Team Profiles - Big Ben (2012)
Profile
Type: Beneteau 50
Skipper: Jim McLauchlan
Class: Cruising Division
Handicap Ranking: 12
Time Allowance: 120
Hailing Port: Oak Bay, BC
Hull Colour: White
LOA: 50.25'
Beam: 15.667'
Draft: 6'
Yacht Club: Turkey Head Sailing Association
Designer: Philippe Briand
Builder: Beneteau S.A.
Launch Date: 1991
Rig: Sloop
Sail Number: 74440
Website: http://www.oakbaysailingschool.com
Status: ZZ-2012
The Beneteau Oceanis 500 "Big Ben" is being sailed by a crew from the Oak Bay Sailing School's cruising club. Big Ben has had a chequered career as a charter yacht in various parts if the world. More recently, having been retired from charter "he" was donated to the Sail and Life Training Society (S.A.L.T.S.) as a contribution towards their excellent youth programs, and the drive to build a new schooner. Big Ben was comprehensively refurbished by SALTS before being acquired by Oak Bay Sailing School, whose mission is to provide offshore cruising training opportunities for adults.
Big Ben is entered in the cruising section of the Vic-Maui, and is being campaigned by a mixed crew of experienced offshore sailors and relative newcomers. The Skipper, Jim McLauchlan, has been racing and cruising offshore around Europe for more years than he cares to remember, and has the able support of First Mate Tony Roberts and watch leaders Keith James and Murray Sampson.
Big Ben will require a reworked sail inventory to become really competitive, but the spirit is readily apparent in the crew!
OBSS and the crew are really appreciative of the untiring efforts of the Vic-Maui committee, and are proud to be a part of this challenging event. Navigo ergo sum!
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Featured Yacht Profile
Red Sheilla (2022)
Type: Beneteau 49Skipper: Jim Innes
Port: Vancouver, BC Canada
Blog: 1 articles posted
Red Sheilla is the first boat to enter the 2022 Vic-Maui!
Red Sheilla previously competed in the 2010, 2012 and 2016 Vic-Maui races. In July 2022, Red Sheilla skipper Jim Innes will sail in his fifth Vic-Maui, following the pioneering course sailed by his father JG (Jim) Innes in 1965.
The first Vic-Maui was sailed in 1965. The race was a dream of Royal Vancouver Yacht Club member JG (Jim) Innes who, at that time, was a Captain for Canadian Pacific Airlines. Jim convinced three other skippers to start with him off Brotchie Ledge in 1965. With Jim in his Lapworth 36' "Long gone", there was Lol Killam of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club with the 45' sloop "Velaris", Ron Ramsay of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club with the 45' ketch "Norena of Wight" and Boo Paskel from Seattle Yacht Club with his 73' ketch "Tatoosh". The 1965 race and weather were typical; Westerlies in the Juan de Fuca Strait, a left turn down the coast to about the latitude of San Francisco, followed by a right turn under the North Pacific High and a gybe with the Northeast trade winds filling spinnakers for the sunny run to Maui. "Long Gone" won the first Vic-Maui with a time of 15 days, 6 hours and 55 minutes. Records have been broken many times since 1965.
The current record holder is "Valkyrie", skippered by Gavin Brackett of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, who completed the race in 8 days, 9 hours and 17 minutes in 2016.
Follow Red Sheilla on Facebook (including her blog posts) at: http://www.facebook.com/redsheillasailing.
This fall, Red Sheilla will be entered in Cascadian Convoy, Round The County followed by 2022 Southern Straits, PNW Offshore and Swiftsure.
In 2022 Vic-Maui will be marking the next 50 years of Vic-Maui. We invite you to join us!
