SPONSORED ARTICLE
Istvan Kopar secured 4th place in the Golden Globe Race after sailing 263 days around the world with a chronometer and a sextant
On the 21st March 2019 at 13.58 UTC, Istvant Kopar crossed the finish line at Les Sables d’Olnne, France, securing himself fourth position in the 2018 Golden Globe race. “This is the happiest day of my life…And this [Les Sables d’Olonne] is the best place to be…The Capital of offshore sailing.” He said upon arrival at the dock.
The 66-year old yachtsman from Delray Beach, Florida, who suffered continuous steering problems almost from Day 1, overcame one setback after another throughout the race. The water tanks in his Tradewind 35 yacht Puffin became contaminated soon after he sailed down into the Southern Ocean, and close to Cape Horn. If that wasn’t bad enough, dark mould grew inside the boat that his health started to suffer.
Last July, he started his journey from the French port of Les Sables d’Olonne on the Atlantic coast with the intention of sailing around the globe in nine months. Alone, he sailed nonstop, and used classical none digital or electric navigation tools. He didn’t receive any radar, satellite-supported weather forecasts, and position determination via GPS and navigated only with the help of nautical charts, Wempe produced sextants, and chronometers.
The production of these highly precise timepieces and other nautical instruments has been a core competency of the family-owned Wempe Company since the 1930s.It is only natural that Wempe supported the US yachtsman Istvan Kopar and provided him with traditional technical equipment. A Wempe unified chronometer and a Wempe barometer have been installed on board his vessel, the “Puffin”. In addition, Kopar sports the fabulous Zeitmeister Sport Diver’s Chronograph from Wempe Glashütte I/SA which on his wrist 24-7.
Celestial navigation by the stars
Kopar appreciates his Wempe unified chronometer because of its technical qualities. “In celestial navigation, the sextant is only half of the story. The more precise the chronometer is, the more precisely I can determine my location,” he says. But he also appreciates the chronometer’s look and feel. “First of all, these instruments are incredibly beautiful. Just looking at them makes me feel calm and serene. You can already tell from their weight that these are high-quality instruments – solid engineering that’s built to function precisely for a long time.” After his successful circumnavigation of the globe, his Wempe unified chronometer will be auctioned off for a good cause. It will then be an instrument with a great history in more ways than one.
Click www.wempe-maritime.com for more information.