Brad Van Liew and Le Pingouin Summer Tour 2011

by Brad Van Liew on 23 Jul 2011 Brad Van Liew, skipper of Le Pingouin, reflects on his latest Velux 5 Oceans Race experience and welcomes us all aboard the Le Pingouin Summer Tour 2011.

Brad Van Liew:

Today I will once again walk down the dock and board Le Pingouin to go sailing. It was nearly two months ago that I crossed the finish line of the Velux 5 Oceans solo race around the world in La Rochelle, France. Crossing the finish line on May 27 was a special day and brought a huge sense of accomplishment, but I was also ready to get off the boat.

I handed over 'the keys' and had the great pleasure of spending time with my family and other simple pleasures like sleeping, eating fresh meals, bathing and re-engaging in normal social activities. Sounds easy, but after eight months of racing solo and the extreme environment of the event, re-entry can be challenging.

Let's look forward: I am taking off today aboard LP with Guy Mossman. He is an avid sailor and wants to see what this whole Open 60 show is about. We are headed to Newport, RI where we will dock at the Newport Shipyard, a fantastic facility with a team ready and waiting to welcome LP for some routine maintenance. Guy seems to be excited about this chance to get offshore and see what the bright yellow bird can do.

'I'm looking forward to seeing what an Open 60 does offshore,' said Mossman. 'I've had a lot of offshore experience, but it has been on crewed boats and not short-handed. I'm curious to see what the mental aspect is like.'

The boat is in great shape thanks to the LP shore team and a great home at the Cooper River Marina. Guy and I will do our best to feed back some of the action from offshore as we head north and make our way to Newport. Please check out the links below at left for more information about this summer's activities and opportunities to get involved. Let's go sailing!

Lean more about the Le Pingouin Summer Le Pingouin Team Lazarus website