Registration open!

Den Helder new starting place in 59th Coast Sailors 24 Hour Sail Race

Registration open as of May 1

Lelystad, April 29, 2024 – The organization of the Kustzeilers 24 Uurs Zeilrace has chosen Den Helder as the new starting place on the mud flats. What is also new is that this year the participants will start in three starting groups instead of four. This will keep the organization of this 59th edition of one of the largest cabin sailing events in Northern Europe on the move. On Friday evening, August 30, 2024, the hundreds of boats will start from thirteen ports along the Marker and IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea. The festive welcome in Medemblik will follow one day later. Online registration will open from May 1.

The number of starting places is the same as last year, but instead of Kornwerderzand as the starting place on the mud flats, participants can now start in Den Helder. “In Kornwerderzand, construction is busy,” says Klaas Jan Kroon, chairman of the 24 Hour Committee. “Last year it turned out that there was not enough space to start there and so we have now chosen Den Helder. This simultaneously provides a bigger puzzle and thus more challenge for the sailors. From Den Helder it is about half a mile to the first buoy, after which the sailors can choose to sail through the North Sea around the islands, across the mud flats to Kornwerderzand or immediately back to the IJsselmeer. Depending on the current and wind, there are more options for the first races. We think we have thus built in a challenging element for the participants.” Like last year, during the Coastal Sailors 24 Hour Sail Race, Rijkswaterstaat is moving the sport buoys on the Markermeer and putting out an additional sport buoy. This provides more raks to choose from for different wind directions and makes it more interesting for the sailors to start and make miles here as well.

Three starting groups

Participants will start in three starting groups instead of four. The race classes ORC fullhanded and doublehanded and the race Round and Flatboats will start at the same time this year. The tour participants will start in two classes, SW High and SW Low. “In this way we want the participants to finish closer together in Medemblik. Other years the finish times varied quite a bit, so some sailors were in port much later than others. Now for everyone the party can start early in the evening. The three classes always start ten minutes apart between 7:00 and 7:20 pm.

About Kustzeilers 24 Uurs Zeilrace
In 2024, the Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Kustzeilers will organize the Kustzeilers 24 Uurs Zeilrace for the 59th time. The combination of the art of navigation, 24 hours of consecutive sailing, sociability and endurance makes the event still unique and beloved among yacht sailors. The field of participants consists of touring and racing classes. All teams must cover as many nautical miles as possible in a 24-hour period. They may only sail the set courses on the IJsselmeer, Markermeer, Wadden Sea and North Sea twice, so navigation is essential. Besides seaworthiness and endurance of the entire crew, a good interpretation of the weather, sailing area and currents are important factors for the final result. Participation in the Coastal Sailors 24 Hour Sail Race is possible in the race classes ORC Club fullhanded and doublehanded, Round and Flat-bottomed yachts, VKSJ (classic) yachts, as well as in the trip with non-measured cabin sailing yachts. The vast majority of the fleet participates in the trip. The rest divide among the various racing classes. The Kustzeilers 24 Uurs Zeilrace is made possible in part by the following organizations: Nationale Nederlanden, Municipality of Medemblik and Mediapartner Zeilen and many supporter companies.