it was really interesting. April, my girlfriend, and I started dating in 2009, so when she met me she knew that this was part of the deal. She was very supportive and helpful.
What was harder for you, the mental challenge or the physical one?
They were probably comparable.
Probably the fatigue side of things was the hardest to deal with and the hardest to overcome. By the end, the fatigue was both mental and physical. In the end [I guess] the mental and physical challenges were equal.
What is it like being alone for so long on such a small boat?
The race likes people to monitor
Channel 72 at all times. There are always boats around you, and there are always people talking on the VHF, so I never really felt alone. Some days I turned down the volume [on the VHF] to enjoy some piece and quiet!
What sort of sleep strategy were
you on?
I averaged about four hours [of
sleep] a day. I usually got about an hour-plus during the night. These were just a series of catnaps – I guess the longest was about 45 minutes. The big danger is obviously ships. The rule is that a ship can go from being a speck on the horizon to [being] alongside in 25 minutes. I have a radar alarm on the boat, which helps. Near the equator there was a tanker that passed about a half-mile away, but I never had one catch me by surprise.
What gave you the idea to sail solo across an ocean?
[I’ve learned to] drive myself… If there’s something that I can figure out how to make happen, I can usually make it happen.
My friend Jonathan McKee did this
race [in 2003] and brought it back to my consciousness. As a kid, I followed the ’79 Mini Transat, and Jonathan’s race helped bring this memory back into focus. I asked myself, ‘can I do it?’ and I answered, ‘yeah, I can do that’. It was a challenge that I could take on and afford to take on.
I’ve heard that your biggest lesson
learned from your experience was that you’re capable of much more than you had previously thought. How did you learn this lesson? Does any particular experience come to mind?
The whole process! I learned that
having faith in myself, that when I really put my mind to something that there’s a lot I can accomplish. I just need to quiet that little negative voice and make it happen.
Can you give me an idea as to
what it cost you out-of-pocket? Do you feel that you got a good ROI from your experience?
It cost about $175,000. If someone
came to me now and asked if I would do it again, the answer is ‘yes!’ It was an amazing experience, one that I’m glad that I did. I have no regrets.
I’ve heard you describe the
Transat 6.50 (Mini Transat) as being harder than the Ironman that you completed in 2005. Can you think of
anything else that you’ve done that was on par with the Mini Transat as far as challenge and difficulty goes?
If you consider the Ironman and the
training, then yes, they are comparable. But the Ironman itself is just a one-day event. [Long pause] I can’t come up with anything that’s of this level of difficulty.
What is your next big adventure? or was this your big adventure?
I definitely want to do more ocean
racing. Also, more shorthanded racing would be great. I’m talking with a number of different people about future projects. It would be great if the Mini reaches critical mass here in the U.S. Some of the Mini sailors here in the U.S. are looking at the 9.5-meter class, which is a lot like a Class 40 but for a much smaller budget. That could be interesting…
How have the lessons that your
learned during your Transat 6.50 impacted your life back here in Seattle?
Mostly, it’s about having confidence
in myself. I’ve learned to be a little more willing to take risks and push myself with anything that I become involved with, instead of just coasting along. [I’ve learned to] drive myself at all times. If there’s something that I can figure out how to make happen, I can usually make it happen. With my business, a lot of my customers called me up after I got home and started the conversation with ‘are you still doing the rigging business?’ The answer is yes – right now the rigging business is paying the bills.
48° N
Ballard Sails & Yacht Services
Locally Built - yah sure, ya betcha
• New Custom Sails, Racing and Cruising • Repairs, Re-cuts, UV covers • Custom Running Rigging • Winch Services
48° NORTH, APRIL 2010 PAGE 50
• Reasonable Prices • Roller Furlers
• Electrical & Electronics
Convenient Shilshole Location 6303 Seaview Ave. NW • (206) 706-5500
info@ballardsails.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96