Endeavour Quay was pleased to be able to help Chris Stanmore Major (CSM) in his bid to get to the start line of the 2010-11 Velux 5 Oceans Race.

CSM came to Endeavour Quay in August 2010 having heard about the yard’s reputation as the best facility on the South coast of the England for big boat race preparation and commissioning. Having looked after the likes of Mike Golding, Alex Thomson and Dee Caffari in the past we were very happy to help this new, young and enthusiastic skipper with his Spartan Ocean Racing project.

The boat is the former Saga Insurance owned by Robin Knox-Johnston which successfully made it around the world in the last Velux 5 Oceans Race in 2006-7. With little experience of Open 60s and preparing them for racing, the yard helped introduce CSM to the right personnel, suppliers and services locally to get the rigging replaced and to work with him on the boat. After a 3 week intensive make over the boat came out of the shed sporting new race colours and anti-fouling, and a new autopilot and radar package.

Endeavour Quay single-point lifted the boat for the official race measurement before launching her and stepping the mast. Spartan, as she is renamed, is now in La Rochelle, France at the Velux 5 Oceans Race village making final preparations before the start on Sunday the 17th October.

Everyone at Endeavour Quay Gosport wishes CSM and the Spartan Ocean Racing Team all the very best for the start on the 17th October and the Race ahead.