Liz Wardley completes Brest to Cherbourg on SolOceans one-design

by SolOceans media on 27 May 2009
Liz Wardley* (skipper of Sojasun) is the first sailor to have sailed on board the SolOceans one-design (16 metres - 52.5 feet) in the condition of a solo race, during 36 hours, on the Brest to Cherbourg (Normandy - France) trip.

Previously, Liz Wardley took part to the fine-tuning of the one-design, from November 2007 until March 2008, between Caen and Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand, on the 14,000 nautical miles (26,000km) of the trip sailed in 54 days.
'It's not the same boat. It's very different now on the deck, inside and in the cockpit'. It's Liz Wardley who insisted on having a grinder on each SolOceans one-design of the series. 'Besides, I used the coffee grinder for all the manoeuvres. It's essential and makes things much easier. The navigation was really fun.'

'Getting out of Brest, along Ouessant, we had 15-20 knots of north-easterly wind and a flat sea. We were sailing at 14-15 knots on average. It was great. Then the wind rose up to 23-25 knots with a strong sea. Close hauled, I had one reef in the mainsail and the staysail. There was a good balance at the helm as well as under the autopilot. The wind rose up to 28-30 knots for a few hours and so I took a second reef in the mainsail.'

'After six or seven hours in the strong breeze, in the middle of the first night the wind started to weaken and to turn. I took the second reef in the main then the first. I also changed the staysail for the Solent. I used the Gennaker that I changed for the Code 0, then the spinnaker. In short, I used all the sails except for the third reef. I haven't stopped all night but I never hesitated to manoeuvre.'

'Single-handed, the SolOceans one-design is easy to steer. Everything is simple and you can wait until the very last minute to change sail. In those conditions, it's not too risky to push her to her maximum. The sailing was safe, even during the first night when the sea was strong and the wind between 25 and 30 knots.'

'The conclusion to this sailing session onboard the SolOceans is that I very well picture myself single-handed in the Great South on the course of the SolOceans. It's the good size for me. I feel at ease onboard and would like to cross the Atlantic single-handed next winter to get ready for it.'

* Liz Wardley was born twenty nine years ago in Papua New Guinea. Liz Wardley who moved to Brittany five years ago, is well known in France for sailing in the Mini 650 circuit and above all in the Figaro Bénéteau circuit under the colour of Sojasun, her faithful French sponsor. But, it is mainly on the international scène that Liz Wardley earned herself her reputation of being an offshore sailor, as frontdeck hand on Amer Sports Too during the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002, the round the world crew race. But before that, we also won the famous Sydney - Hobart Race in 1999. In 1996, she finished fifth of the Hobie Cat world championship, then third in 1997 and second in 1998. Liz Wardley is an all-round sailor. She is able to build a Mini 6.50 prototype with her own hands - what she did in 2002 in New Zealand - and can also do everything on board an oceanic racing yacht. She is made for solo sailing. Her contribution to the fine-tuning of the SolOceans one-design was really appreciated.

http://www.soloceans.com