A unique opportunity from Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges

by Spirit of Canada Sailing Team on 20 Jul 2013 From Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges comes quite a unique opportunity for individuals with varying levels of sailing ability to go offshore with Derek Hatfield who has represented Canada in three races around the world (solo) and has over 200,000nm of offshore sailboat racing.

Sailing aboard Spirit of Adventure a Volvo 60 (formerly Amer Sports One from the Volvo Ocean Race 2001) with trips to or from Bermuda, St. Pierre et Miquelon and Antigua. These events are now planned from this Fall through to Fall 2014.

Come explore the North Atlantic and experience for yourself the sheer exhilaration and sense of accomplishment that comes with completing an ocean passage.

The sea is the great equalizer, executives, housewives, bus drivers, surgeons; everyone is equal on the sea. Short, tall, big or small the sea will help develop a healthy respect for the things that can be changed and the things that must merely be survived. This is an experience that can change you forever.

To complete an ocean passage on a Volvo 60 there must be strong team work, leadership, communication regardless of backgrounds, motivations or past experiences and the appreciation of this task well done is not to be undermined. There will be professional crew aboard the boat to instruct and advise but each sailor has to show up in their own right and participate, challenge themselves and forever change their limits. For some this will be the biggest challenge they have ever taken part of and for others this will be stepping stone to bigger adventures with their own boat.

Either way the chance to be on the sea in a world class boat with world class sailors is the adventure of a lifetime.

While aboard the crew will be instructed in or learn about the following:

Helming
Nutrition
Navigation Ÿ
Sail Handling Ÿ
Sleep Patterns
Safety at sea
Sail selection
Psychological factors Ÿ
Communication devices
Onboard weather analysis
Medical emergency Spirit of Canada website