Navigating the High Seas with Pip Hare: Vendee Globe Q&A

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In collaboration with Helly Hansen, we had the opportunity to sit down with renowned solo sailor Pip Hare to explore her journey through the Vendée Globe race.

Pip shared her thoughts on the immense challenges of solo offshore sailing, the importance of trusted gear, and her hopes for the future of ocean racing.

 

 

What are the biggest challenges you think you will face during the Vendée Globe?

"Everything about offshore sailing is challenging – I’ll never know everything and there’s always so much to learn, but that’s what I love about the sport and about being human.

On a race like the Vendée Globe, I find the balance between pushing hard and preserving your boat one of the most challenging aspects of being a skipper.

Our innate sense of competition is strong, it rises in your chest, and especially in the new foiling boats, you can get greedy for speed and for miles.

It is not always easy to temper that competitive nature, to be smart and reserved, and we have seen in many previous editions of the round-the-world race, it is not all about all-out power all of the time."

 

How has Helly Hansen's gear and support helped you tackle the extreme conditions of the race?

"Helly Hansen were one of the first brands to see my potential and back me and my team through that first campaign. Working together, they have helped me to take on the challenges of sailing at over 40mph, alone, in the cold and wet, as well as running a British ocean racing team.

Wearing kit and working with a brand I know I can trust helps me to face fear head-on, forging forwards and always with my eyes on new horizons."

 

 

How do you prepare and strategize for the unpredictable nature of the Vendée Globe?

“When disaster strikes in the middle of the ocean, as sailors, we know that help can be days away. No matter what the nature of our problem, whether with the vessel or the people aboard, we must be the solution to our own problems and act fast to stop a problem from becoming a crisis.

During the Vendée Arctique solo race in June last year, I lost all power on my 60ft IMOCA when the alternator developed a fault and was not able to charge the batteries back up again. I had been on my regular routine of charging the batteries when they dropped down to 15% capacity.

My low voltage alarm went off, I fired up the engine, engaged the alternator, and nothing happened. I turned it off, then on again several times. Still no charge and by now the battery power was down to 10%.

I remember working frantically trying to find the alternator fault. I had turned off all unnecessary draws on power, but with the autopilot still needed to keep the boat on course, I was watching the battery monitor drop minute by minute as my work proved fruitless.

With 5% battery left, I realised it was time to stop working and start preparing for the situation to escalate. I needed to prioritise my actions to ensure safety should I lose power completely. It was time to stop racing and start surviving.

I needed to think clearly and act quickly. In these situations, I follow a checklist of actions, which keep me focussed and stop the ‘rabbit in the headlights’ reaction when the feeling of rising panic can paralyse me if not managed.

There are three actions on the list: tell someone, take immediate action to ensure safety, then work my way out of the problem. These actions must be done in order – I am responsible for my own safety and that always must be in the forefront of my mind."

 

 

What mental strategies do you use to manage the psychological pressures of the race?

"Early in my solo sailing career, I hid my fear. I thought that people would think I was weak or incompetent if they knew I was scared.

So, I put on a front and pretended to be an old hand that knew it all. But as my career has developed, I have realised that just the right amount of fear is an incredibly powerful tool; it demonstrates that I understand the risks I am taking and am therefore in a good position to manage them.

It also shows me that I am pushing forwards, retaining my competitive edge, not settling for what I know but forging into the unknown to keep improving and learning."

What is the most important lesson you've learned from competing in the Vendée Globe?

"That when faced with no option, I can be stronger than I believe. When you have to be the solution to every problem, you find new strength, new creativity, and a new level of performance.

Those things I try to remember when I am back on the shore, surrounded by life’s safety net and bail-out options."

 

 

How do you think this edition of the Vendée Globe will be different from previous ones?

"The IMOCA class has experienced exponential growth in both its size, investment, and performance over the last five years and I think this Vendée Globe race is going to be a representation of a golden age in the world of ocean racing.

I expect we will see the solo round-the-world monohull record broken by a strong margin. The competition will be closer than ever – in the qualification races we have seen finishes separated by minutes.

Our team has been through a steep performance curve over the last three years and are coming into the race with a strong chance of finishing within the top ten of the most competitive fleet in Vendée history ever. It is exciting to be a part of this golden age.

As the IMOCA class is now the chosen boat for the Ocean Race, in addition to the Vendée Globe, the Pip Hare Ocean Racing team are looking to expand over the coming years to build a program that would include crewed racing as well as providing a training ground for upcoming talent in the world of ocean racing."

 

At Wetsuit Outlet, we’re proud to support athletes like Pip Hare and work alongside trusted brands like Helly Hansen.

Pip’s unwavering resilience and passion for ocean racing serve as a reminder that with the right preparation and mindset, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

Stay tuned for more insights and stories from those who dare to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

 

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