Class40 sailboats ocean racing at the start of the Globe40 round-the-world race

CLASS40
WORLD RACING PROGRAM

A US-based racing campaign competing across oceans and sailing events around the world.

Including, the Globe40 Race 2028/2029 - a five-stage, 30,000+ mile, double-handed offshore race circumnavigating the globe. Departing Spain, October 2028.

THE TEAM

Ocean sailing teams are unique in the world of sport. The environment is like none other on earth, and the demands and challenges are significant. There are no time-outs, no redos, and no opportunities to walk off the field. It requires a variety of capabilities, refined skills, and 100% dedication. Our team members are selected for having all of these attributes along with the ability to drive forward through adversity with positivity, and determination.

Skipper

Brian has accumulated over 45,000 miles of racing, passage making and expeditions on dinghys up through Open60. Around the buoys, across oceans and the Northwest Passage.

Brian McVickers

Co-Skipper

Graeme grew up on the water, amassing over 150,000 miles around race courses, oceans and the Northwest Passage, on dinghys up through Open60. He's won the Race to Alaska, competed in multiple Trans-Pacs, and holds a 150 tonne master captains license.

Graeme Esarey

Kevin Ryan, rigging lead and co-skipper of McVickers Ocean Racing, aboard a sailboat

Rigging & Co-Skipper

Kevin has been racing, and managing boats for nearly 45 years, logging roughly 40,000 miles including the Transpac, Chicago-Mackinac races, Panama Canal transits and a 6,000-mile run to the Aleutians. A certified marine electrician, he operates Outbound Yacht Services.

Kevin Ryan

Sailor on the bow of an ocean racing sailboat at sunset offshore

Co-Skipper

Additional

Campaign Director

Long-time racing and cruising sailor, Amy is well experienced in preparing for regattas and offshore passages. After several Macinaw, other offshore races, and boat deliveries, she has developed an appreciation for balancing competitiveness with preserving a boat for long passages.

Amy McVickers

Lorient La Base, France, the offshore racing hub and Globe40 finish port

Logistics

THE BOAT

The Class40 is a highly popular, open-design offshore racing monohull, specifically engineered for shorthanded ocean racing. Class rules govern its dimensions, materials, and weight to keep construction costs manageable while fostering tight, competitive racing fleets worldwide. Characterized by hard chines, wide beams, and powerful rig plans, these modern boats excel at high-speed downwind planing. While they prioritize raw performance and safety under demanding ocean conditions, they feature an uncluttered, minimalist interior that offers the basic necessities for solo or double-handed crews.

Class40 2026 season teaser video: Class40 sailboats ocean racing

Globe40 2028-2029 countdown video for the round-the-world Class40 sailboat race

The Class40 North/South Gamble video: Class40 sailboat racing in the Transat Cafe L'Or

SCHEDULE

The 2027-2028 Class40 race schedule offers significant potential

for training, competition, and partner engagement as McVickers Ocean Racing builds

toward the start of the Globe40 in October 2028.

2027-2028-2029 Schedule

GLOBE40 2028/2029

The Great Highway: a double-handed Class40 race around the world.
Five stages and more than 30,000 miles, starting in Spain in October 2028
and finishing in Lorient, France, in April 2029.