EXPRESS CRUSADER yacht 1968

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aukepalmhof
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EXPRESS CRUSADER yacht 1968

Post by aukepalmhof » Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:36 pm

Palau issued in 1996 a set of stamps showing watercraft of which one shows Naomi James, the first woman circumnavigating the Earth on the yacht EXPRESS CRUSADER.
Naomi James: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomi_James

The EXPRESS CRUSADER was built in 1968 as the SPIRIT OF CUTTY SARK for CHAY BLYTH.
She was one of the gallant 53 class yachts designed by E.G. van de Stadt. 22 of this class were built.
The SPIRIT OF CUTTY SARK was built by the Southern Ocean Shipyard Ltd., Poole U.K.
Fiberglass hull.
Displacement 18.144 kg, dim. 16.21 x 3.99 x 2.23m., length on the waterline 11.81m.
Sloop rigged, sail area 89.84 m².
At that time the Gallant 53 was the largest fiberglass sailboat in the world.

Chay Blyth lent the yacht to Naomi James were after she was renamed in EXPRESS CRUSADER. The yacht was then fitted out with a Sailomat 3040 wind vane for self-steering.

The yacht became famous and known to the entire yachting world in 1978 when Naomi James with an EXPRESS CRUSADER" broke Sir Francis Chichester's 11-year-old speed record for sailing single-handed around the world. In recognition of her extraordinary achievements and heroism, Naomi James was awarded the title 'Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire'.
She sailed on 9 September 1977 from Dartmouth and arrived on 08 June 1978 back after a voyage of 272 days and 30000 miles.

Naomi was reunited with the EXPRESS CRUSADER (fitted out and renamed KRITER LADY) for the 1980 Europe 1 STAR. She was the first woman back and broke the women's speed record for a single-handed crossing of the Atlantic with a time of 25 days, 19 hours.

I can’t find much more thereafter on the yacht only that she was sold in 1983 in the Caribbean.

2021 She is still used as a yacht again under the name EXPRESS CRUSADER under Dutch flag with homeport Den Oever and was sailing in July 2021 off the Dutch coast and the North Sea. MMSI No 244050075.

More info on the yacht is welcome.

Source: Navicula and Internet.
Palau 1996 32c sg 981, Scott 389f.
Attachments
express crusader yacht (2).jpg
1996 EXPRESS CRUSADER (2).jpg

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