The new documentary Weekend Sailor is about the unexpected victory of the Mexican yacht Sayula II in the first crewed sailing race around the world in 1974. The most demanding sailing quest in history--The Whitbread Round the World Race, now called the Volvo Ocean Race.
In 1973, the United Kingdom organized the first head to head sailing race around the world, inviting expert crews from Europe and other countries against each other. The Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, today the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race took the sport to its limits.
The British Royal Navy purchased six yachts to train 800 man and chose the best four 10-man crews for each of the four legs of the race, yet, an inexperienced Mexican man also signed up. In his fifties, with a crew that included his wife, son, family and friends. His name, Ramon Carlín. A weekend sailor. And he beat every competing nation. In Mexico,
Ramon lived the working man’s dream, turning a door to door sales job into a million dollar company through flawless work ethic and a sheer effort. He married the love of his life Paquita and formed a family. His rebellious teenage son, Enrique, wanted to marry to his 14 year-old girlfriend, so Ramon sent him to school in Ireland to keep them apart. It only made things more extreme on their life. While visiting Enrique in the United Kingdom, Ramon noticed an ad on a magazine for a sailing race around the world. He’d been sailing casually for two years in Acapulco and saw this race as an opportunity to teach his son some discipline and a real life experience.
Praise for "The Weekend Sailor"
"It was indeed a seemingly strange victory--and unheard of Mexican skipper with a boat in the first fully crewed round the world race was strange enough, but to win, it was far from predictable." ~ Bob Fisher
"Mexican lawyer and rookie filmmaker Bernardo Arsuaga delivers an inspirational documentary that literally and figuratively takes audiences on a journey around the world." ~Seattle International Film Festival
