Race to alaska

Sunken canons, arctic conditions and astonishing power this week in the savvy news!

Hey savvy friends,

Fancy finding some treasure?

This week we uncover a 360-year-old cannon, cool huh? But first, let’s wrap up warm and talk about some rather frosty racing in incredibly tough conditions with almost no rules and the most unpredictable conditions you could imagine…

Follow Wildcat’s Race to Alaska - brrr…

Photo credit: Sailing World and Adam Cove

When Adam Cover was restless and seeking a new offshore adventure his answer came to him in the form of the gruelling Race To Alaska. 

If you thought this was your average race around the cans, think again. This is how the event organisers describe the race.

“It’s like the Iditarod, on a boat, with a chance of drowning, being run down by a freighter, or eaten by a grizzly bear. There are squalls, killer whales, tidal currents that run upwards of 20 miles an hour, and some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.” Adam Cover

Oh and the prizes on offer? First place is 10K (okay that’s amazing) but if you’re second you’ve got to settle for a set of steak knives!

Read the incredible here >

We’ve Partnered with World Champions, 222 Offshore Australia!

Image credit: Summyt Sports Marketing

Australian-based powerboat racing team 222 Offshore, current UIM Class 1 World Champions, is partnering with award-winning marine navigation app savvy navvy. 

Driver Darren Nicholson and his 222 Offshore crew are using savvy navvy for offshore championship racing preparation, as they are currently getting ready for the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships, the XCAT World Championships and the Key West World Championships.  

Read the full story here >

Farewell to Antarctic Legend Rolf Bjelke

Image credit: Thies Matzen

Some say it was Rolf and Deborah Shapiro’s appearance on the polar horizon, and their book about their Arctic to Antarctic voyage board their 40-foot stell ketch, that broke the ice of high-latitude sailing for sailors worldwide. 

As the boating world bids Rolf a fond farewell, writer Thies Matzen recounts incredible moments that shaped his life.

Read the full story here >

Cannon from London Shipwreck Emerges 360 Years Later

Image credit: Steve Ellis

A bronze cannon from the 17th-century ship London has been uncovered in the Thames Estuary after spending 360 years buried under silt and clay. The discovery was made by licensed Historic England diver Steve Ellis, who has been exploring the wreck site for the past 14 years.

The London was a pivotal ship in British naval history sinking in 1665 following a gunpowder explosion. The vessel played a crucial role in retrieving King Charles II from the Netherlands in 1660 and was one of only four English naval ships of its time equipped with a full complement of 76 bronze cannons.

Watch a video of the discovery here >

The Girls Showed How Tough They Were

Image credit: Rachel Burgess

Yachting Maiden’s first mate, Rachel Burgess talks about what it’s like to race 28,000 miles and to win an Ocean Globe Race with her all-female crew. 

‘Maiden is like a racehorse chomping at the bit ready to take off at the crest of the next wave.’

Read the fascinating interview here >

That’s all for now…

Thanks for joining me for this week's edition of the savvy news. I hope we managed to inspire and entertain the water lover in you and when you’re out there, I hope you’ll take us with you!

All the best,

Han and the savvy crew

savvy navvy, the boating app that brings all essential marine information together in one place. Featuring global charts, wind and weather forecasts, tidal graphs, GPS Tracking, automatic weather routing, and marina and anchorage information. It’s like Google Maps for boats.

Inspired to get on the water? Start your free trial today.