The Race Course
The 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge began May 22nd at a point near Ambrose Tower off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, in the vicinity of the former Sandy Hook Lightship. Though she is no longer with us, the old Lightship Ambrose was a starting point for many transatlantic record attempts. Entrants raced north and eastward toward The Lizard, on the southwestern tip of Cornwall. There was a northern course boundary of sorts, established by the International Ice Patrol.
Yachts were required to pass through a "gate" (imaginary line) extending from the Lizard Point Lighthouse to a point four miles (6km) offshore. The course then ran another 142 nautical miles (263 km) farther to the second finish near the Needles Channel entrance at the western end of The Isle of Wight. Yachts
The 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was open to monohull yachts whose deck lengths were 70 feet (21 m) long or greater. There was no upper size limit. The 21 entries in the 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge ranged in size from the 70-foot (21 m) Swan sloop Stay Calm up to the 252-foot (77 m) square-rigged clipper ship Stad Amsterdam.
Four divisions started: "Classic" (including the Fife-designed ketchSumurun), "Performance Cruising", "Classes 1 and 2" (including the luxurious ketchTiara) and "Grand Prix" (the line-honours prize for the match between the maxi yachts Mari-Cha IV and Maximus). The Classic division's handicap system was a modification of a previous NYYC Cruising Rule.
Performance Cruising and Grand Prix divisions operated under Americap II and IRC handicap systems.
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