Golden Globe Race 2022 participant chooses Seldén Mast to complete epic challenge

Ian Herbert-Jones and Puffin © Seldén mast

A trio of Seldeen Furlex © Seldén mast

Ian Herbert-Jones is sailing solo non-stop around the globe without outside assistance onboard his Tradewind 35 Puffin as part of the Golden Globe Race 2022, a race which is being heralded as the longest and loneliest sporting event in the world.

When Ian sets sail on his epic voyage from Les Sables-d'Olonne on 4 September 2022, he will do so with a new Seldén rig and an extensive range of Seldén's deck hardware.

A previous contender, Puffin completed the Golden Globe Race in 2018 with skipper István Kopár, but Ian has given the yacht a complete refit to ensure she is ready for the challenge ahead, including replacing the mast.

"Puffin had a super strong rig from Seldén which was still in great shape after the 2018 race," explains Ian. "However, when I decided to add a second headsail stay, a Solent stay, to Puffin's rig I started to look at refurbishing the mast, after all it had already done 30,000+ miles, all be it in a short space of time.

"Going back to Seldén was a natural choice, given how well the previous mast had fared following its circumnavigation, and the team in the UK were very supportive of the project.

"At this point, I took the opportunity to look at the new mast sections that Seldén is offering and found that we could reduce some weight aloft, while strengthening the lower part of the mast all in a single section. This seemed like a good upgrade for Puffin with what lays ahead."

Working with its authorised dealer Allspars in Plymouth, and locally in Ian's home port of Pwllheli with The Boatshed Wales, Seldén designed and manufactured the new rig. Michael Calvert, sales manager at Seldén Mast comments: "The mast that went round in the last race was an aluminium two-piece C245 section. Within Seldén there's a constant evolution of mast profiles to suit new market demands, and this latest mast utilises our C225 mast profile, creating a lighter one-piece mast which offers the same stiffness characteristics.

"We have carefully chosen the fixtures and fittings on the mast, taking into account the length of the trip and the expected conditions. For example, we've used seltangs to offer greater articulation to support the increase in forces which may be generated along certain passages of the voyage. Working with the technical teams in the UK and Sweden, no stone has been left unturned with the specification process to ensure we supply the best quality mast for the job at hand."

"It's been a really interesting project to work on and we're delighted to be supporting Ian as he participates in the Golden Globe Race and look forward to following his progress."

Ian, who is currently finishing his final preparations before leaving the UK at the end of July to join the Golden Globe Race fleet in Spain, is also using Seldén's Furlex jib furling systems and Seldén deck hardware.

"I have chosen Seldén's Furlex systems for my Genoa, Yankee and Staysail on Puffin, along with Seldén spinnaker poles and a number of deck blocks," continues Ian. "The Furlex is an industry standard for headsail furling systems so somewhat of a no-brainer, while I think Seldén's roller bearing blocks are excellent quality and great value. I really appreciate the support the company has given me with kitting the boat out."

Taking part in the GGR Prologue in Gijón, Asturias, Spain in August, Ian will set sail with the other 17 GGR skippers on 14 August racing in the SITraN Challenge to Les Sables d'Olonne for the start of the Golden Globe Race on 4 September 2022.

To find out more about Seldén Mast visit www.seldenmast.com