CAPTAIN NICOLAI DZHAMBAZOV AND YACHT “TANGRA”
Nicolai Dzhambazov has been preparing since childhood to fulfil his dream of circumnavigation around the world. He studied English, astronomy and geography. During his military service, he served as radio operator. He read a lot of literature on shipbuilding. He trained in water sports and became an instructor in naval pentathlon.
N. Dzhambazov built the yacht “Tangra” with own funds and personal efforts in the yard of his house in Sofia in the period 1973-1979. On 7 June 1980, he started his participation in the OSTAR regatta from Plymouth, England. He arrived at the final in Newport, Rhode Island, USA after 34 days, 10 hours and 53 minutes.
For his circumnavigation, the sailor set off on 1 September 1983 from Sozopol, but the starting point was Las Palmas, Canary Island, from where he set off on 31 October 1983. The first stage of the voyage was to Sidney, Australia, where he arrived on 1 March 1984. The next leg began on 1 January 1985 from Sidney along Cape Horn, and from there again in Las Palmas. Thus, on 12 May 1985, Nicolai Dzambazov’s voyage ended and he conquered the most difficult circumnavigation route via Cape Horn. On 25 July he docked in Burgas.
This is the first Bulgarian solo circumnavigation of the world with self-made yacht. N. Dzhambazov with yacht “Tangra” was welcomed as a national hero. His circumnavigation took almost two years, covering a distance equal to 1,5 times the length of the equator – about 60 000 km. Radio communication was carried out via the mandatory VHF and an amateur 120-wat Japanese short wave station. He received radio fans support from Bulgaria and the world. The navigation equipment was a classic compass, sextant and clock. No electronic devices.
After the round-the-world voyage N. Dzhambazov became a “Hero of Socialist Labour”. He was also the first winner of Golden Globe transitional award “Cor Carolli” for his participation in the transatlantic regatta. In 1985, the round-the world voyage of Nicolai Dzhambazov was recognized as the best sailing.
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The key data of yacht “Tangra”:
hull – wooden
length – 11,40 m.
width – 3, 44 m.
draft – 1,95 m.
gross tonnage – 15 t.
Her prototype (according to N. Dzhambazov) was the well-known 9-meter yacht Scampi, popular in the early 1970s.
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“…no yacht can compare in quality with “Tangra”. It was a great yacht! And now I see her sailing away after being submerged by a huge wave. Without losing speed and direction, the yacht shook itself out of the water and flew again with previous onrush to catch up with the lost distance.”
N. Dzhambazov, From the book “With “Tangra” Against the Wind”
