Global Solo Challenge entrant Peter Bourke: 'Imagine' sailing around the world
by Dave Proctor 31 Mar 2023 07:41 PDT
Peter Bourke © Peter Bourke
When I spoke to American Global Solo Challenge (GSC) entrant Peter Bourke, he told me that he had recently acquired a secondhand Finot-Conq designed Open 40 for the challenge.
Built by JMV Industries in France in 2001, this design of boat is predominantly built of carbon composites and has proven to be really exceptional in terms of performance, quality and realiability.
A fast pure-bred racing yacht with good upwind performance, this yacht will undoubtably be one of the quicker yachts that leave from A Coruña in the Autumn of this year, and given that the start is staggered according to the boats anticipated performance, it is anticipated that this boat will not depart until October time.
The yacht that Peter has acquired is now called 'Imagine' (his wife's suggestion) though it was previously called 'Anasazi Girl', and the previous owner had used her as a Globe Trotting liveaboard for a couple and their three very young children. Indeed it was only on the birth of their last child that they decided to sell their yacht, as it was getting too cramped.
I must admit, that an Open 40, designed predominantly for ocean racing, would not have been my first choice as a liveaboard, even without children, though Peter did say that at least this boat came equipped with a sink (later models dispensed with such a luxury).
Peter was born in Essex, England before his family emigrated to the USA when he was young. He later served in the American Marines Corps and completed a tour of duty in Vietnam, serving in Da Nang.
At this stage his seafaring experience was limited to crossing the Atlantic on a liner as a child, and being ferried back to America from Vietnam by the American Navy. Though on these trips he saw sailing boats and this kindled some interest.
Peter enjoyed a later career in investment management and for 18 years owned an Outbound 44, which he raced as well as cruised, covering over 33,000nm in her. During this time, his best result was a class win in an edition of the Bermuda 1-2. He later raced against the GSC founder Marco Nannini in the 2009 OSTAR (Solo Transatlantic race).
See full interview