Virgin Money Starts Record Attempt

With a weather outlook of breeze, breeze, and more breeze, Virgin Money set off early this morning on an attempt at the west-east transatlantic record for monohulls with powered sailing systems. The Juan K-designed, 98-footer chartered by billionaire Richard Branson is expected to run into a depression packing northerlies to 50 knots off the coast of Newfoundland tomorrow evening. Although the pressure will certainly be helpful, its direction probably will not — they’ll be sailing well south of the great circle route and adding distance to the trip should the weather forecasts pan out.

The course takes them from New York’s Ambrose Light to the Lizard in Cornwall, UK, in a race against the clock against Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard. Skipper Chris Sherlock and a relatively small crew set that record in 7 days, 19 hours and 20 minutes this May while in the midst of delivering the boat back to Europe from the Caribbean.

Branson announced the attempt in September and has since been waiting for the best possible weather window. With the exception of the 58-year-old British adventurer and his two grown children, the 24-man crew hails predominately from Britain’s nascent America’s Cup challenger Team Origin, including navigator Stan Honey and Kiwi Mike Sanderson, while four-time Olympic medalist Ben Ainslie has been given the con. You can follow their progress here.

Virgin Money will also be looking to better the time of Robert Miller’s 140-ft Mari-Cha IV, which set the outright monohull record of 6 days, 17 hours and 31 minutes in October of 2003. But at this point at least, Virgin Money isn’t eligible for that record in the eyes of the World Speed Sailing Record Council because the boat has powered winches.