Huge budgets and elite professionals racing custom carbon yachts that 'fly' on €800,000 foils steered by sophisticated autopilots, not sailors, where shore teams via satellite are making tactical decisions is the new norm. Technology moves so fast, that sailors the world over, while marvelling at these advances, have been left behind and look back fondly at the Corinthian days of the 1973 Whitbread Race and dream.
A time when adventurous sailors put together their own fun campaigns, skippers and crew made all decisions and where the simple fleet was evenly matched. A time when budget played a small part, technology was minimal and humans dared to achieve.