Sam Goodchild interview
by Mark Jardine 11 Feb 2014 09:23 GMT
11 February 2014
Sam Goodchild is one of Britain's top shorthanded offshore racers. In this exclusive YachtsandYachting.com interview he gives us his thoughts on how to get into this type of sailing and what his plans are for 2014...
Q: As a graduate of the Artemis Offshore Academy, how would you rate this route into shorthanded offshore racing?
A: For me in 2010, it was literally a 'dream come true' to get a chance to take shorthanded offshore racing seriously, move to France and start training and competing against the best in the game. Since then I have had continued support and opportunities that allow me to keep progressing on my journey towards the Vendee Globe. We are lucky as Brits to have this opportunity on our doorstep, that a lot of other nations have nothing comparable to.
Q: The Figaro circuit is legendary in France. Do you think the French are still the benchmark when it comes to solo offshore racing?
A: The French are definitely still the benchmark in solo offshore sailing, they have been doing it at such a high level for such a long time, that isn't going to change quickly, but over the past few years the Brits have been working to change that and it is still very early days. With 5 Brits (and 1 Irish) on the Figaro start line last year and a 3rd place in an old boat by Alex Thomson in the Vendee Globe, I'm sure some heads will start turning.
Q: Shorthanded and Solo offshore racing is definitely becoming more popular in the UK. What advice would you give to aspiring young hopefuls wanting to get involved?
A: The Artemis Offshore Academy is a fantastic opportunity to get a foot in the door and see if it is something you like doing and want to commit to. It is also not an undertaking that can be taken lightly, it is very much all or nothing. And be ready for some highs and lows, on and off the water.
Q: What preparations, both physical and mental, do you have to do prior to a long shorthanded offshore race?
A: A lot of the preparation is with the boat, knowing the boat like the back of your hand, so if something breaks the solution or back up is instinctive. Knowing as much as you can about every aspect of the boat as these are the things that can be the difference not only between winning and losing but also finishing. Mentally as with all competitions you are fighting the nerves in the final build up, but I believe shorthanded sailing is something you enjoy or don't - there isn't much prep you can do to spend the next number of days or weeks on your own or with only one other person.
Q: How do you cope with sleep deprivation offshore?
A: It's more about managing your body, not only sleeping but eating. Making sure that you are as fresh as possible to make decisions and do manoeuvres. So knowing where the limits are, and these change a lot between a Figaro leg of 3 days to a transat of 3 weeks. I have learnt that if you push it a little too far, there is no easy way back. The only thing that can catch up on not enough sleep is a lot of sleep, which is a lot of time. So it's about keeping that 'sleep-tank' topped up while still sailing fast and safe.
Q: What food do you take with you on an offshore race and how do you avoid losing weight during an offshore race?
A: For me I take plenty of meals, but also a huge focus on hand food. Which is easy in terms of snacks but trying to get good food that gives you long lasting energy is the most important. So there is a large variety of dried meats, fruits and nuts along with some calorific 'mush' in a bag – known as freeze dried. But fortunately these prepared meal are getting better and better quality year on year.
Q: Having to retire from the 2013 Transat Jacques Vabre due to rudder damage must have been a real blow. What positives have you taken out of the experience?
A: It is still something I get frustrated thinking about now, not in a regretful way, but just missing such a fantastic opportunity. On a whole the campaign was a really big eye opener for me in being involved with the commissioning of a new design of boat, which is effectively a prototype for a new cutting edge offshore design. The boat has a lot of potential and definitely goes fast and I am confident once it has been tested enough it will be at the front of the fleet. But it was a real hammering home of the old school saying, 'to finish first, first you have to finish'.
Q: Will you be sailing with Ned Collier Wakefield in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race 2014?
A: At the moment my focus for 2014 is to get to the start line for the Route du Rhum on the 2nd November. So I need to see how the next few months go in terms of setting up my own campaign to see where I am in August. It would be fantastic to race that boat again though and exploit its full potential.
Q: You were sailing a Forty 1 Design Class 40 in the Transat Jacques Vabre. What are your thoughts on the boat and do you think the Class 40 should stay a restricted development class or go the one-design route?
A: It is a really fine line to tread as we have seen with many classes in the past. One design and you take half the fun away, but let it free and the costs escalate. I think the concept of what Team Concise have tried to do in designing a cutting edge design at an affordable price is fantastic. And I hope they can get the opportunity to prove the boat's potential this season and get more people to invest in the idea. I think the heated discussions and difficult decisions are unavoidable in a development class that tries to keep the cost down, but on the whole Class 40 is doing a pretty good job with a mix of designs at the top end of the fleet, while still having the option for older boats to come in at a much lower cost and compete in the vintage class. GDF SVEZ has won almost everything recently but this is much more down to their preparation, they are on the water racing and training more than anyone else that they have combined with a good boat and it pays off.
Q: You're now over a year into your four-year solo racing programme, aiming to culminate in the 2016 Vendée Globe. How are things progressing towards that goal?
A: It is quite a big undertaking and on that front it really has to be one step at a time. The next big step for me is the Route du Rhum, which is quite a big step up from the Figaro. Until you get a sponsor that has signed a 4 year contract and ready to start building a new boat it could always be better. But I am happy with how it's coming together, with a small but growing group of supporters and sponsors around me ready and willing to help and be a part of the journey.
Q: What is your view on the IMOCA Open 60 class adopting a more 'one-design' ethos?
A: One of the biggest problems with the IMOCA class has been breakages and retirements and I am supportive of any move that reducing the chances of that. Primarily because I hate not even finishing, and secondly because it makes it much easier to find sponsors when you start eliminating risks.
Q: Do you have any aspirations to move into fully-crewed offshore events such as the Volvo Ocean Race?
A: I am really enthusiastic to not get myself stuck in a 'rut' of only single-handed sailing. What drives me is the desire to compete at the highest level I can in sailing. So I am always looking for opportunities to get experience in other classes, inshore and offshore, that will all inevitably help me offshore, learning from ideas and ways that other people and boats do things. I think it is a key part of why the French are so successful as they are always on the water, whether is in their IMOCA 60 around the world or their J80 at Spi-Ouest. Francois Gabart went straight from winning the Vendee to the F18 and Armel le Cléac'h to the Figaro.
Q: Offshore sailing is costly. Who are your sponsors and how important is their help to your campaign?
A: I am building a great group of partners and sponsors that are allowing me to continue my dream of racing on the water and building a Vendee Globe campaign off the water. Currently they are; adidas Sailing, adidas Eyewear, Brooks Macdonald Asset Management, Pol Roger Champagne, Lifedge waterproof cases and Artemis Offshore Academy.
Q: How important is the right equipment to you?
A: I have a fantastic opportunity to work with adidas Eyewear and adidas Sailing on the clothing and sunglasses I am using on the water. This is great for me, in that their only intention is for the best and being new to the sailing industry, they are arriving fresh with ideas and enthusiasm to make the best equipment available. The importance of comfort offshore is something that is even being reflected in the designs of boats these days with the latest IMOCA 60s including fully protected cockpits with sliding roofs.