Class 40 gets underway in Dairy Flat

by Bryan Cooke on 28 Mar 2007 After having to push the system reset button on his life, Bryan Cooke describes the contsruction of his new Class 40 which has got underway in Dairy Flat, just north of Auckland, New Zealand

What is a Class 40 ? Another sailing dinghy you might ask ? In a way it is, a Cat 0 single handed 40 foot sailing dinghy.

If you are still confused, think of a cut down version of the solo round the world flyer, the Open 60, broad enough at the beam to fit a swimming pool !

This Class 40 design is French inspired, Francois Lucas, to circulate around the world one way, with the trades. Perhaps questionable performance into the wind, off the wind though up to surf speed in a blink of an eye. Sistership verified at 32.4knots, commonly hit 25k’s during the 2006 Route dur Rhum race.

An unlikely craft, perhaps, to be found mid-construction, in a once disused boatshed in Dairy Flat, north of Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealanders are not known to have a love affair with solo racing so how did this one start ? With every boat comes a story, and this one has several chapters and twists.

At an age where most would be quite content putting their feet up and looking back over their life, Bryan Cooke, nearing 59, decided to look ahead and continue forward in a manner he has been accustomed to. But why in this way and in such a craft, you might comment ?

In 2004, Faye, his wife, the love of his life, passed away after her battle with cancer. Barely a few months later Bryan started his own battle with cancer. With grateful thanks to three of NZ’s finest medical specialists, he is now in remission.

Bryan decided to spend the rest of life fund raising for fellow cancer sufferers, and hoping to inspire both cancer sufferers and survivors to live life to the fullest through the only passion he has left, sailing. Bryan has a special interest in raising funds for cancer research, research was his forte, having spent his working life as a research scientist.

Bryan will be seeking support from sponsor(s) for his 2008 sailing calendar, which is already full. The Transat in June 2008(across the Atlantic race) followed by the Portimao Global Ocean race in September 2008(a world first solo/double handed around the world race, starting/finishing in Portugal, stops off in Wellington NZ, finishes in May 2009). That’s for starters !

We will keep you posted on progress, currently closing in the hull mould to be laminate ready in a month, this is an exclusive to Sail-World.