Fully crewed to solo

Nigel King has sailed the Volvo Ocean Race but is now making the challenging step into the Figaro class

Two months after taking delivery of my boat, I’m just starting to feel like a 'Figariste' as they call us, although I won’t really be worthy of the name until I’ve raced against other Figaros. That will happen on 5 May with the Solo Concarneau, a 300 mile qualifier for La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro in July/August.

It’s been a fantastic time and really good fun. I’ve learned so much, realised there’s a lot more to learn but I’m also amazed - amazed because there isn’t a fleet of these in the UK. The Figaro is a great boat, well thought out and easy to handle. The systems seem to work fine and racing is as close as you want it to be.

Going back to the beginning of February, I’d finally tracked down a suitable boat. Freddie Shanks, the bowman from Jazz and the TP52 Patches, had offered to help get the boat sorted. We drove down to the fishing town of Pornic with my newly acquired livestock trailer (bought on e-bay) full to the brim with everything I’d kept, in case it would come in useful one day. David Raison, the previous owner, kindly helped put things together in the small but really friendly yard on an industrial estate. We were hoping to launch a couple of days later but it was just too windy even to lift into the cradle. Then there was another delay while the paint supplier for the topsides corrected another problem caused by the plastic wrapping. The yard worked till late polishing and the next day we headed for the water, finally launching on 16 February. I was keen to get out sailing - mainly because I'd sold the week to Freddie on that basis and all he’d done so far was work! Saturday dawned with light winds and bright sunshine - perfect sailing. I got the feeling that though there was still plenty to do, it was not rocket science and time on the water would solve a lot.

As Freddie headed home, I headed for La Rochelle and my first ever solo sail. This week was a real eye-opener. I’m used to doing campaigns with a big budget. I’d love to do my Figaro campaign that way, but convinced I’d rather do it with no budget, than not do it at all.

When I started out on this project people went out of their way to tell me that it was all very French, I’d never get any help and no one would be prepared to discuss anything in English. Nothing could have been further from the truth and if anything the barriers are all in the UK. It took one day at the Paris Boat Show to convince me and since then the assistance from people within the class and within the industry in France has been second to none. The decision to train in La Rochelle looks like being one of the best I’ve ever made. Marc Reine, the head of Pol France La Rochelle has made everything seem easy. The rest of the sailors training there are keen to improve the standard and share information. The majority of the coaching is in French but the other French sailors certainly make an effort to include me in their conversations.

My first day in La Rochelle, 21 February, was spent cleaning, unloading and sorting out accommodation. I’d organised an apartment in the area and it was good to stop living out of a bag. Then I met Marc. He always seems to be smiling and nothing is too much trouble. The rest of the boats were training but as I had four mains, about ten jibs and various other kit onboard, I needed to get everything in order. Next day was my first sailing and what a day - five boats, short course racing in around 15 to 18 knots of wind. First was a quick briefing to look at videos, then practice starts followed by races that would increase in length as the day went on. Right from the first, I got amongst the action, put in a few good starts - let them know I was there. Unfortunately the starts were the easiest thing to get the hang of that day and I got more and more tied in knots. I got so wrapped up in the race I’d find myself approaching the windward mark with the ballast on the wrong side. But it was a great day and I think I gave a good account of myself. After another full schedule on Friday, I headed for home. I hadn’t seen much of Alison since Christmas and we were looking forward to spending time together even if it was a short weekend and back to Stansted again on Sunday.

In La Rochelle, the tide was good this week and there were no times we couldn’t get out of the marina. Finding the balance between staying ashore to set up the boat and getting time afloat is difficult. I can always see a hundred things that want doing.

The next day was my best yet. I’d made a few changes to the rig and, hey presto, some boat speed arrived. I led a few races, thanks to some good starts, but I still have to figure out how to get everything done in the time. It would be funny if it wasn’t so frustrating, but it really is different to having ten people to do it all for you. We ended up on a long race with a final run in 20 to 25 knots. For the first time I thought I was getting my gybe sorted, that is until I got the biggest wrap I have ever had in a kite, caused by leaving the boat to downwind on the pilot while I went forward to change the pole across - another lesson learned on what is going to be a year of learning. The rest of the week was frustrating as the wind got up to 35 knots and we decided to sit the conditions out. Then Friday it was off back to the UK for a week off sailing but on the important job of raising money and trying to find a sponsor.

The sailing is going really well and the boat is great, but I need to find some sponsorship soon. So, it was a week of running around like a loon trying to meet people. Then there was the matter of the extension to our house which Ali has mainly organised but she has a business to run too. Why aren’t there more than 24 hours in a day? Wednesday was also a doctor’s day. The organisers of La Solitaire Afflelou require a full medical before the final entry and another the month before the start. This also included a blood test at Lymington’s shiny new hospital. It was ironic. The day I saw the doctor I got a really bad dose of man flu! The week ended with some really good meetings with potential sponsors and with my team helping ashore - Elaine (website), Steph (legal) and Flavia (media). It may be all about solo sailing but it definitely can’t be a solo project. Their support has really helped my progress.

