It's a well worn adage that the only thing solo about solo sailing is the sailing. Indeed every successful single-handed campaign has had the advantage of a strong team backing up a capable skipper. One of Europe's top female sailors, Emma Richards, was always quick to praise her team for the success she enjoyed during the last Around Alone race. Head of that team was Brian Harris, a native of Portland, Maine and considered by many to be the best Open boat manager is the business. That same Brian Harris is hard at work aboard Wells Fargo - American Pioneer in Plymouth, England preparing the boat for the upcoming Transat. "I feel really lucky to have Brian working with me preparing the boat for the race," said Joe. "I know when I leave England at the end of the month that the boat will be in great condition. He and Laurent have worked together for four years and they are a formidable team." Laurent (he goes by Laurent like Madonna goes by Madonna) is a Frenchman that has been around the racing scene for many years and is hugely capable in all areas of the boat. Between the two of them they will have Wells Fargo - American Pioneer in top notch condition before the start gun fires. The last thing Joe wants to worry about during the tough slog across the Atlantic will be boat problems, and with Brian and Laurent casting their meticulous eyes over the boat, those problems should be minimized.
There is a lot to do before the race starts. The transatlantic passage was tough on the gear and a few small problems emerged. The new Doyle sails have been taken off the boat and are at the local Doyle sail loft getting a thorough checking over. Joe has also decided to replace all the batteries. "We found that we were having to charge batteries four times a day on the way over," said Joe. "That's just too much. The batteries have already done a lap of the world. I decided to replace them all to be on the safe side." In addition Joe has bought a Top-Climber, and ingenious piece of equipment that will allow him to climb to the top of the mast while underway. One thing most solo sailors fear while at sea is a trip aloft to fix something. The Top-Climber will make the job easier, not necessarily easy. "I will practice going to the top of the mast a few times while we are still in port," Joe said. "That way if I have to go aloft while underway I should be a bit more used to it." Joe will also practice getting in and out of his survival suit. It's important to do a dry run of all emergency procedures before and actual emergency occurs and Joe plans to spend the days leading up to the start getting very familiar with the new equipment on board.
A race like The Transat has very strict safety requirements. Race officials are wary about sending a fleet of cutting-edge boats out into the North Atlantic in late spring without the necessary preparation. This weekend officials will be on board Wells Fargo - American Pioneer to go over a lengthy checklist of safety items ranging from checking that the emergency transponders work properly to making sure that the expiration dates on the flares have not been reached. As part of his preparation Joe has been in touch with Dr Dan Carlin (the same person who helped Brad Van Liew overcome a bad head cold on the way over) and he now has a comprehensive medical kit on board. "We have a whole pharmacy on board," Joe said. "It's one piece of equipment that I was happy to spend the money on and will be even happier if I never get to use it."
All Transat competitors are required to be in Plymouth by this weekend and with the arrival of many of the new yachts the atmosphere along the waterfront is filled with excitement. "It's all starting to happen, finally," Joe said. "Although I will be happy when we start racing and all this intense preparation is behind me. Some of it is quite nerve wracking." In 10 days time he will have his wish. The start is scheduled for noon on May 31.
- Brian Hancock (great.circle@verizon.net)
