The time has soon come to head off on my 1000Nm qualifier.It’s a strange concept because it's the only time you’re not racing/delivering/training in the boat so there is lots of extra kit you can take, but at the same time you want to be in race mode as much as possible to knock off the mile. It is a great test for the boat and me as the course take us through one of the most feared and tricky seas around. In a strange way I'm really looking forward to it. The trip will take between 8-12 days and my aim is to push hard to find my limits and where to improve.
The course is from Lorient up to a mark off Cork Ireland, then back down around a buoy off La Rochelle and round the Island, finally back up to Lorient where the boat is based.
I hoping to leave Lorient harbor on the 18th
This is what classe mini say about the "qualifier"
The objective is simple: to allow the candidates in an A level race to become aware of their true sailing level and their psychological aptitude for single handed navigation. To cross the Atlantic single-handed is not an easy task. It is a true personal engagement in an experience where one completely takes charge of his destiny. In the middle of the ocean, you cannot count on anybody. Some see this "qualif." as an obstacle to overcome in order to start the Mini-Transat. Others, the majority of those who made it, appreciate it. One learns much during his qualification. Often, one comes back changed.
