Gayle Force
Expedition to Antarctica
Heading to Antarctica is never a simple task. Even on board an expedition vessel the risks are plenty. But when cruising on an “unproven” 29m explorer – the smallest private Marshall Island flag boat to ever venture to the Southern Peninsula – you need to be sure of two things, a) that you have an open mind, and b) that the vessel is designed by Vripack. Captain Scott Whittaker grew up sailing. With 30 years of marine industry experience under his belt, there are few places on Earth where he hasn’t traveled. But when the owners of 29m Gayle Force (ex-PATRIOT) requested to see the wilds of Antarctica, he knew it was “game on”.
LEGENDARY DOGGERSBANK
LEGENDARY DOGGERSBANK
First built in the Netherlands in 2003 by Bloemsma & Van Breemen, Gayle Force forms part of Vripack’s legendary Doggersbank Offshore series. Known for its heavy-duty use, low emissions, clean engine rooms, and long-lasting equipment, the Doggersbank epitomizes Vripack’s design philosophy; to create safe, durable yachts with light, elegant and comfortable interiors that make you feel at home, at sea.
When Gayle Force left Panama City, Florida, and made a non-stop 3,800Nm journey straight to Valparaíso, Chile, “essentially unproven”. For Captain Scott, it demonstrated that the yacht has a solid 5000Nm range, if not more like 6,500Nm, which is huge for a little boat. It went without a hitch, and they spent a few weeks cruising the vast waters around Patagonia where they experienced “relentless winds and high seas, and the boat took a phenomenal beating, as did the crew”.
“At any rate, she’s a hell of a boat. We had some bumps, but, at the end of the day, this boat is everything I thought she was and more!”
Captain Scott
After so many nautical miles in 9 months, Gayle Force is back home.
Running the numbers:
270 days,
70 to 75 nautical miles per day,
at 9 knots.
That’s almost 10 hours running per day. Average!
Well prepared she left Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a permit to visit Antarctica, to sail back along the coastline of Chile via the Galapagos Islands and many more jaw-dropping locations. A true explorer adventure!