In the last week of July, Horta Marina recorded the entry of the yacht number 1000 this year, thus reaching a four digits mark that has remained consistent since 1998. 
In 1992 and 1996, in the year when Horta Marina completed 10 years of existence, more than a thousand yachts stopped at Faial Island, making a total of 1086 and 1020 stopovers of recreational boats in those years.
The main marina in Portugal for international recreational boating opened on June, 3rd, 1986. On that same year, Horta Marina received 759 yachts, between sailboats and motorboats. In the last 25 years, there has been a regular sustained growth in the number of boats looking for this port.  
This year’s yacht number 1000 was «Phileas Fogg», a French boat registered in Bayonne, sailing with two crew members aboard from Lajes do Pico on its way to Lajes das Flores brand new marina. This sailing boat is 11,71 meters long and weighs 7 tons.
The current record of Azores most outstanding marina, which is also one of the most important and famous ports in the North Atlantic as well as the world, lies at 1300 boats, a record set in 2009.
Horta Marina, which has been enlarged in 2002, currently holds 300 berths. It is managed by APTO, and it is the oldest and busiest port in all of the Azores, having recorded over 1200 yachts in the years of 2004, 2006 and 2009.
Sailing boats and other yachts passing by Horta Marina is of special importance in the path of recreational boating moving annually from Central America to Europe, whether they are doing technical stopovers in the mid of the Atlantic or taking part in oceanic races.

The boat belongs to the Sultan of Oman (for further info check http://www.facebook.com/OmanSail) and is among the pole positioners of sailing competitions, with more than 32 metres long and weighing 11 tons. Upon its rescue yesterday night, “Oman Air Majan” already looked like a catamaran, with a broken floater, without a mast and bearing several leaks in her hull.

Photos By APTO SA

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The first yacht from the Vannes-Horta-Vannes race to arrive at Horta Marina was Kikibigoudi, yesterday evening, at 9h48 pm. Britanny’s solitary sailor Goulven Guillou took nine days to make the journey from Vannes.