One man, one boat, 26,000 miles of ocean to conquer. Starting on November 9, 2008, Derek Hatfield of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, will undertake an around-the-globe, non-stop race, the Vendee Globe. His 60-foot racing vessel, The Spirit of Canada, was designed to sail single-handedly and cruise incredibly fast while withstanding the worse seas imaginable. The boat’s durability is strengthened by DuPont™ Kevlar® in its hull.
Hatfield is the 126th person in history to finish an unassisted race around the world, navigating a 40-foot yacht to finish first in his fleet and third overall in a 2002 race. In the upcoming Vendee Globe, Hatfield will be one of 30 boats to depart France in the most grueling single-handed race in the world.
For the 90-95 days Hatfield estimates it will take to complete the race, he’ll sleep at sea, eat at sea, and survive at sea. “It’s not just about sailing. It’s a psychological endeavor,” says Hatfield, who will use an onboard satellite system to make daily updates. Repairs for everything must be done at sea, and going ashore for any reason means disqualification. “The psychological challenge is very grueling.”
DuPont Canada is proud to sponsor Derek’s campaign, and The Spirit of Canada, which is made of donated DuPont™ Kevlar® honeycomb core material. Honeycomb made with Kevlar® brand fiber consists of a series of hexagonal cells made of structural sheet, bonded together to form panels similar in appearance to a cross-sectional slice of a beehive. The panels are exceptionally strong structurally, but contain 90-99 percent open space, so they are also very lightweight.
Hatfield was intimately involved in the boat’s construction. “As you can imagine in a high-tech boat like this, weight is a big issue,” says Hatfield. “There’s a real advantage to using Kevlar® honeycomb in the core material. It’s a very light, very strong material.” And lighter means faster in the world of sailboat racing.
