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BRITISH SOLDIER in 2011

In 2011 British Soldier competed in the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series, a series of races from the Caribbean, up the east coast of the USA, a trans Atlantic race and the famous Fastnet race. This endeavour involved 69 serving soldiers and officers and covered a total of 11,000 miles, approximately four times the distance covered in a normal season. Only 4 of the 69 had ever crossed an ocean before and the crew included an injured soldier in most of the races. With a different crew on each race in the series there was the inevitable learning curve to overcome each time, but this was part of the challenge if it broadened the base of Army sailors. This was a race series designed for the world’s largest thoroughbred racing yachts and despite British Soldier being the smallest yacht in the fleet she finished the series 16th out of 26. The best result was in the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Caribbean 600 race, winning Class 2. The toughest storm conditions were experienced by a crew of novices from BATUS whilst on passage from Miami to Annapolis off Cape Hatteras. They sensibly retired into a port in North Carolina but with a great story to tell. At the season’s end, British Soldier was awarded the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s trophy for Best Performance Overseas by a British Yacht.

BRITISH SOLDIER in 2010

In 2010 British Soldier had yet another successful year of offshore racing, finishing 2nd overall in the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s (RORC) offshore series after a punishing series of arduous long distance racing, including Round Ireland and Round Britain and Ireland; over 100 soldiers raced on British Soldier in 2010 and the team were announced as winners of the Army Sports Team of the Year. In 2011 British Soldier will compete in the New York Yacht Club’s and Royal Yacht Squadron’s Atlantic Ocean Racing Series, which will include the Caribbean 600, Newport to The Lizard Trans Atlantic Race and the famous Fastnet Race.

Before BRITISH SOLDIER

In 2007 LONGBOW, a Prima 38, was finally sold with the much valued assistance of Boatshed.com after 6 seasons of valuable service to the Army Offshore Racing Team and the wider Army sailing world. The Army took delivery of BRITISH SOLDIER, an Archambault A40RC for the start of the 2008 Spring Season.

The selection of BRITISH SOLDIER as the next racing yacht builds on the success and racing pedigree of the Prima 38. With the A40RC the Army Offshore Racing Team will continue to compete at the highest level of racing. As a prototype, the A40RC has already achieved significant success in French waters. With the Army Offshore Racing Team competing with the first A40RC, there is already huge interest in this boat with an expectation for success. British Soldier represents an exciting step forward for Army sailing.

In 2008 BRITISH SOLDIER had a tremendous first season and was selected to represent GBR in the Commodore's Cup. On the offshore circuit, she achieved 2nd overall in The RORC series, 3rd in IRC 1 and winners of the Alan Paul Trophy and the Haylock Cup. In 2010 she completed a punishing season including racing round Ireland and the Round Britain and Ireland Race to again finish 2nd overall in RORC, out of some 280 yachts. The team also won the Haylock Trophy for Best Service Yacht, the Alan Paul Trophy for consistent high performance and the Serendip Trophy for best production yacht.

In 2010 the Army Offshore Team were announced as Army Sports Team of the Year.

Yacht Specifications

British Soldier was one of the first Archambault A40RC's to be seen on the British Racing Circuit. She is 11.95m overall in length, of resin injected fibreglass construction, with a draft of 2.47m. Fitted with twin wheels, she combines a thirst for upwind sailing with an equally impressive performance downwind.

Specifications

Length Overall	11.95m
Beam	3.75m
Draft	2.47
Displacement	6400kg
Ballast	3100kg
Mainsail	51m²
Genoa	40m²
Symmetric Spinnaker	134m²

Fitted with a Formula height modulus mast and carbon fibre boom and spinnaker pole, she is complimented with a new and impressive sail wardrobe provided by Quantum Sails. She has the ability for both symmetric and asymmetric spinnaker configuration.