ZOLTAN BOGNAR, CAPTAIN OF THE SAILING YACHT CASSIOPEIA 68
The captain has also spent several weeks moored with the Cassiopeia 68 at Mataró Marina Barcelona.
During various months, before heading to the Caribbean, the Cassiopeia 68 has stayed in the Arenys de Mar (Barcelona) Varador 2000 shipyard where it has undergone a complete technical refit. The vessel, designed by Reichel Pugh for Marten Yacht, was built three years ago at the Green Marine Ltd. shipyard in Southampton. However, the first part of the construction process was carried out in Australia.
The captain of this beautiful sailing yacht, the Magyar Zoltan Bognar, says that he has come to Spain “to find good technical service” after having had several somewhat negative experiences in Caribbean shipyards, where the vessel has its base port. Bognar, who boasts a twenty-year experience as captain and is not a man to mince his words, says: “after having worked in the sector for so many years I can tell immediately whether technicians working aboard the vessel are good or bad. It’s hard to admit, but I have had to sail many miles and come to the Mediterranean to find technical standards that I could not find in the Caribbean”.
Bognar explains that some of the shipyards he has visited before choosing Varador 2000 “were much cheaper but offered a very low technical level. Some places are ideal to moor but don’t have a good electrician nor a good plumber” The captain is “very satisfied” with the works carried out on the Cassiopeia 68 at Varador 2000, which at times has also relied on the collaboration of the technicians of Sailing Solutions to carry out some of the tasks. The works done include anti fouling and keel and hydraulic works.
This 21-metre sailing yacht “is a highly sophisticated vessel, equipped with cutting-edge technology” explains Bognar, who for many years has been the captain of a galleon. “It was a drastic change” he admits. Today the Cassiopeia 68 is used for chartering (can accommodate six) and also participates in some international races, including the transoceanic ARC that goes from Gran Canaria to Santa Lucía. “It is a very fast carbon fibre sailing yacht, featuring sails that have been conceived for racing. Additionally, it boasts state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems” says the captain.
The Cassiopeia 68 has spent its last couple of weeks in Europe at Mataró Marina Barcelona, which is the ideal super yachts base managed by Varador 2000 in the Mataró port. From here the captain has taken care of the last technical details and prepared the vessel for the Atlantic crossing. “Staying at Mataró was great, I don’t like big marinas, where everything is chaotic. We were able to prepare the vessel for the Caribbean sailing season relying on the excellent technical support of the repair and refit facilities that the company has in Arenys, a few miles from here” says Bognar, who is convinced that he will visit the premises again.
