Update ‘I equate solo sailing to race car driving, where you see a race
car out there on the track but the reality is that there is a massive amount of preparation you do not see. The same in yacht racing and even more so for exceptionally long solo races, where equipment really has to last. ‘For a race of this length you must also have the right mental
approach to racing it, not just sailing it. Physically you must be in good nick, as your condition steps down over time especially late in the race. But the most important thing is to be mentally strong. ‘I know the racecourse; I know what I am in for. In the southern
oceans the weather systems are so large you cannot get out of their way in these slower boats. You can be as well prepared as anyone, but down there one wave can take you out. You can never beat the sea, only fight to a draw.’ Canadian Edward Walentynowicz will be 68 come 2022 start
time – a longtime sailing instructor, going back to his university days in Poland. He has not sailed in the Southern Ocean. His heavy- weather experience comes from numerous North Atlantic crossings on sailboats between 30 and 60ft. ‘Being from Nova Scotia, I have been inspired by sailors from
here. It’s where Joshua Slocum started his adventures, as did John Hughes, the first Canadian to sail solo around the world in the 1987 BOC. And then there was Derek Hatfield in the Around Alone in 2002-2003 and the Velux 5 Oceans in 2010 showing the way.’ Walentynowicz’s marine and industrial automation company
employs 20 engineers in systems integration and automation, and his approach is clearly technical. ‘During the last race I closely fol- lowed the competition between Jean Luc and Mark Slats. Uku Rand- maa who was sailing Lionel Regnier’s boat did well too. I admired Susie Goodall’s effort very much, she was well prepared, but she still had equipment issues with the self-steering system and drogue. ‘The plan is to have my Rustler 36 Noah’s Jest fully ready for
May 2021. I hope to have a minimum of five months of ocean sailing on her before winter 2022. Rustler Yachts in Falmouth are doing the hull and deck refit themselves; I will sail down to Les Sables and continue with the changes. I will have a feathering prop and will be working hard to ensure my boat has – and maintains – as smooth a hull as possible. That was a hugely overlooked factor in the last race with some boats literally halving their speed by the end due to growth. ‘Crossing the Atlantic on small boats, many times I have wished
I had a shorter mast because I had too much heel, too many sail changes, the performance was not as good as it could have been. So I have ordered a VDH-style short mast from Sparcraft, with extra reinforcement at the point where Jean Luc had his mast issue after his knockdown. Lionel Régnier worked with ‘the master’ and he will be helping me with all my preparations. ‘Of course, we will be two months later into the Southern Ocean,
and we should expect some lighter winds so the shorter mast is still something of a gamble. But to do well in this race you need to have a lucky star. You can only pass by the ocean, you cannot conquer it. Even with the best experience you still need the luck.’ Last time the leaders went straight down the Atlantic, this time
they will swing wider, leaving Trindade Island 680nm off the Brazilian coast to port, as Moitessier did in 1968. Thence into Cape Town for a film drop. These route changes will probably add more than a week to the overall race time. A boat leading out of Cape Town by as little as 48 hours that
gets into a different weather system will be almost impossible to catch, as Van Den Heede demonstrated. However, it could have had an entirely different ending. Had the bolt hole in his rig torn just another inch during the knockdown the rig would have fallen. But with 800 days to go, this is just the beginning of the beginning.
Preparation and sea miles, lots of sea miles, will no doubt decide just how many of the starting fleet sail back to Les Sables d’Olonne in April 2023… and beyond. The final word, a reminder for all the hopeful entrants from Graham Dalton. ‘You can be the best- prepared, the most experienced, with the fastest boat, but to win the race you are going to need some luck.’
www.goldengloberace.com
q 18 SEAHORSE SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
l Inevitable…Finn sailor Caleb Paine has dropped out of the USA Finn trials for Tokyo 2021 l Sad…but not the last l Who…will be the first to complete a Vendée Globe without touching the tiller? l Rumours…the Hobart race will be opened to multihulls l Only rumours…however (baa humbug) l Olympic ‘quinquennium’…seriously? l After 137…containers fell off the G Washington two years ago l The cause…has finally been confirmed l Parametric rolling…leading to a breach of amplitude limits l Boys and girls…it’s dangerous out there l And the…containers? l On the pace…Berthon Boat Company were quick to offer a safe haven to the homeless boats caught at sea when lockdowns began l Founded in 1877…by the Reverend Edward Lyon Berthon (btw) l She floats…the first plywood-built Class Mini 5.80 for Don McIntyre’s next great round-the-world (sic) adventure has gone afloat l Also…nearing completion is a nut-and-bolt restoration of the fabulous plywood Van de Stadt Maxi Stormvogel (issue 484) l What a shambles... the Laser row rumbles on (still, seriously?) l Here we go…again... l Ant Arctic Lab…the almost-an-Imoca 60 that uses volcanic rock fibre in its primary construction sets off on a 34,000nm solo round-the-world attempt this month l The third… such attempt l Or is that…fourth – ed? l Doing their bit…prompted by Covid restrictions Seahorse contributor and Silicon Valley water-baby Richard Jenkins’ Saildrones are replacing NOAA vessels for fishery surveys l To think…that story began in the back of a Green Marine shed l Another one…to the dark side... l The editor…is joined among other Seahorse faces at the fuel pontoon by Ivor Wilkins with his lovely 10m Frank Pelin-designed classic planing launch l Yo yo…go go go, Uncle Sam... l Sales…‘have exploded since lockdown,’ claims Clarks Landing Yacht Sales manager Dave Patnaude l Spread the optimism…Really. Do. Please. l Essential worker… l Ineos Team UK’s…team sheet lists 126 family members l And…one nanny l With thanks…to Adrian Thompson l Laugh…we almost cried... l The prez… of World Sailing ‘welcomes’ a governance review of world sporting bodies including WS by the Association of Summer Olympic Federations l That one…can’t have taken up much of their time l The prez also…hits back at ‘disrespectful’ critics of his fiefdom l Quite so…quite so (people are horrible) l Before…promptly falling at the IOC’s feet after they bailed out the ‘allegedly insolvent’ governing body of sailing l So to all you critics of our ‘rich man’s sport’…think again! l Seems… we are actually in Poor Street l Phone calls…you never want to get… l Sorry, François…we have pulled funding for your new Ultim Macif 2 l Sorry, Mich Desj…we will also shortly be withdrawing support for those lovely (large) new Mer Agitée premises you just moved into l In the words…of a team member, Macif could not come to terms with a new tri costing 50% more than its predecessor (see below) l We have…faith that it’ll work out for an astonishingly successful ocean racing partnership l So now…
l In bargain corner…the price of Macif 1 has been cut to €5million l Well under…half the cost of a new build (OK, €15mill) l You… might get Macif 2 as well
l B.O.G.O.F…as they say l Apologia…the typeface used on last month’s editorial page shrank in the wash l Get there fast…
RaceboatsOnly.com and
EurosailNews.com
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