Maud

1899

TELL TALES

Q& A

Pierre Huglo

'La Longue' racer

Why the Contessa 32 and how long

have you owned her?

I wanted a Co32 because I wanted a

proper sailing boat and to be able to

go ocean sailing. I had just lost my

former boat, a Pogo 850, which

capsized and remained upside down

for more than a month, 500 nautical

miles west of Brittany! I bought Fresh

Herring in November, 2007 and we

have sailed 37,000nm together.

How long have you had La Longue

Route in mind?

Since I was 15 when I read Bernard

Moittesier’s book – plus Vito Dumas,

Francis Chichester, Robin Knox-

Johnston, Miles Smeeton, and of

course John Kretschmer's Cape Horn

to Starboard. Ever since then I have

been preparing for a solo trip around

the world. When I was in my 20s I

was not confident enough; then I

wanted to take care of my children

and wife, which of course I still do!

But now I feel I have to take care of

this dream and make it real.

What preparations have you made?

I put a Plexiglas dome on top of the

companionway with a system for

helming inside. Two hatches inside;

one between the mast and the

forward cabin, the other one behind

the chart table make three watertight

compartments. I replaced all the

standing and running rigging and

carry a full set of spares. I also

decided to remove the engine which

gives me more room and less weight.

I have a full set of Peter Sanders sails

with four genoas, a standard storm jib

and a small storm jib, a mainsail with

four reefs, and three spinnakers.

How did you organise the time off?

I teach philosophy at university in

France so I spend a lot of time

studying theoretical matters, reading

books, writing papers and working

with or for students. For me there is

no separation or conflict between my

love of sailing and my love of

philosophy. They are two different

and complementary ways to explore

the enigma and the beauty of the

universe. For this great adventure I

requested leave without pay, so the

truth is I don’t know what will happen

when I get back; where I will be

teaching and in what position.

How will you communicate?

I will have a satellite telephone to

send SMS and make voice calls. Every

week I will send my position and

some news, but I don't want to

communicate too much. To my mind

single-handing does not mean being

on the phone for several hours a day!

How long do you think you will take?

I’m imagining 240 days for the trip

because I don't want to be too

optimistic about my average speed

and because the trip will likely cover

more than 28,000 nautical miles

(Knox-Johnston sailed 30,000NM on

Suhaili in 313 days.)

What are your biggest concerns?

Strong weather conditions in the

Southern Ocean, especially around

Cape of Good Hope, The Crozet

Islands, Tasmania, south of New

Zealand, Cape Horn... I’m not too

worried about growlers because most

of my trip will be above the ice limit.

And what will you enjoy the most?

Sailing alone, especially across the

ocean, is a great experience of real

freedom for me. You have to pay the

price for it, because no one will come

and help you; but I love to feel a kind

of harmony between the wind and

sea state, the way FH and I are sailing,

and I love the beauty and the

wilderness of the ocean.

As we went to press Fresh Herring

was rounding New Zealand. Pierre has

taken the most southerly route of all

the fleet, in one of the smallest boats.

entered in La Longue Route 2018.

PANERAI CHALLENGER TROPHY

Bradley Pedrick honoured

Launched in 1899 by Halls of

Reedham, the 60ft (18.3m) sailing

wherry Maud traded until 1918

when she lost her rig and became

a lighter hauling mud dredged

from the Broads. As if things

couldn’t get any more

ignominious, she was sunk in the

1960s as part of a land

reclamation project. Raised in

1981 and restored to sailing

condition over the best part of

two decades, she is operated

by wherrymaudtrust.org. A

£12 membership gives you

the chance to sail her.

The RYA and luxury watchmaker

Panerai recently announced the

winner of the Panerai Challenger

Trophy, set up to promote the

positive power of sailing in young

people’s lives. 11-year-old Bradley

Pedrick (right), started sailing at

Polkerris Beach in Cornwall less

than a year ago.

His achievements – learning to

sail, carrying his own kit and helping others – are made

monumental by the difficulties he has faced in his life: a

below-the-knee amputation at the age of three; kidney

surgery at seven, followed by serious burns in an accident

and more leg surgery until he is fully grown.

“When I started I was scared but now I'm really happy

out on the water,” he says. “I really look forward to helping

less confident people and help them love sailing too."

WORD OF THE MONTH

Sally

To move a body by jerks or rushes; a sudden heave or

set. Thus, when a vessel grounds by the bow or stern,

and the hawsers are severely taut, the sally is practised.

This is done by collecting all hands at the point aground,

and then by a simultaneous rush reaching the part afloat.

Sailor's Word Book of 1867