September

Journal Writing

Reading

The Maintenance Race

The world’s first round-the-world solo yacht race was a thrilling and, for some, deadly contest. How its participants maintained their vessels can help us understand just how fundamental maintenance is.

Wonderful long-form article about 3 sailors that attempted the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race in 1968 and their different approaches to the race.

From the article:

Knox-Johnston was the best prepared one, he brought all possible equipment and spare parts he might need for the voyage and spent countless hours maintaining his ship. Crowhurst hoped for the best and was unprepared, not long into the race he started lying about the progress and when it was finally certain and it all will come into the light, he committed suicide. Moitessier’s approach was based on minimalism and low-maintenance, he stripped his yach of all things unnecessary, he didn’t user any electronic equipment (he passed his messages to by-passing boats via a slingshot), and his ship was made out of steel.

The race has its third edition this year (2022 Golden Globe Race) which started on 4 September 2022. The race honors the first edition by imposing rules to limit the equipment and yachts to what was available to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in 1968. Raced yachts must comply to for example following rules:

This month I learned

Listening