11/2006 –

A powerful contender.

The identical replica of the original two-masted schooner Sunshine made its first appearance in French waters in June 2005. She was back in September at the Régates Royales, much to the delight of classic yacht sailors and fans present in Cannes.

With a deck length of 31m, maximum beam of 5.60 m, a 3.40 m draught and an impressive displacement of 80 tons, Sunshine is certainly powerful and, as soon as the wind picks up, devilishly quick too. On Thursday 29 September 2006 at the 27th Régates Royales, Peter Wood’s schooner was a magnificent sight in the sunlit bay of Cannes, racing towards the finish line at 12 knots in 20 knots of wind against the misty backdrop of the Esterel mountains. With all 490 m² of her sails to the wind, and remarkably stable in the water, she unfurled her full potential and beat Mariella to the finish.

Historic inspiration.

Sunshine is unique in every way. William Fife Jr, one of the greatest naval architects of all times, designed very few schooners and, after Helen and Geisha, when Sunshine was first unveiled, the press went wild. In May 1900, Yachting World wrote, “She looks, with her long overhangs, small but powerful underwater body, strong and well turned bilge, and extremely roomy deck, every inch a modern racer. […] Sunshine is a very handsome boat and cannot fail to be a speedy one.” It is precisely those beautiful lines and powerful hull that inspired Peter Wood to build her replica in 1999.

An authentic resurrection.

Launched in 2003, Sunshine was built in Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Rangoon, Burma). For 4 years, workers in the Myanmar shipyard reproduced techniques used in Europe back in the early 20th century to build the hull and rigging strictly identical to those built in 1900. In October 2004, Peter Wood and his crew Evan, Aunjtinoo and Romeo set sail for Europe via 13 countries, surviving more than a few storms. Nine months later, the French Riviera was celebrating Sunshine‘s resurrection and since then, she has appeared at every classic yacht regatta in the region. Sailing on board Sunshine is a unique and not to be missed opportunity to step into the shoes of an early 20th century yachtsman.

NauticNews.com Tech Specs of sailing yacht Sunshine

More details : http://www.schooner-sunshine.com

-NG-