The Volvo Ocean Race ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ team boat, which for five years has stood proudly outside of Race’s state-of-the-art HQ and Museum, has been moved into the heart of the city to be enjoyed by more visitors than ever before.
The boat, which goes by the name of the Black Pearl and was led by swashbuckling skipper Paul Cayard and sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, raced in the 2005-06 edition, finishing second.
At 70-feet long and weight almost 15 tonnes, it’s been a real landmark for the Museum, which has attracted over 50,000 visitors to the area this year from all over the globe.
In true pirate style, it was an epic adventure to move this ship, with a bunch of brave buccaneers working through the day and night to remove the mast and safely transport the vessel to its new home.
“It’s fantastic that a real-life Volvo Ocean Race boat, which has been through the toughest conditions and visited some of the most remote areas of the planet, is on display in such a prominent area of Alicante,” said Adolfo Rodríguez, Head of Host City Operations at Volvo Ocean Race.
“Alicante has been our home since 2008, and will continue to be so for at least another three editions. This installation will drive more people than ever before to visit and learn about the Volvo Ocean Race. Our thanks go to the Port Authority and the City Hall for helping to make this happen.”
