributes to himself. In 2021 it was the power supply again, in 2022 rudder problems and in 2023 a failure of the tilt keel.
Death or lieutenant: "This time I'm going through with it!"
And now? "This time I'm going to go through with it, there's no taking any chances. Then all partners and sponsors will know. I'm ready. I have my head completely free this time, everything is prepared in my shipyard for a longer absence and the technology on board is now fully developed. the boat itself has already proven itself anyway."
Norbert Sedlacek at YACHT TV
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Fridtjof Gunkel
Deputy Chief Editor YACHT
