2026 GOLDEN GLOBE RACE

AHOY, JUNIPER & I NEED YOUR HELP GETTING TO THE 2026 GOLDEN GLOBE RACE!

THE GOLDEN GLOBE is a retro sailboat race that starts in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France in August 2026. Sailors will then sail 30,000 miles, ALONE, non-stop, around the world, from West to East, and rounds the GREAT CAPES. More people have been to Space than hae rounded the Capes!

We will be sailing like it’s 1968! Racers aren’t allowed to use any modern technology; no phones, no chart plotters, no ipads, heck I can’t even use a digital watch. I will be out there guided only by the sun and stars. Also all racers will be 32-36 ft. full-keeled boats that were built prior to 1988, so Juniper is the perfect boat for the GGR, it’s as if she and I were designed for this race!

This race could take me upwards of 250 days to complete. Imagine me at sea, alone, for 250 days. The longest I have been at sea alone consecutively is 23.5 days. So this will be more than 10 times that amount.

I find the idea of this race equally electrifying and terrifying!

They say that the Golden Globe remains totally unique in the world of sailing and stands alone as the longest, loneliest, slowest, most daring challenge for an individual in any sport. It is mentally and physically more extreme than any other sailing challenge. This challenge is pure and raw, and places adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is a the ultimate adventure created for sailors who dare to dream big!

This is the biggest dream I’ve ever had and I need your help getting to the start line! It is going to cost me around $300K to do the refit on Juniper & purchase all of the gear I need. YOU CAN VIEW MY REFIT & GEAR LIST Below. Please note most of this list is required by the race committee & can be found in the 2026 Notice of Race on the GGR website.

Here are 4 ways to help get me to the start line!

1: HAVE YOUR COMPANY SPONSOR ME : CHECK OUT THE SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE

2: DONATE:

GOFUNDME

OR

PAYPAL DONATION

3: BUY SOMETHING FROM MY GGR AMAZON WISH LIST

4. HELP ME TAKE A REQUIRED COURSE

  • STCW 95 A-VI/4-2  Medical Care Course Certificate (RYA)
  • STCW 95 Survival Course Certificate (RYA)
  • Radio operators licence, Ships Radio station licence and call sign 
  • Celestial Navigation  (RYA)

