About Mad Max

the boat
Mad Max is a Davidson 40 built in New Zealand in 1986. Her designer is Laurie Davidson, one of the most successful racing yacht designers of all time. His designs have won the America’s Cup, and set world speed records in all long distance sailing disciplines. Mad Max is a one-off design, which means there is no other boat in the world like her. Her exceptionally beautiful lines attract attention wherever she races. Her current paint scheme of a black hull and cabin, and a retro WWII fighter plane shark’s jaw on the bow make her identifiable from great distances.

the racer
Mad Max races in over twenty local races staged in English Bay and Georgia Strait every summer. Each race attracts between 200 and 1000 competitors and spectators. She also annually attends the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, a 125 mile race out of Victoria, The Southern Straits Classic, a 130 mile race out of Vancouver, the Cowichan Bay Regatta, SORC in Squamish, and Whidbey Island Race Week in Washington State. She has also raced the last four VARC series in Vancouver, winning the last two and will continue to race this series for the foreseeable future.

the skipper
Skipper, Micah van der Heide has assembled an amazing group of dedicated and experienced local sailors. Our twenty crew members have at least two years of experience in local regattas each. The majority of our crew has over three seasons of long distance racing under their belts, and a select few are VicMaui, Transpac, VanIsle 360 and Atlantic and Pacific crossing veterans. The current crew has been racing on Mad Max at the very least for two years, and some have raced on her for over six years. All of our crew have overnight racing experience, and know every aspect of what makes Mad Max a safe, fun and fast yacht.