Published September 9, 2011 | 
Published August 8, 2011 | Sunday the 25th of September 85 Transat650 racing yachts will start at La Rochelle to arrive at Funchal, Madeira around the 2nd of October.
Thursday the 13th of October the fleet will start at Funchal, to arrive around the 3rd of November in Salvador de Bahia, Brasil.
If you are interested to join us in any of these ports, please send an email as we might be able to help you arranging your stay.
Published August 6, 2011 | More new films can be viewed on our NED602 Youtube channel, just click here…
Published August 6, 2011 | Thunder and lightning, no wind, no sleep and no autopilot, endless tacks, wind oscillations and loads of rain coming down. This is my recollection of the race from Spain back to France. Lightning or electrostatic discharges in the air killed the windunit in the top of the mast, which made the necessary wind steering by the autopilot impossible.
Published July 28, 2011 | At 22:41 last night Ned602 and Robert finished in Spain in the port of Ribadeo, a nice authentic village on the north shore at the Gulf of Biscay.
The race started as last boat, due to a failure of concentration…….
The race went up to Belle Ile, according to the tracker position information on the site in 2nd place, before the tracker stopped between Ile d'Yeu and Belle Ile.
At Belle Ile I thought to be last. No boats in front and after me. Also that morning at 0700 hrs, the time of the position reports we have to give to a accompanying ship, I heared a lot of positions which seemed to locate competitors in front of me….
From Belle Ile to Ribadeo was a long reaching, with genneker (Code 0), genua and reefed main in up to 25 knots of wind. Speeds up to 13 knots. At 80 nautical miles from the coast, due to the coastal effect of Spain, the wind slowed down.
20 miles off the coast the Northern wind dropped to around 5 knots, combined with a navigation problem I finished 2 hours later then expected as 8th of the 35. During the whole race we were now and then accompanied by dolphins and once I spotted a shark.
I am happy with this result in my first solo race completed this year. Target was first 10 boats. Boat is brought in a very fine and keen shape the last year and withstanded the test of the first Biscay "escale" of the Transgascogne race 2011 very good.
The race back to Bourgenay starts the 30th and will be upwind…..
Published July 24, 2011 | Robert Rosen Jacobson is in 2nd place in the largest class of the Transgascogne race, just 5:30 hours after the start. Apparently his choice for the right side of the field has paid off. He told me last night the ship is in top shape and he hopes the huge amount of work put in will pay off. You can follow the race here, keep in mind that the French website guys named him NED607…
Published July 22, 2011 | It is history…finaly racing again!
The last 4 months we have been quiet around NED602. All had to do with work to be done on board in La Rochelle, which seemed to be managed by Mr. Murphy (and his law). After I could take over again from Mr. Murphy the boat was made TRANSAT 2011 ready (start 25th September 2011 La Rochelle).
Transgascogne race: 660 nautical miles France-Spain-France.
NED602 is ready for the prologue race tomorrow 22nd of July and the start of the race on Sunday the 24th of July at 12:02 LT. The first stage of the race will go from Port Bourgenay, via Belle Ile, to finish around the 27th of July in Ribadeo, a port close to La Coruna in Spain (370 nautical miles).
On the 30th of July we will start in Ribadeo and go in a straight line back to the finish in Bourgenay, expected on the 1st of August (290 Nautical miles).
There will be 2 other Dutch (proto) mini's participating. Florian Lakeman/Sander Vogelenzang together on their home made proto and Lucas Schroder on NED 509.
Follow NED 602 on internet
All participants have trackers on board. Click here to follow us real time.
Regards,
www.Ned602.org
Published April 30, 2011 | Saturday April 30th at 13:00 Robert on NED602 "Marina Oude Tonge" has started the Pornichet Select, a 300nm solo ocean race along the coast of Brittany. Every four hours the position of all ships is marked om this map so you can follow the race in real time.
Published April 28, 2011 | After I had delivered NED 602 from La Rochelle to Lorient the 15th and 16th of april, it seemed that the rudder construction (the part between the boat and the rudders) was not ocean proof. Finally I decided to take the boat out of the water in Lorient. We worked with an Inox specialist for two days to make a better and more practical construction.
This delay made NED 602 the last entry and, one day before the start, the last boat on the starting list of the Demi-Cleand the last for the security checks. This is the first Atlantic race (double-handed) and meant to deliver the boats to Pornichet for the start of the Pornichet Select (150 nautical miles). This 300 nautical mile race along the coast of Brittany starts a week later.
I had found Sebastian Picault ("Pic") as crew, ex-proto sailor and now in the Figaro circuit like many mini sailors.
As his PR guy told me: the incomparable duo…..
Pic never sailed a Pogo2 and I saw this race more as a quit and good start of the season. After solving so many big and small
problems this winter I was not yet focussed to race hard. The main idea was to work hard and having a good time.
That is what happened. We finished 13th out of 54 in a strong field with many very fast sailors, including some Figaro guys. And NED 602 has won the prize of the best foreigner in the Series class too!
Ready for the next step! The Pornichet Select, 300 miles solo race starting Saturday April 30. Click this link to follow the race via Satellite
Robert
Published January 28, 2011 | 
The Jury of the Shorthanded Gala awarded the Solo Challenge Award 2010 based on Rosen Jacobsons success during the French Class Mini Races.
The doublehanded Trophee has been awarded to Hans Plas and Robin Verhoef. Ysbrand Endt was given special honours for his outstanding seamanship after losing his mast on the ocean.
Firstly, finishing 5th in the Les Sables-Les Açores-Les Sables race. Secondly, for winning third prize in the “Mini Pavois”, an 850 nautical mile race between France and Spain. Thirdly for his “Classe Mini” tenth overall ranking in 2010, and lastly for his progress in the Mini Circuit during 2009 and 2010.
