Alternatives to Clipper?

[PhillM]

OK so watched Maiden. Have decided that even at my time of life (53) I could find the time to take a year out to achieve my lifelong ambition and sail around the world.

Clipper would charge me £50K, which is about £225/per sailing day (or £4.1K per month for board and lodgings on a race boat), excluding any money I choose to spend ashore. I don't think the cost is prohibitive and when put against the cost of any other type of "year out sailing" seems competitive. Additionally, viewed against the depreciation for a craft capable of getting round in a year and again Clipper come out competitive.

I am not race-mad but I do like the competitive side of the event. That said, I would consider alternative, non-racing events. So, before I madly rush into signing up (which may or may not happen), are there any alternatives that you could recommend?

Oh and I should add, I am aware of the safety issues that have arisen. I really don't want to get into that. In my view, ocean racing is inherently dangerous and tbh I am surprised that the fatality rate has been so low considering how many people are involved. While I expect the organisation to do everything it can to minimize risk, I do accept the risks involved.

 

[scruff]

OK so watched Maiden. Have decided that even at my time of life (53) I could find the time to take a year out to achieve my lifelong ambition and sail around the world.

Clipper would charge me £50K, which is about £225/per sailing day (or £4.1K per month for board and lodgings on a race boat), excluding any money I choose to spend ashore. I don't think the cost is prohibitive and when put against the cost of any other type of "year out sailing" seems competitive. Additionally, viewed against the depreciation for a craft capable of getting round in a year and again Clipper come out competitive.

I am not race-mad but I do like the competitive side of the event. That said, I would consider alternative, non-racing events. So, before I madly rush into signing up (which may or may not happen), are there any alternatives that you could recommend?

Oh and I should add, I am aware of the safety issues that have arisen. I really don't want to get into that. In my view, ocean racing is inherently dangerous and tbh I am surprised that the fatality rate has been so low considering how many people are involved. While I expect the organisation to do everything it can to minimize risk, I do accept the risks involved.

If it were me, taking a "once in a lifetime trip to go round the world" I'd personally want to take longer - 3 years and do it on my boat. Assuming you purchase a boat then sell it at the end of the trip to recoup ~75% of the boat costs, your £50k would be quite a nice sum of money to live on for a couple of years!

That said I will be watching the sailing frenchman this coming year as he films the clipper from the perspective of first mate. My mind may be changed!

 

[laika]

For anyone with sailing experience...is clipper really going to scratch that itch? It's a turnkey solution. It's racing (sort of) on big boats you might not otherwise get experience of. It includes the experience of sailing in conditions where a prudent cruiser would not normally place themselves. You get to experience the whole group-dynamics-under-stress thing which may be intensely interesting or offputting depending on your inclination. But someone else is in charge, someone else is navigating, someone else dictates the timetable and you don't get to change the plan. I absolutely see why people might do it and I have thought about it but crewing on a round-the-word yacht satisfies neither my desire to navigate a yacht round the world, nor to meet some of the people who live on those little dots on the "oceania" page of the atlas.

I wonder if there are sufficient semi-competent amateurs with mid-life crises reckless enough to fork out for an old open 40 each to race slowly round with no interest whatsoever outside this forum?

 

[Blue Sunray]

For anyone with sailing experience...is clipper really going to scratch that itch? It's a turnkey solution. It's racing (sort of) on big boats you might not otherwise get experience of. It includes the experience of sailing in conditions where a prudent cruiser would not normally place themselves. You get to experience the whole group-dynamics-under-stress thing which may be intensely interesting or offputting depending on your inclination. But someone else is in charge, someone else is navigating, someone else dictates the timetable and you don't get to change the plan. I absolutely see why people might do it and I have thought about it but crewing on a round-the-word yacht satisfies neither my desire to navigate a yacht round the world, nor to meet some of the people who live on those little dots on the "oceania" page of the atlas.

I wonder if there are sufficient semi-competent amateurs with mid-life crises reckless enough to fork out for an old open 40 each to race slowly round with no interest whatsoever outside this forum?

Or an ARC Round the World? (or is that already a thing)

Edit : It would appear that it is https://www.worldcruising.com/world_arc/event.aspx

 

[Sandy]

Another option for about the same price

http://www.queenmarycruises.net/queen-mary-2-world-cruise/

 

[laika]

Or an ARC Round the World? (or is that already a thing)

It's a fine answer to the OP's question but as you quoted my post I feel obliged to say that this ticks few of my boxes. I got "World Cruising Routes" as a birthday present a few years back but that's about as much as Jimmy's likely to get out of me

 

[dom]

Another option for about the same price

http://www.queenmarycruises.net/queen-mary-2-world-cruise/

:encouragement:

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

There are one or two square riggers which come close, with very long trips including the great capes. Cheaper than the Clipper, not yachts as such, but new challenges for someone who can already do yachting. The Classic Sailing travel agency is a very good start, run by actual sailors, but they don't cover all the available berths.

