Compare that to the experience of today’s Vendée Globe competitors, whose boats race along at an average of 30 knots throughout the entire route across the world’s oceans, with the top finishers completing the race in just over 80 days. Of course, the Spray was sailing along at a leisurely pace-it took Slocum more than three years to complete his circumnavigation-and he could catch some sleep without worrying too much about a collision on the open ocean or a change in conditions so sudden that he would be in imminent danger. While Slocum managed to find the perfect balance between the trim of his sails and the angle of the rudder that allowed him to lash the helm and leave it unattended, today’s sailors instead rely on an electronic autopilot when they want to take a break or do other tasks onboard. WoodenBoat magazine estimates that more than 5,000 boats have been built on Spray’s lines, with numerous modifications on the details. Klingel wasn’t alone in his admiration of Slocum’s boat. Gilbert Klingel’s Basilisk was a replica of Spray, the first vessel to complete a solo circumnavigation.
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