SIGHTINGS glide by that had clean, sleek lines, a big daysail cockpit and a self-tending jib. He was so impressed that he sought out the owner, but the 36-ft beauty — called a Sabre Spirit — wasn't for sale. Fortunately, though, he found a sistership on the market in Southern California, and wasted no time in closing the deal. "The decision didn't come easy," Hank confides, "I lost a lot of sleep over it. But Yucca's going to be 80 soon, too, so mayYucca' be it's time to give her a little rest!" The new boat will soon be christened with the name Serenade, the name given to one of three Lapworth-designed boats built by Hank decades ago. When we caught up with him late last continued in middle column of next sightings page
singlehander missing — continued multihull to investigate, Chuan was not aboard. According to Coast Guard sources, they collected his belongings, lowered the main, and Qingdao China was left adrift while a helicopter search for the missing sailor continued. At press time he had not been found. (The tri is the same boat that Frenchman Francis Joyon campaigned in 2008 as IDEC, setting a new solo nonstop aound-the-world record.) Chuan's first sailing experience was in 1998, and he reportedly "fell in love" with it. Eight years later he joined a crew of the Clipper Round the World Race, and in 2013 he became the first Chinese sailor to circumnavigate the world solo, nonstop, sailing aboard his Class 40 monohull. The Northeast Passage feat took place two years later. As evidenced by the words Peace and Sport emblazoned on Qingdao's mainsail, Chuan regarded himself as China's 'Peace Champion', and he endeavored to promote Sino-American friendship through his recent sailing feats. He will be missed by many international sailors, among whom he was widely respected. — andy
GUO CHUAN RACING
yucca after 52 years
On the night of Wednesday, October 26, the search for Chuan was suspended. As of press-time, the shore team was making plans to recover the boat.
November, 2016 •
Latitude 38
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