Freedom of Choice

$50k would buy you a decent second hand race boat to have fun with and learn as you go, so why does anyone pay Sir Robin’s outfit that for a round the world berth on one of his so-called “Clippers”. The Clipper Round the World Race may be a race of sorts, but the boats – with their spacious fully equipped galleys and conservative rigs – can’t be called either clippers, are marginally racing boats and the whole thing comes over as “a bit of a jolly”.

That said, there’s no shortage of takers and around 100,000 spectators turned up in Hull, which is scarcely one of the world’s most touristy ports, to see 10 boats set out on this season’s event, so the guy must have got something right! Maybe this smiling Clipper Chick will end up as another Sam Davies! Pic from onEdition and more here.