VELA CODE

Let us travel back to when we were still children, to a time when the free spirit of adventure reigned the seas. When Jacques Cousteau would captivate the world with his incredible discoveries, or adventurous sailors would challenge the mighty miracle that is the sea and sail across then unthinkable distances, enjoying every moment as they experienced the pure air and clean waters of a truly amazing planet.

Imagine dedicating your entire life to creating the means to make such a world a reality once more, a life style, sailing with so many others working to recover that very reality, so that one day they will be able share with everyone else the same joy and experiences.

Even a journey of a hundred thousand miles must start with a single step. That step is the Vela Code, a movement initiated by renowned designer Dan Lenard, founder and senior designer of Nuvolari Lenard Design Sudio, to promote “clean oceans, free of plastic and pollution”, the first phase of which has already taken place: Dan Lenard’s transatlantic solo crossing, achieved aboard a carbon race boat named Scia.

The Vela team is the team upholding and advancing the Vela code project, a team that abides by the same spirit as that which inspired the man considered “the first green sailor in history”, Mr. Joshaua Slocum, who had refused to skipper steam boats and used nothing but the wind. Nothing better than pure water and pure air to clear the mind!

We spend a great deal of our lives attempting to understand what our life’s mission is. There could be several missions, but one of these is undoubtedly that, when we leave this world, we leave it better than how we found it, for future generations to enjoy.

Recycling is one of the driving principle at the heart of the Vela code project, the next phase of which is the acquisition and refitting of a VOR 70, the boat previously known as Telefonica Black, once considered one of the fastest boat on the planet. The refit will follow the code’s founding principle of recycling while all decisions regarding design and modifications will, of course, be carried out by Dan Lenard himself.

It is a well-known fact that throughout history, after winning momentous regattas or even breaking records, the iconic boats that made such achievements possible have ended up abandoned in the corner of some unknown marina or who knows where. It may seem difficult to believe but any boat selling website can confirm how boats like the VOR 70s and similar models remain up for sale for years and years after racing, gradually losing their value over time, falling to seemingly implausible prices, close to those of new 33 or 35-footers.

Today, competitive regattas are focusing more and more on foiling. This causes even exceptional boats to lose their place in the sailing world’s top tier events, despite their quality and performance.

The non-profit Vela project intends to counter this trend while also raising awareness about a devastating onslaught of issues currently plaguing every corner of every sea: plastic-infested coasts, animals ingesting plastic, the deterioration of water quality, and the open-air dumps established in many places where every time a strong wind blows all the plastic waste collected is thrown back into the sea. If we were to stop the use of plastics today entirely, it would still take hundreds of years for the plastic already littered throughout the seas and oceans to disappear. What a world to leave behind for future generations.

We know that today the recycling rate is around 8% and that it should be much higher. Recycling is more than just a word. If a piece of packaging bears the word “recyclable”, that alone does not mean it will be recycled. What we are doing with the Vela code is also finding and providing real solutions to restrict our reliance on single-use plastic packaging.

This 70-foot boat, transformed into its new reincarnation, will serve as a vehicle, as a mobile platform, to drive the promotion of the Vela code project, shaping a new form of green awareness.

The open spirit and free mind that inspired so many before us will be the shining beacons that will light the way as the boat sails its many miles, inviting renowned names from the world to sail onboard, at times even across considerable distances, while also taking part in a variety of shows and events and, above all, acting as an educational platform for sailors, especially young sailors, and future generations. The project will be an opportunity to teach them the importance of caring for the oceans, raising awareness about the damage caused by us adults.

The project will always be on the road, sharing formative experiences with the world by sea and by podcast, focusing on sailing experiences from throughout this fantastic adventure that is life, a life that is intelligent but not artificial. It is better to know our real world than to simulate thousands of virtual forecasts. To respect the life we are living, to give back and offer a heartfelt “thank you”.

The boat will be modified to be able to travel great distances, designed to live through many adventures. Modifications will include the possibility of solo handling; but this will in no way imply that only solo crossings will be possible. Several people will be able to sail the boat on their own journeys, but the boat can be helmed only by one of them if necessary. Manoeuvres and sails will be adapted accordingly.

A series of side events will take place during the refitting, including the presentation of a dedicated book, based on the real events of the transatlantic crossing completed by Dan Lenard aboard Scia in January 2019.

Boats are the intelligent proof that, in a world delving into the artificial, there is still some magic left. When it comes to sailing, you may know where an adventure begins but you can never know where or how it will end.

Dan Lenard started his Vela code adventure in 2019 at just over 50 years of age. It was an incredible story to start an adventure after hitting fifty. Maybe there is a relationship between sea water and the fountain of eternal youth: the sea does, after all, keep you young and always finds a way to inspire new ideas.

There is an incredible energy in the sea and this is an opportunity to discover it. For all those who want to follow the project, you are welcome to board our “never ending story”.