The Microtransat Challenge


2015 Transatlantic Race

The 2015 Microtransat is running for the rest of the year and until the end of January 2016. Teams may depart at any time during this period, for a list of competing teams see the registered teams page.

Attempts so far this year

Three attempts have been made so far this year.

The first was by Team Joker and began from Boscombe in England on March 18th with their boat Snoopy Sloop 10. This attempt ended when the boat was washed up on the beach at Brighton on the night of March 30th. The team were able to successfully recover the boat.

The second attempt was by the United States Naval Academy and began from Cape Cod in Massachusetts, USA on June 13th with their boat ABoat Time. This attempt ended on June 23rd when the boat came ashore in Nova Scotia and was then picked up by a fishing boat.

The third attempt was by a team from ENSTA Bretagne in Brest, France and Dalhousie University in Hallifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with their boat Breizh Tigresse. Their attempt began on September 1st from approximately 30 nautical miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It ended on October 14th, when no position reports had been received for 10 days. The last report placed the boat approximately 200 natuical miles South East of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.

You can see the route taken by all the boats on the Tracking page.

Changes to the rules for 2015

A full highlighted list of rule changes can found on our wiki

Start and Finish Lines

There are two possible routes that a boat may take, either West to East from North America to Europe or East to West from Europe to North America.

The East to West route start line is along the line between 51 degrees north, 16 degrees west and 45 degrees north, 8 degrees west. The finish line is along 60 degrees West between 10 and 25 degrees North. Click here to see a map of this route.

The West to East route start line is along the line of line of longitude at 47 degrees and 30 minutes West, between 41 and 48 degrees North. The finish line is along the line of 11 degrees West between 45 and 55 degrees North. Click here to see a map of this route.

Competing teams may depart from anywhere they choose, providing they cross the start line. Additionally the 40 nautical miles proceeding the start line must be sailed autonomously. Teams must specify a target point on the finish line and must reach within 25km of this point in order to complete the competition.

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