LIST OF GEAR NEEDED

  • MF/HF Radio (ICOM IC-M710 )- needs to be fitted  in waterproof closure that can be sealed in storm, permanent antenna and earth wire, + Emergency antenna 
  • New Sails (check hi-vis requirements pg.30 & Materials pg. 31) 
  • Spinnaker or Gennaker
  • 2 Spinnaker Poles  (cant be made of carbonfiber- (Secure ondeck permanent storage for both spinnaker poles when not used is required.)
  • New Lifelines
  • New Running Rigging
  • New Standing Rigging- want stalock (should I go beefier?) 
  • New Plexiglass for both Hatches
  • New Stackpack 
  • Foul Weather Gear (mine is 10 years old, it leaks and makes me more wet)
  • Set of emergency LED navigation lights with an independent power source (carried onboard) 
  • Additional min 50 watt (12V) mobile solar panel (carried onboard and can be quickly connected to electrical systems
  • INSURANCE- Liability insurance (check page 23 H1.1)
  • A HYDRO or WIND GENERATOR
  • PLASTIMO 4 MAN GGR Series Liferaft
  • SOLAS A PACK (for liferaft) 
  • 2 –  406 GPS EPIRBS (1 for liferaft, 2 for Junie) *I already have 1
  • 3- Waterproof VHF Handheld Transceiver with GPS (1 for liferaft, 2 for Junie)
  • Echomax Active-XS RTE transponder /radar detector; 
  • Echomax EM230 or EM230BR Radar reflector fitted min. 7 meters above deck
  • 45LB anchor
  • 3 windexes 
  • 15 meters of 10 mm SL chain  (for anchor my manual windlass only handles 8 mm ask Don if that cool to do more 8mm)
  •  14 mm 3 strand nylon line (for anchor)
  • Fire Blanket 
  • 2 x 2KG Fire Extinguishers
  • NEW JACKLINES
  • 2 new hydrovane sail covers  (what other spare hydro gear do I need?) 
  • Spare hydrovane  Vane
  • Spare hydrovane rudder
  • New Water Tanks– mine are aluminum and in really bad conditon (no bladder tanks) 
  • Rain Catchment System for Offshore (I only have for at anchor)
  • 2 MANUAL Bilge pumps 1.5inch outlet diameter, one operable from below, the other from above deck (with all cockpit seats, hatches and companionways shut) and with permanently installed discharge pipes that do not drain into the cockpit or cockpit drains; All handles either permanently secured or connected with a lanyard; (strum box fitted to each bilge pump) *I have one maual bilge pump in cockpit, but not in cabin
  • 1 ELECTRIC Bilge Pump  – One electric bilge pump with min. 200 litres per minute, 1.5inch outlet diameter and non-return valve; (strum box fitted)
  • 3 – 4 12V AGM BATTERIES – Min 300 AH (12V) (need to secure them so they can handle a roll over)
  • NEW STARTER BATTERY 
  • BINOCULARS
  • VHF TRANSCEIVER- 25 WATT transmitter power, covering all international channels inlcuding US, Dedicated masthead antenna and coaxial feeder cable with max. 40% power loss. (Does mine meet requirements.. check) 
  • GGR AIS Receiver (special production GGR AIS ALARM unit from Ciel et Marine); 
  • AIS Transponder (on approval by GGR Office, set to entered yacht); 
  • YB3i- yellow brick– permanently installed and operating with YB account
  • 2 YB3 PRo units with soft pouch and spare charging cables (check K.2.3 pg 34 – to see storage of the YBs onboard) 
  • 2 Emergency GPS units with spare batteries (in waterproof box ready to be sealed. 
  • 2 Iridium Satellite Phones (min. 1 iridium Extreme) with waterproof pouches and certified external marine antenna fitted. 
  • NEW Electronic Echo Sounder -plastic inboard transducer allowed-
  • LEAD LINE 
  • 2 Trailing Distance Measuring Logs (6 spare impellers maybe more) 
  • Waterproof Handhelf VHF that does not show Lat and Long (min 5 Watt transmitter & spare battery and spare 12 V charger) 
  • GMDSS VHF Handheld (with life-long battery)
  • Aviation Transciever Handheld (waterproof, able to operate on 121.5MHz)
  • Independent Radio Receiver – capable of receiveing weather bulletins and international time signals, Amature Band Transceivers may be fitted for this purpose
  • Radio Direction Finder (able to receive marine and avaiation beacons) 
  • PAPERCHARTS FOR RACE COURSE
  • NEW PROFURL? Mine is 5 years old and will be 9 years old by time of race. Otherwise suggested to double check when you replace the headstay eventually to red lock tight or 4000 every little Allen screw in the joints on the foil and crank them down hard
  • SEXTENT– Astra IIIB
  • PELICAN CASE for Sextent
  • SPARE SEXTENT
  • LED SEARCHLIGHT A watertight, high-intensity, heavy duty, searchlight directly powered by the ship’s batteries, available for use on deck and in the cockpit with all hatches shut (Rechargeable, battery driven searchlights are not sufficient.);
  • Echomax EM230i inflatable radar reflector
  • FOGHORN
  • GGR FIRST AID KIT – 1850 UK pounds
  • 2 Spare Compasses
  • 2 Barometers, (or fix yours 
  • 3 Mechancial watches (best brand?) 
  • Light List
  • Radio Signal List 
  • New Helm Lock
  • Emergency kite systems may be carried in addition to the jury rig system 
  • Bolt or Wire cutter rated to largest wire diameter ( I have it but want to check it and practice with it more. Also it needs a Lanyard)
  • Hacksaw (with 12 metal blades) 
  • Non-Skid for Decks 
  • Lifebuoy – non-inflatable red or yellow accessible from cockpit needs whistle, self-igniting light, drogue and reflective tape
  • Heaving Line – 20 meters – accessible from cockpit
  • Recovery Sling- system with reflective tape and light  
  • Knife to be stowed near liferaft
  • Boarding Arrangemnt – allowing me to climb back on boat in full wet weather gear
  • XP7 waterproof fannypack
  • 4 Gopros 
  • Mini sd cards for gopros
  • Gopro Mounts 
  • Boombox 
  • Mixed Tapes 
  • ISAF/ Inflatable life Jacket safety harness- needs pocket or mount for the following
    • PLB
    • Knife
    • Strobelight
    •  Hood
    • crotch strap
    • Whistle
    • intregral safety harness
    • Whistle
    •  sea dye maker
    •  “Approved” Boarding Sling with hook and foot step
    • 3 spare CO2 bottles 
    • Snap shackles on chest
  • SAFETY HARNESS
  • SPARE LIFEJACKET & HARNESS- I have it
  • 406 Mhz PLB, ready to be attached to the inflatable lifejacket 
  • AIS locator Beacon 
  • DODGER- high-vis woven cloth 
  • 2 Packs of Mini Flares (1 set has to be attached to harness)
  • 2 personal high intestiy strobe lights 
  • Flashlight (Buoyant and Watertight)
  • Cold-water immersion Survival Suit Full working mobility, Able to undo a shackle, climb a rope ladder, clip on with a safety line, secure a PLB.
  • Immersion Suit GGR approval “on application”. Standard is: EN ISO 15027-1 constant wear suits, and EN ISO 15027-2 abandonment suits. 
  • GRAB BAGS NEED THE BELOW ITEMS 
    • Shall have Flotation, be of High Viz colour, marked name of the yacht with lanyard and clip
    • Sea sick tablets for seven days;
    • One SOLAS thermal protective aid;
    •  A second sea anchor for the life raft (not required if liferaft carries spare sea anchor)(recommended standard: ISO 17339) with 4 swivel and >30m line diameter >7.5 mm;
    • One safety tin opener;
    • first-aid kit including 1 tube of sunscreen. All dressings should be capable of being effectively used in wet conditions. The first-aid kit should be clearly marked and re-sealable
    • Signalling mirror;
    • High-energy food (min. 20 000kJ);
    • 20 rehydration electrolyte tablets;
    • 20m Nylon string;
    • 5 Ziplock polythene bags;
    • 3 x 1 litres sealed water containers;
    •  Sealed Survivor 06 hand-operated desalinator with lanyard and clip;
    •  Strobe light;
    • Medical supplies for any pre-existing medical conditions (if applicable);
    • Spare unbreakable spectacles if needing them (if applicable);
    • Wet notebook with captive pencil;
    • Powerful whistle (operated by mouth);
    •  Pyrotechnic and (digital or pyrotechnic, in date for at least 12 months, conforming to SOLAS LSA
    • Code Chapter III): 6 Red Hand Flares, 2 White Hand Flares, 2 Orange Smoke Cannister Flares;
    • 5 cyalume-type light sticks;
    • Watertight, high-powered LED torch (flashlight) and spare batteries;
    • SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) or AIS SART;
    • The 2 GGR emergency GPS units (fully charged, with spare batteries, as mentioned above);
    • The second 406 EPIRB (as mentioned above);
    • A ‘Comms-Bag’ attached to the Grab Bag (not sealed to allow recharging) carrying the followinh iitems (as mentioned above): The handheld GMDSS VHF, The handheld aviation VHF transceiver, The second handheld satellite telephone with a spare charging cable, The secondary YB3 Pro.
  • SPACE FOOD Or whatever the heck I’m gonna eat
  • Pens, Paper, 10 waterprood notebooks 
  • 3 Can Openers (preferably stainbless steal) 
  • NOA Adjustable SOLAR PANEL RAIL MOUNT – 25mm- https://outmar.com/en/noa-adjustable-solar-panel-rail-mount-set-650-mm

