About The skipper
BEL
Nationality
Lives: Namur, Belgium
Miles sailed: Sailed since childhood
Website: https://www.coldguard.eu/
Status: Retired Entry
Where does your passion for sailing come from?
I have been sailing regularly since i was a child first on dinghies, then on a small keel boats and much later on cruising boats. I really sailing through water, quietly using the wind, I find this means of movement and what it brings magic.
In fact, it is only with a sailboat that you can sail around the world by sea, without stopovers and without embarking supplies. It is simply fabulous! I like simple things.
What are the lessons you learnt from sailing?
When you sail alone, which in my case means most of the time, you are there alone to manage everything there is to do on a sailboat, i.e. being able to interpret the weather, choose your route and follow it, always intervene and navigate in a safe and thoughtful manner. Sometimes you need to be able to repair damage quickly.
You have to be versatile, at times ingenious to get out of a certain situation, have foresight and above all be able to keep a cool head in all circumstances.
What brought you to like single-handed sailing?
The sense of calm, the desire to be extend my limit, to take up new challenges and fulfil new dreams!
What prompted you to sign up for this event?
I find the idea extraordinary, as I have already explained to Marco! It’s incredible to have had the idea of offering the possibility to certain production boats and their skipper to go around the world by sailing, without assistance, without stopovers and by the 3 capes.
In addition, I think that the staggered departures of the different groups gives an equal chance to all participants. And, to answer the question more precisely, the fact of being able to take part in a prestigious event with a reasonable budget for this type of challenge.
How do you plan to prepare for this event?
First of all check and make the boat conform the those aspects of the Regulations requiring a structural intervention, I am referring in particular to the watertight bulkheads.
Then I will take care of the upgrade of the electronics on board, although this point has already been the subject of special attention on my part. There are nevertheless some improvements to be made.
Once all this work is completed, I will be able to devote myself to testing and testing the equipment in real conditions.
In parallel there is also all the preparation inherent in this type of challenge such as food supplies, stress management, planning to receive weather information and routing, not to mention finding the necessary sponsors to participate in this kind of event.
It is in fact the complete management of a large project.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge?
It’s a whole, which begins with the search for the team to assist me in the preparations and the search for the budget, through the preparation of the boat, and which will only end when i cross the finish line.
Tell us about your boat or the boat you would like to have?
It is a Wauquiez Praetorian! The quality of construction of the Wauquiez shipyard has proven itself.
It’s a boat built to navigate in harsh conditions, which gives me great confidence.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I am the inventor of a product called Cold Guard, which avoids the risk of food poisoning caused by poor storage of your food. Cold Guard protects you and allows you to make great savings.
Part of the necessary budget will also come from the sale of Cold Guard products. People wishing to support me can visit the shop at www.coldguard.eu
SAiling Experience
Sailed since i was a child first on dinghies, then on a small keel boats and much later on cruising boats.
About The Boat
Sail Number: TBA
Model: Wauquiez Pretorien (Holman & Pye)
Year built: 1981
Group: 4
LOA: 35.6 ft
Displacement: 6500 kgs
Upwind sail area: 75m2