'Where Sea. Aclventure s.,,recuJ.s Lea.ming by Joe Evangelista
eroes, champions, and all who leave cheir mark in cime and m emory hold forch whac Sir Walcer Scon called "an imperious challenge to che generacions to come. " Passed down in scory, held as examples, chey are che gifrs of ch e pasc chac prod che fucure. This year, rwo men inspired by such heroes are bringing challenge and adve ncure, and cheir lesso ns, inco che lives of some half-million schoolchildren ch rough sicesALIVE! , an educacional web sice. Rich Wilson, capcain, and Richard du Moulin, crew, are lifelong sailors who are caking che 53-fooc crimaran sailboac Great American
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Richard du Moulin is a maricime induscry executive best known for his leadership a few years ago of Intercanko, an associacion of independent oil canker owners. The Adventure Sailing since his youch, he has parcicipaced Boch men are accomplished sport sai lors. in four America's Cup campaigns and rwo Rich Wilson, sailing since boyhood, has cransAdantic races, and he and friend Pecer been a mach ceacher, a defense analyse, a Rugg won cheir class in lase year's Newcechnical consulcant on wacer produccion port-Bermuda Ocean Race. He is currendy in Saudi Arabia, and a successful investor. che vice commodore of the Storm Trysail In 1980, skippering Holger Danske, he Club and serves on the boards of Seamen's became che yo ungesc overall winner of che Church Insricure and the National MariNewport-Bermuda Race, and in 1988 he time Hiscorical Society. Their goal is to beat one of che speed won his class racing a 35-fooc crimaran solo records set by che greac American clipper across che Adamic. ship Sea Witch. In 1849, laden wich 1,100 cons of cea, che 168-foot vessel made the trip from Hong Kong to New York via che Sunda Strait and Cape of Good Hope in 7 4 days, 14 hours-about one month fascer than the best expected rime. This remarkable feac of seamanship knocked news of the California Gold Rush off the front pages of the New York newspapers and inaugurated a decade of mania for speed under sail. Ir was the first permanent sailing ship record, which co this day no vessel under sail has beaten. Great American II is closely following the old trade route, weaving through the South China Sea out of Hong Kong, flying across che Indian Ocean on the southeast trade winds, and on to the creacherous Cape of Good Hope, where a graveyard of modern merchant ships tescifies to the ferocity of wind and wave. Rounding the Cape, the trimaran will head north in co the southeast trades, cross the equacor, continue northwest in che norcheas t crades, cross che Gulf Scream and finish, if all goes according to plan, ac che S catue of Libercy in New York. The trimaran Armchair captains, ex-s1eadogs, and tall Greac American II in ship romantics will note th;at it isn't exacdy New York harbor. a fair contest berween the wessels. They are (All photos courtesy very different, and work om different prinwww.sitesa!ive.com) II on a 15 ,000-mile speed race againsc hiscory-and, via newspapers and che Incernec, bringing scudents aboard.
SEA HISTORY 104, SPRING/SlUMMER 2003