Me wanting to enter the myth of sailing – 1st Episode

Edoardo Raimondo has a dream that is becoming a reality: to participate in the legendary Golden Globe, the solo sailing around the world without digital instruments, in its 50th anniversary year, 2018 (as then, departing from Falmouth (UK) on June 14, 2018, and round the world via the Cape of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn, on boats from 32 to 36 feet – built before 1988 with minimum displacement of 6,200 kg and long keel). We had him as a guest at the VELAFestival, and besides exciting us, he made us realize that he is not a so-called “quaqquaraqqua.” Starting today is a series of articles where Edward will tell us what he experiences day by day, the work to prepare the boat for adventure, technical and safety tips.

I PRESENT MYSELF.
My name is Edoardo Raimondo, I am 26 years old and from San Remo (Imperia), and I am one of the 20 entrants in the Golden Globe Race 2018. I am young and with a dream in the drawer: to be able to sail around the world. Navigating and not maneuvering, solving contingencies without outside help and not expecting anyone’s help.

I sail, but I also have experience in maintenance, shipboard systems, rigging, and in solving everyday ‘woes’ that every sailor is familiar with. I started boating at the age of 5, at 7 years old I compete at the national and international level. Always working on the sea, I was second mate on the 47-meter vintage big class Gaff Cutter ‘Lulworth’ for 3 years until 2014.

I am the skipper of the Italian consortium ‘ITA@goldenglobe2018.com’ that will participate in the round-the-world non-stop solo race. The Italian skipper of the most talked about regatta ever. We are talking about the new and second edition of that of Bernard Moitessier (who went on and did a second half around the world retiring as designated winner) and Robin Knox-Johnston, the mother of all ocean races, the Golden Globe Race. This fills me with joy.

Together with the Newspaper of Sailing, we thought we would create this blog for you, which will let you experience the stages of regatta preparation, we will talk about technique and rigging, navigation but also about tools. A quick and easy idea to get you into our world. To show that even with an 11-meter boat made in Italy 50 years ago (we are talking about a Gaia Benello), one can navigate the routes of modern 60-footers, without electronics, with sextant charts and hand-held solcometer.

Inthe course of preparation, in which nonstop ocean sailing and other activities are planned, we hope many friends will join our adventure; some are already at our side with their technical and professional skills. We want to make a real sailing workshop, which ITA@goldenglobe2018.com wants to share with its friends. Onesails(www.onesails.com) is already our technical supplier of sails, Armare(www.armare.it) will make and test a new model of ropes with us, and in these months we are contacting other illustrious names of sea-related Made in Italy. Let’s keep in touch with this Blog, it will be one more push to do the best we can to show up at the starting line on June 18, 2018 in Falmouth in perfect health.

See you soon! the team ITA@goldengloberace2018.com.