Around the world sailboat racing is a very high dollar and high risk passtime. Lots of pricey stuff like super-lightweight, one of a kind, carbon fiber hulls with hardware made of the most exotic metals. Most of us couldn't afford the electronics those racers carry.

: I think the brochure was pointing out the number of people that had
: sailed solo round round the world - I just found it interesting
: that so few were competing - and of recent races - held 4 yearly
: - a number of the competitors had returned for second attempts,
: a couple of others had died, and of course there were a couple
: of dramatic saves in the southern ocean.

: So really it's a complete madman's sport! (And yet it leaves me
: deeply impressed...)

: Bohdan