The super-maxi racing yacht, ICAP Leopard, may not have won the Rolex Middle Sea Race but it retains its rank among the four fastest monohulls in the world and is now heading off to the Caribbean to prove its worth in the next challenge.
Its captain, Chris Sherlock, is busy preparing Leopard for the straight 17-day voyage, weather permitting, to Antigua.
For the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the 30-metre boat’s belly was, of course, emptied out, leaving a skeleton, with a mast standing 48 metres high. But the winds were not on its side and the skinny Esimit Europa 2, cut out for lighter air conditions, won the regatta, with Leopard placing second.
This year’s race was characterised by benign winds, meaning light downwind sailing in the first couple of days, practically the time it takes the faster boats to complete it.
But in the Caribbean 600 in February, they should be more suitable to bring out the potential of the powerful, wide-volume boat, which is heavy due to the innovative technology on board: with the touch of a button on the wheel, dagger boards, providing stability, smoothly descend into the water and the yacht keels over to the limit with another push of a switch.
Leopard does an average speed of 15 knots but can reach 40, the maximum, which means “flying across the Atlantic”.
It takes 16 professional sailors to race the canting keel, which Mr Sherlock is quick to point out has “nothing automatic”, despite being computerised. But if the massive computer – the brain behind the boat – were to fail, the manpower would not be enough to rely on.
The captain is not worried though; he has about three back-up plans in the remote eventuality of running into trouble.
A full-time engineer, sail maker, boat builder, rigger and chef man the yacht on a full-time basis, which means Mr Sherlock’s role as skipper has changed over the decades. “I do a lot more sitting at a desk, keeping up with the paperwork, day-to-day running and management of the full-time crew and race selection.”
ICAP Leopard was custom-built in 2007 for its owner, London property developer Mike Slade, who gets out of business commitments to join the crew on every single regatta.
It cost him £7 million and is his fourth maxi. Mr Sherlock has been working for the owner for 20 years and has been through them all. He knows Leopard inside out, having been involved in its construction, after the designers came up with a blueprint for the fastest boat.
Mr Sherlock and Leopard, the largest of the Rolex Middle Sea Race fleet, are not new to the Mediterranean regatta. The connection dates back to 1994 when he participated on Longobarda and other boats since. This is ICAP Leopard’s second, following last year, and it is certain to return – hopefully, in more wind.
Leopard holds 12 speed sailing records, including the Rolex Fastnet. But Mr Sherlock maintains that the Rolex Middle Sea Race, one of the four top regattas in the world, is particularly challenging due to its circular course, meaning every single wind angle is encountered.
“Combined with the scenery along the way, it has to be the most spectacular,” he says.
But beyond the sailing, “we love Malta and the accommodating Maltese and members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. It’s also very much a party here and we love coming over”.
The skipper, who has sailed the world, is full of praise for Grand Harbour Marina, which hosted 48 boats for the regatta, for its services, free internet, good price and protection from prevailing winds.