REFIT LIST

  • Remove cap rail and fix deck to hull joint
  • Need to modify bow hatch so it can open from above and below
  • Cockpit lockers shall not drain into the hull
  • Cockpit lockers need to be watertight- Port side leaks 
  • Cockpit drain screens – need to be 40 x20 MM diameter (check)
  •  A watertight collision Bulkhead shall be fitted within 15% of the LOA from the bow and abaft the forward end of the LWL. Strongly built, filled with foam or strong recycled airtight disposable water bottles; A simple closing drain shall be incorporated to check for water ingress; 
  •  Further watertight bulkheads or foam floatation are encouraged,  
  • Storm boards for portholes greater than 100 Sq. meters 
  • Install Deck Navigation Lights
  • Soft Wood Plugs- fitted with a lanyard to every sea cock and valve below the waterline.
  • Bunk Belt  – to restrain a person during a roll over or knockdown fitted to all bunks.
  • Engine– Make sure it has adequate protection from the effects of heavy weather and exhaust outlet closure. 
  • Need to be able to lock companionway above and below Deck
  •  NEED TO MAKE A JURY RIG (page 36 K.2.10 notes)
  •  Emergency Steering wheel with Rudder – does hydrovane suffice
  • REPLACE WHEEL with TILLER
  • Install all new required Equipment
  • Repair All Leaks
  • Change Whisker Stays on Bow Sprit
  • Reinforce Bowsprit
  • Add Solent Stay
  • Replace Fore stay
  • Replace staysail stay
  • Maybe replace all rigging for Sta-Loc
  • Create proper system to safely tow warps or Drogue
  • Check all Electrical– clean up wires
  • Move Reefline Clutch Aft
  • Make Rain Catchment System for while underway
  • New Water Tanks
  • Water Filtration System
  • Maybe An Additional Spreader

Wildernessofwaves

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