12th March, I got back to La Rochelle with my cold in full throttle after a flight that was living hell! That said, the next day dawned sunny with 4 to 6 knots of wind. What more could I want? The thing about stepping into a new class is that there is so much to take in and so many different things to learn and they all have to be learned in different conditions. This week was going to be about light airs sailing. Monday showed that light airs gybing is an acquired skill, and one I haven’t yet acquired... There was also my autopilot that was not on the pace - which always makes me think of the autopilot in the film Airplane!

Tuesday was going to be about breaking the first rule of being a man - never read the manual. To be fair, I was reading it for the second time, only this time I was paying attention. There was no wind at all, so with my cold abating I took a bike ride down the coast. Although it was still March, the sun was out and it was shorts and T-shirt weather. I ended up riding with an old French guy for about half the ride and it was just fantastic, but not to last. That night I was totally on fire but freezing cold, with a head that wanted to explode, trying to be sick between coughing fits. I talked this over with Alison and we decided that I’d more than likely added dehydration and sunstroke to my cold - pretty impressive in north Europe in March!

Joking aside, this was a big lesson on what a solo sailor should not do. It’s so easy to get caught up in what you are doing, working away and completely forget to look after yourself. I will not be able to make a schoolboy error like that in the race. The month ended with another trip out to Sydney for the final race in the Blue Water Points Series on Jazz.

There was time to plan ahead. When I looked at the calendar I decided there were a few criteria that would determine my route through the first year of Figaro sailing and outcomes that I hoped to achieve. For me the focus for doing this campaign is to learn more about single-handed sailing and look to the future. A good result in La Solitaire is very important. Joining a one design class, I decided it was essential to line up against other good boats and test myself against them, so my time was best spent training in La Rochelle. Then there were the qualifiers for La Solitaire. I decided to use the Concarneau Solo and the Sables d’Olonne Solo. Why did I not choose the Trophee BPE? Although I would have learned about being on my own, I possibly would not have seen the other boats for over two weeks. I might get to the finish and not know why I had done well or badly. I also needed to learn more about the boat before a long race and didn’t want to acquire bad habits. I’m convinced my decision was the right one as many boats suffered damage during the race and there is a limited amount of time to get them race ready again for the next event.

Back in Lymington, the hunt for a sponsor went on. It’s proving just as difficult as I thought it would be and although I did feel I was moving forward all the time, I still have to take the knocks. The other thing about a project like this is it’s not 9 to 5 but more like 24/7. I’m often waking up in the middle of the night thinking I must just send an email or make some notes. What I’m learning to do is just not fight it, but get up and work when you feel like it and sleep when you need to. Friday 30th was another team meeting, especially with Steph who is taking over the role of project manager.

This season the class association has introduced checks to make sure all the boats are still level. This means that Blue Note will be weighed and a 90 degree stability test carried out. For the first time this year I was able to use the seasonal Flybe service from Southampton which saves time. I then had a day trip to the Classe Figaro office in St Gilles Croix de Vie to get the equipment required and a chance for me as a newcomer to meet Mathilde and Estelle who do the work for the class. Then the boat had to be emptied of anything that is not bolted down but an excellent opportunity to check the inventory for what I might need to buy before May. A frustrating time followed as it was too windy to lift the boat for measuring added to which my liferaft along with the epirb had been mislaid by the shop doing the service. Not a good couple of days I thought as I drove back to Lymington to leave the car there.

The following Monday was a complete change of scene. I joined Dee Caffari and Miranda Merron for a bit of Open 60 sailing in the Solent on Aviva. It turned out to be a good sail in very light winds but great to be back on the 60 and interesting to see the boat again after the EDS Challenge in 2000. Since then it had done the Vendee Globe with Conrad Humphreys and a lot more miles plus. I will be coaching Dee, getting her up to speed on the 60, and I’ll also be racing with her on the Calais Round Britain and JPMorgan Round the Island Race. We went out for a 24 hour sail later that week, with Simon Clark on board too. Sails have to be tested in the wind they are designed to work in. Changing sails on the 60 is hard work. It’s important you find out what works in what wind and at what angle. Then you need to find out where the crossover is so when you make a change, it’s the right one.

Back in La Rochelle we had a brief celebration with family and friends on 21 April for the official naming of Blue Note. Such a lot has happened in such a short time! Now it’s just ten days before I deliver the boat to Concarneau for my first race in the Figaro. I can’t wait …

To contact Nigel King with offers of cash - see his website here