 

[ridgy]

Just the ticket... https://oceangloberace.com/

 

[northwind]

The food on the Queen Mary will be a lot better..

or stay home, have someone chuck water over you while eating pot noodles..

 

[PhillM]

For anyone with sailing experience...is clipper really going to scratch that itch? It's a turnkey solution. It's racing (sort of) on big boats you might not otherwise get experience of. It includes the experience of sailing in conditions where a prudent cruiser would not normally place themselves. You get to experience the whole group-dynamics-under-stress thing which may be intensely interesting or offputting depending on your inclination. But someone else is in charge, someone else is navigating, someone else dictates the timetable and you don't get to change the plan. I absolutely see why people might do it and I have thought about it but crewing on a round-the-word yacht satisfies neither my desire to navigate a yacht round the world, nor to meet some of the people who live on those little dots on the "oceania" page of the atlas.

I wonder if there are sufficient semi-competent amateurs with mid-life crises reckless enough to fork out for an old open 40 each to race slowly round with no interest whatsoever outside this forum?

Interestingly, most of the negatives you state are actually positives for me. I don’t want to sound “difficult”. Quite the contrary. Thank you for helping me with this.

Someone else in in charge. I have nowhere near the required experience or skill to do this on my own. .
Defined start and end. Works for getting time off work.
Out in un-prudent conditions - see point 1
A exercise in interpersonal skills - perhaps I’ve done too much single handing? Might be worth learning how to live with crew.

Keep the ideas flowing. Thank you .

 

[Resolution]

Phil
Having read your wonderfully positive comments and adventures on YBW over the past few years, I suspect you would be a tremendous addition to any Clipper crew. But do be aware that as well as as having to mix in with 15 to 20 fellow crew, you will have to re-learn how to sail, doing every manoeuvre by numbers as dictated by Clipper and your skipper.
You would probably have the time of your life!

PS Yesterday, chatting to a fellow customer in a shop queue, he disclosed that he had previously done a Clipper circumnavigation. Very positive about it all, particularly the wild Southern Ocean stuff.

 

[Kukri]

+1.

Cross refer to this thread:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?530512-If-you-think-you-are-a-sailor

A round the world voyage in a Clipper yacht is as close to that as can be found these days.

 

[lw395]

1) There is a big danger in taking a 'year out' at 53. Good chance of involuntary early retirement.
I've known a couple of people who done RTW, one Clipper, one not, you come back detached from office life and at best, borderline unemployable.
You'll be 18 months out of date and have the wage-slave conformity knocked out of you.
2) It's a lot of cash to be one of more than a dozen people on a boat. Most of those people will be Mid Life Crises, who personally I would not want to be locked up with for weeks at a time.
3) You go around the world and see half a dozen big city ports. You don't see the world as such. You'd see a lot more 'world' hopping from port to port.
4) Experience as a Clipper punter, doesn't have much currency in any other boat. If I were looking for someone to e.g. go across Biscay with, someone having done pay'n'play with Clipper would not stand out above someone who'd dome a few Channel races or even yotted their own boat along the West Country coast. For sure, my opinion of Clipper is low and you might discard it, but you could DYOR about what doors your experience might or might not open. If that matters?

 

[PhillM]

Well I’ve taken the first step and applied for interview. I shall report back.

I wonder, if I promise to blog about the application and training process on here, will you lot crowd fund my place

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

1) There is a big danger in taking a 'year out' at 53. Good chance of involuntary early retirement.
I've known a couple of people who done RTW, one Clipper, one not, you come back detached from office life and at best, borderline unemployable.
You'll be 18 months out of date and have the wage-slave conformity knocked out of you.
2) It's a lot of cash to be one of more than a dozen people on a boat. Most of those people will be Mid Life Crises, who personally I would not want to be locked up with for weeks at a time.
3) You go around the world and see half a dozen big city ports. You don't see the world as such. You'd see a lot more 'world' hopping from port to port.
4) Experience as a Clipper punter, doesn't have much currency in any other boat. If I were looking for someone to e.g. go across Biscay with, someone having done pay'n'play with Clipper would not stand out above someone who'd dome a few Channel races or even yotted their own boat along the West Country coast. For sure, my opinion of Clipper is low and you might discard it, but you could DYOR about what doors your experience might or might not open. If that matters?

Top post, very valuable views.

