Cape Horn to Port: a sailing podcast with Ronnie Simpson

#8 - Merfyn Owen

This week's guest is world renowned yacht designer and sailor Merfyn Owen of the design firm Owen-Clarke Design (OCD). Merf was the designer of my Class 40, #15 Koloa Maoli, as well as countless other yachts; monohull, multihull, cruising, racing, even rowing boats!  We also have a racing recap including Guirec Soudee's successful new world record going around the world solo against the prevailing winds and currents (westabout). The Globe 40 has just started their final leg from Brazil back to France, and The Ocean Race has announced their next USA stopover port for the 2027 edition of the race.  We also have a campaign update for Ronnie's Global Solo Challenge 2027 campaign, including some upcoming events, sailing schedule for 2026 and some sponsor shout outs.  Please like, follow, give us a rating and share these episodes if you enjoy them. Feel free to reach out at capehorntoport@gmail.com, and check out www.ronniesimpsonracing.com for campaign updates.

#7 - Whitall Stokes

On this week of Cape Horn to Port, host Ronnie Simpson interviews friend and fellow adventure sailor Whitall Stokes. Whitall Stokes is an avid sailor who has crossed the Atlantic multiple times, participated in a lot of solo racing off the West Coast including the Singlehanded Transpac race, and sailed about 20,000 NM solo including around Cape Horn on his old Open 50 Sparrow. Whitall currently owns a 56' cruising yacht that he is preparing to sail mostly solo around the Americas.  Also in this episode, the Globe 40 approaches the finish in Brazil after a long leg from Chile. The Beneteau Figaro 3 fleet completes their season opener with the Solo Guy Cotten, Gitana 18 hits the water for first sea trials and Guirec Soudee begins to line up his finish to a record-breaking lap of the globe in a maxi multihull.  Ronnie shares a campaign update where he introduces new campaign sponsor Sebago USA, as well as discusses upcoming boat upgrades including with sponsor Marlow Ropes. Ronnie recently traveled to Vigo, Spain for a GSC event and is now gearing up for a busy summer of sailing. Stay tuned as try to get back on schedule and drop the next episode in a week's time.  Feel free to reach out at capehorntoport@gmail.com.

#6 - Jason Christensen

On this week of Cape Horn to Port, host Ronnie Simpson interviews friend and weather router Jason Christensen of Seattle, Washington, USA. Jason is an avid sailor who works professionally as a coach, instructor and weather router with his company Racing the Wind. In 2023-24, Jason was Ronnie's weather router during the Global Solo Challenge race, and the duo plan to continue working together in the future.  Also in this episode, the Globe 40 fleet re-starts from Chile, bound for Brazil. The RORC Caribbean 600 is just a few days out, Guirec Soudee and his maxi-trimaran MACSF opens up her gap over the reference time for going around the world the wrong way, and the maxi-trimaran Gitana 18 hits the water.  Ronnie shares a campaign update where he is headed to Spain in a few days for a Global Solo Challenge related event and he has just signed on a major sponsor with Oakley Building Company of Baltimore, Maryland and new technical partners AkzoNobel and Sea Hawk paints.  Feel free to reach out at capehorntoport@gmail.com.

#5 - Christopher Lewis

In Episode 5 of Cape Horn to Port, we chat with world class sailor and navigator Christopher 'Lew' Lewis, who most recently navigated the 100' monohull Law Connect to a second place finish on line honors in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.  We also discuss Thomas Coville and his crew setting the Trophy Jules Verne record for fastest boat to ever sail around the world, and Thomas beginning to pass the torch off to Benjamin Schwartz. We recap The Famous Project and their record for a female fully crewed circumnavigation on a multihull.  Belgian sailor Quentin Debois has just set a new record for sailing a Mini 6.50 racing sailboat across the Atlantic from East to West, while the maxi-trimaran Gitana 18 is undergoing final commissioning. The all new Sam Manuard designed 50' scow Palanad 4 wins the RORC Transatlantic race overall, and not by a little, but a LOT! Aloha -Ronnie Simpson For any inquiries, please contact capehorntoport@gmail.com

#4 - Rob Windsor

This week of Cape Horn to Port is a massive episode for us. The single most important ocean sailing record on the planet has fallen, as Sodebo Ultim 3 skippered by Thomas Coville wins the Trophy Jules Verne record for fastest boat to ever sail around the world, with a time of 40 days 10 hours 45 minutes. The sailors on the Famous Project, skippered by Alexia Barrier have also finished their circumnavigation, becoming the first all-female fully-crewed multihull to sail around the planet with a time of 57 days, 21 hours and 20 minutes.  I break down the completion of both of those journeys before chatting in-studio with legendary east coast based Class 40 sailor Rob Windsor. This is our first in-studio live recording and Rob is a great guest and a wealth of knowledge and experience. Stay tuned next week for more racing world updates and an interview with LawConnect navigator Christopher 'Lew' Lewis, fresh off of his 2nd place finish in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race.