Sailing: Dalton sets off alone on turbo yacht

Graham Dalton yesterday proudly unveiled the yacht in which he will tackle the Around Alone Race, which starts in September.

Definitely not following in the footsteps of younger brother Grant, who has now raced around the world seven times, he makes his debut in an Open 60, designed by Merfyn Owen, which is described as a turbo charged development of Kingfisher, the boat in which Ellen MacArthur came second in the non-stop Vendee Globe single handed round the world race.

The Around Alone, which began life as the BOC Race, has been taken over by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's Clipper Ventures company and reformatted to start once again in Newport, Rhode Island. The race goes on to stop in Torquay, Cape Town and Tauranga, New Zealand, and Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, before returning to Newport.

Backed by HSBC, the only thing Graham shares with Grant is a confidence in navigational and weather advice from Mike Quilter. After that, very much by choice, he is on his own.

The Tour de France a la Voile fleet of 40 Mumm 30s was pinned in Dunkirk last night, prevented from starting the first off shore leg to Dieppe by high winds and choppy seas.