Yacht race starts from Plymouth (1964)

The boats with full sails head out to the bay

for the start of the second edition of the single handed Transatlantic yacht race (OSTAR)

(May 23, 1964)

Thirteen competitors started this race in 1964, 
which by now was firmly established on the racing scene.
All of the five original competitors entered, and all five improved their original times (Gipsy Moth III with Sir Francis Chichester the winner of the first edition in 1960 making ready);

but the show was stolen by French naval officer Éric Tabarly, who entered a custom-built 44-foot (13 m) plywood ketch, Pen Duick II.
The days of racers sailing the family boat were numbered following Tabarly's performance, for which he was awarded the Légion d'honneur by president Charles de Gaulle.
It is also noteworthy that Tabarly and Jean Lacombe were the only French entrants in this race; Tabarly's success was instrumental in popularising the sport in France, the country which in future years would come to dominate it.

This was to be the year in which several future trends were established.

Multihulls made their first appearance — sailing in the same class as the other boats; and the race featured the use of radio, for the first time, by several competitors who gave daily progress reports to their sponsors.

Links :

• YouTube : Jean Lacombe : un rebelle à travers l'Atlantique