Barlovento II

The exceptional Bermuda ketch of the Rigel type, “Barlovento II,” is a regular participant in the well-known “Próchno i rdza” regatta, and we warmly welcome it to Żagle. Built in 1988 at the Repair Shipyard in Szczecin, equipped with a furling genoa and jib, as well as a classic mainsail and mizzen, it is not afraid of freezing temperatures and continues to prove to Northern Europe what it is still capable of, competing with much larger research vessels. The yacht has a rich history of Arctic expeditions dating back to the previous century.

In 1996, under the command of Captain Mieczysław Siarkiewicz, the yacht completed a voyage around Spitsbergen, for which it received the Rejs Roku 1996 award and the Silver Sextant.

Since 2013, Barlovento II’s expeditions to the Arctic have been organized by Captain Maciej Sodkiewicz. His first impressive achievement was leading the yacht to the Russian Arctic, to the Franz Josef Land archipelago, where it reached latitude 82°10.5’N. At the time, this was a Polish record and the second-best result in the world in sport sailing northwards — all without the need to freeze into the ice.

In 2014, as part of the Ice Lands project, Barlovento II reached East Greenland and Jan Mayen. During this expedition, the crew managed to sail beyond 82°37’N. It is worth recalling that at that time only six yachts had crossed the 82°N parallel: Janusz Kurbiel’s “Vagabond’eux,” Piotr Kuźniar’s “Panorama,” Daniil Gavrilov’s “Piotr I,” the German yacht “Luna” under the command of Astrid Ewe, Nikolay Litau’s “Apostoł Andriej,” and Barlovento II itself — twice. The sailors returned home with incredible stories of Neptune’s whims, breaking through ice, Inuit hospitality, and pitching tents and lighting campfires on thick ice.

This Spartan yacht is sure to attract the attention of many sailing enthusiasts fascinated by voyages across the North Sea.