Wind Spirit, the 23.9m (78.4ft) expedition ketch we launched in 2022, departed Auckland,
New Zealand, just before Christmas 2023, bound for Brest, France, over 20,000 nautical
miles away.
For the intrepid captain and his first mate, the adventure began with setting a course of 100 degrees true, the next port of call would be Horta in the Azores, almost 11,900 nautical miles away.
The first objectives, however, were navigating the Southern Ocean and then the incredible achievement of rounding Cape Horn... two-handed…. Here are a few pictures; there is more to the story on our Facebook page; see the link below.
4 a.m. – South Pacific
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Fog – South Pacific.
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Wind Spirit in her element.
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Rounding Cape Horn. Epic!
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Crossing the Equator.
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Magic!
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Arrived in the Azores.
7/10
Onward. The last leg to France.
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Brest on the horizon.
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France!
10/10
4 a.m. – South Pacific
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FAQs
What major upgrades were made during Crusader’s big refit?The refit included a new swim platform extension, cockpit cabin top extension with glass and side weather panels, a new electronics suite, bow thruster installation, re-covered deckhead panels, and a full repaint. |
How did the sea trial of Crusader go after the refit?The sea trial went smoothly with only a very short snag list, which was resolved within about half an hour, confirming the success of the refit. |
How was the craftsmanship handled during the refit?Many detailed tasks, such as the teak decking on the swim platform, were done by hand without CNC machining, demonstrating the team’s skilled craftsmanship. |
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