Extreme Sailing Series in Singapore

In Singapore there are always interesting things to do and see.  This weekend we happened to be wondering around the Marina Bay area and came across the Extreme Sailing Series.  This competition is basically NASCAR for sailing.  They set up the race course so that you can see almost all of the action without binoculars or a boat and they have bars all over!  Singapore is the first of eight stops.  The other stops include Oman, China, Russia, Wales, Turkey, the Mediterranean, and ending in Sydney. 

The focus on this series is for the spectators so they set it up in such a way that people are engaged and I think that the free flowing booze also helps to keep people around.  The race course is small and short so that the races will not exceed 20 minutes. This allows for at least eight exciting races a day.  It reminds me of going to the horse track, but here it is more socially acceptable to wear boat shoes. Here are some photos from the weekend that the professionals took.  Check out #47 & #48 as that was a great wreck that took two teams out of the competition.

The boats are 40-foot catamarans that are 23 feet wide and made of a carbon fiber with a honeycomb core.  These boats weigh a little over 3,000 pounds which is surprisingly light for their size. The lightweight and technological advancements allow these boats to reach speeds up to 35 miles per hour and can even hit 25 knots in only 15 knots of wind.  The boats are sailed by a five man crew.  I found out that they have a 6^th man ride along; basically you get to sit on the boat during the race and get the full experience…sign me up! Here are the technical specs and more about the boats.

I hope that the extreme sailing teams and sponsors enjoyed their first tour stop in Singapore and I hope that they are back next year.  If luck is on our side, Amy & I hope to be living about a block away from the race course and will for sure be having a nautical themed party next year. 

Until then,

Raegen & Amy