YB Tracking is honoured to be the satellite tracking supplier for some of the world's most prestigious yacht races. Whether these events are renowned for their scale, distance, or storied history, YB Tracking is there, ensuring that boats are tracked and that audiences worldwide can engage with the interactive Race Viewers.
This year, YB Tracking will be aboard the Vendee Globe, The Sydney to Hobart, and the Mini Globe Race, alongside 230 other yacht races. While the first two names might be familiar, the Mini Globe Race might be new to you.
Imagine a 19-foot boat with a solo skipper circumnavigating the globe. It’s akin to sailing an SUV-sized vessel, which gives you a surreal sense of just how confined the space is.
This boat, the Mini Globe 5.80, measures just 5.8 meters.
The class was conceived by Australian adventurer Don McIntyre, also the founder of the sister events the Golden Globe Race and the Ocean Globe Race.
Since the class's inception, over 230 enthusiasts from more than 27 countries have purchased plans to build their own 19-foot plywood 'mini' yacht.
Polish sailor and designer Janusz Maderski took on the task of creating a design that could be built by anyone eager to compete, opening up thrilling possibilities for affordable and adventurous ocean racing.
In December 2024, these Mini Yachts will depart from Lagos to Antigua in a qualifying race. Then, in February 2025, they will embark on a 28,000-mile race starting from Antigua, with a limit of 20 entrants from around the world. The race is expected to take about a year to complete, with the following legs:
Leg One: Antigua to Panama
Leg Two: Panama to Fiji via Tahiti and Tonga
Leg Three: Fiji to Cape Town via Darwin, Australia, Mauritius, and Durban
Leg Four: Cape Town to Antigua via St Helena and Recife, Brazil
Can someone who’s never built an ocean-capable yacht achieve this? Absolutely.
Take Keith Oliver, for instance, who constructed his 5.80 boat in his backyard and then competed in the 2023 Globe 5.80 Transat Race.
Against all odds, he dedicated countless hours to building his boat in a makeshift tent, overcoming doubts and scepticism at every turn. His journey, spanning 24 months, is nothing short of legendary.
You can watch his remarkable story on YouTube—MERAKI: To do something with creativity and love.
For the Mini Globe 5.80, YB Tracking plays a critical role, providing two YB3 handheld trackers per boat: the main tracker and a grab bag tracker. Safety is paramount for Don McIntyre and his team, and we are proud to be the trusted tracking supplier for this incredible event.
To learn more about the 19 competitors from 12 countries— including Ireland, Germany, Spain, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Canada, the UK, the USA, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland—who have officially signed up for the Mini Globe Race, visit Mini Globe Race. https://minigloberace.com/
With YB Tracking, you can follow every moment of this extraordinary journey.
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