 

[zoidberg]

I wonder if there are sufficient semi-competent amateurs with mid-life crises reckless enough to fork out for an old open 40 each to race slowly round with no interest whatsoever outside this forum?

I rather like that idea..... with a number of pre-planned ( and maybe some unplanned ) pit-stops for a few days along the way. Rather like the Round Britain Race, but with enough time to catch up on each other.

Let me suggest a few ideas, just to get us started.....

Start from Falmouth or Brest.
Pit Stop 1: Terceira
Pit Stop 2: Praia
Pit Stop 3: Salvador
Pit Stop 4: RCYC/Cape Town
Pit Stop 5: Port aux Francais/Kerguelen
Pit Stop 6: RYCT/Hobart
Pit Stop 7: Lyttelton/Christchurch
Pit Stop 8: Puerto Williams Lounge Bar
Pit Stop 9: Upland Goose/Stanley
Pit Stop10: Jamestown/St Helena
Pit Stop11: Georgetown/Ascension
Pit Stop12: Weymouth/Barbados
Pit Stop13: Horta
Pit Stop14: RCN/ La Coruna
Finish at Start

Could that start a few daydreams? What charts would one need.....?

 

[Skylark]

I have admiration for anyone doing a leg, let alone the RTW full monty but it’s not for me.

The 19/20 race is currently on-going and each skipper writes a daily blog, many crew do so too, so worth reading to get a feel for life on board.

Without wanting to cross threads, the currently leading boat was a well know Sunsail skipper

I sailed to Londonderry the year before last to welcome the fleet from their New York crossing as one of my pals was involved. We hence managed a good look around the boats. Let’s say that I prefer “pipe and slippers” to “hardship”. Don’t wear rose coloured glasses if you get a chance to go onboard.

The port stop-overs create a very pleasant ambience and great crew comradely is evident, but they are “whistle stop” rather than exploring cultural diversity.

A RTWer will have 40,000 miles in his/her logbook by the end of the race. Would they then be competent to sail a 35 ft AWB from Solent to West Country unaided, I suspect not. For a crew, Its about gaining a lifetime experience, not the responsibility to skipper a boat and all that it entails.

 

[ashtead]

Phil do keep us undated as to progress . Having had the pleasure of sailing on one of the clippers for a day sail it's a long way removed from skills needed for making your own way safely in charge of a 40ft but I guess it turns on what you are looking to get from your career break and if sailing skills are the driver or just a desire to do something while reasonable fit. Personally I don't think I would find it attractive but you might look at joining a liveaboard sailing couple for a few weeks cruising as a alternative where weekly costs would be well within budget and practical skills would be great . Look at a few blogs as many patrons seem to be offered chances to join . Britican is one such site and a couple of weeks on one of these might be more educational unless you relish the opportunity for developing social skills . Whichever route you go though just be very careful on your due diligence on your skipper as part of research

 

[PhillM]

Thanks everyone. I note that the skills needed on a Clipper adventure are very different to those needed to run my own boat. Actually is one of the attractions. I have Paean (wooden Cheverton Caravel MK2, for those who don't know me) and I love the sailing her. I intend to take her further each year, but realistically she is never going to take me around the world (or by the time I can take that long off work, I wont be able to). However, I fully intend to have many more single handed Paean based adventures, in years to come.

The attraction of Clipper is that it would enable a one-off, one year adventure. Tightly controlled and plan-around-able. No longer term commitments, no ending up with a bigger boat that I can neither afford to moor or that need to beg crew to sail with me. Longer term I want to be back on my little Paean with the freedom to go where and when I want.

I get the risk of taking a year out at 53. I am hoping I can negotiate with my employer to take a year out and return afterwards. I have only just changed career (Tech MD to Uni teacher) so am familiar with having to run to catch up. My PhD should be done by the time the Clipper race goes in 2021. Actually, that is a motivator to get on with the PhD work too. Post PhD I have no intention of going for promotion, as I like the ability to take time off in the summer. Management does not seem to have the flexibility that teaching staff do.

One concern is the Clipper skipper. I have met a couple. Some good, some not so good. As crew you don't get a choice and by the time you are allocated to a team, you are fully paid up and have to take what you are given.

The more I think about this the clearer my objectives become. I am not at all bothered about seeing the destinations. I have been to many on business and while interesting, if I want to spend time there, I will fly back in my later years (perhaps when I am too old/frail to sail?). What I want to see are the oceans. I want to know what it is like to be caught in a storm in the Southern Ocean, to be becalmed in the Doldrums and to feel the heat, cold, wind and water from every ocean. Can I do it? Am I fit enough? Do I have the mental resilience? I don't know, but I would like to found out.


Thanks for all the ideas. Please keep them coming.