Ocean Blue Sailing Founder Completes Leg 3 of the Ocean Globe Race Around Cape Horn

This February, Ocean Blue Sailing Founder Benoit Ansart, completed Leg 3 of The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) a 6,200 nautical miles journey from Auckland, NZ to Punta del Este, UR and around Cape Horn aboard Outlaw - The Spirit of Adelaide. After circumnavigating more than 40,000 miles around the globe in the 2017-18 Clipper Around the World Race, Benoit still had one last great cape to go sail around.

Benoit was onboard OUTLAW, an impressive Baltic 55 originally built in 1984 to compete in the 85/86 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.  Named EQUITY & LAW for the race, she was built by Baltic in Finland to a Douglas Peterson design.

"As a experienced sailor, there are certain areas of the world that you desire to visit to complete your bucket list including the ultimate challenge of sailing around Cape Horn, the sailor's Everest,” said Benoit.

Cape Horn is located at the southernmost tip of South America where the Atlantic meets the Pacific, and is best known for the roughest and most treacherous seas to sail in. The unpredictable westerly winds howl through the latitudes known as the Furious Fifties which results in massive waves. Since it was first successfully navigated in 1616, the cape was for many sailors one of the most feared sea routes in the world. Even in today's high-tech age, it remains a dangerous place.

“It was a peak sailing experience for me personally. The exhilarating adventure and humbling experience of having to crew with all the challenges presented by OGR, a race without modern technology, but while sailing as fast and efficient as we could to be competitive,” added Benoit.

The OGR is a fully crewed retro race in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race. It marks the 50th anniversary of the original event.

According to the OGR, It is an eight-month adventure around the world for ordinary sailors on normal yachts. Racing ocean-going GRP production yachts designed before 1988, there are no computers, no satellites, no GPS, and no high-tech materials. Sextants, team spirit and raw determination alone in the great traditions of ocean racing are allowed on this truly human endeavor.

“The waves were massive, but it was spectacular to experience this on OUTLAW, which handles it really well, surfing down the waves at full speed,” added Benoit.

In 2021, Team Spirit of Adelaide formed an owner’s cooperative to purchase OUTLAW after discovering her in a boat builders’ yard in Albany, New York.  She had been out of the water for many years and was in a remarkable condition considering her age. The team spent twelve months on the self-funded project, restoring where possible, and fitting her out to Word Sailing Offshore standards.

Also to note, Benoit and his family have created a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization,”Ocean Blue Sailing Foundation,” for the purpose of promoting offshore sailing to young non-professional sailors. During the OGR race, his foundation sponsored two young sailors to help them finance their participation as crew on OUTLAW.

OUTLAW is currently headed to Cowes, UK on the fourth and last OGR leg and expected to finish in April. For those interested in participating in the OGR race in 2027 or to find out more about the sale of Outlaw following the race, please contact admin@oceanbluesailing.org.

Benoit is available to share the story of his journey on OUTLAW in a presentation to local sailing clubs or other interested organizations.