Please select your home edition
Edition
RS Sailing 2021 - LEADERBOARD

Teaching the ropes: How Pavlin Nadvorni wishes to inspire young Bulgarian sailors

by Dave Proctor 18 Mar 07:22 PDT
Pavlin Nadvorni - Global Solo Challenge © Pavlin Nadvorni

If there is one thing that I have learnt in interviewing the entrants of the Global Solo Challenge (GSC), it is that these sailors love and respect the sea.

And no more so, than Bulgarian entrant Pavlin Nadvorni, who fell in love with boats, the sea, and sailing at the age of eight years old.

Since that time, his life has revolved around boats, and he has captained everything from windsurfers to dinghies, to one-tonners, to the Superyachts of the rich and famous. Over 45 years since that time, Pavlin sailed over 200,000 nm.

In 2003, after a number of years travelling the Globe, Pavlin decided to 'settle down' with his wife and daughter (and subsequently his son). He set up home in the beautiful seaside town of Varna on Bulgaria's black sea coast and developed his own boatyard and associated business, Black Sea Yacht Service Ltd.

This business is involved in brokerage, delivery of yachts, charters, repairs and maintenance of all types of boats, and although it employs a number of people, it does seem to me that any jobs that involve putting to sea are often undertaken by Pavlin himself.

Pavlin is also involved in teaching up-and-coming sailors the ropes and has a number of boats in which he teaches them, to take them from novices to fully functioning regatta crew members, in association with the Cor Caroli Sailing Academy.

To this end, a few years ago, Pavlin bought a boat in Wales that was an insurance write-off after it was severely damaged in a storm whilst it was moored in Holyhead. It was a Farr 45, called 'Espresso Martini' that had been raced extensively in New Zealand and the UK.

It was still sailable but had significant damage to the port side, where there was an area of delamination. Pavlin knew that it would be uneconomical to repair her in the UK, so after a period of negotiation was able to buy this boat, knowing that he could repair her in his own yard.

Incredibly, Pavlin and his crew sailed her back to Bulgaria, whilst the port side was actually flexing, unsupported, rendering the berth on that side of the boat unusable.

It was during this journey, and with the boat in this condition, that Pavlin and his crew encountered a Mediterranean storm with winds up to 60 knots. He reports that he was sure that the kevlar composite used in this boat's fabrication would have held up, and it did (at this time in the interview I tended to agree with Pavlin's wife's opinion that he was a little bit mad).

Espresso Martini was subsequently properly repaired and has been used recently in both training and racing around the Black Sea and the Aegean sea. Indeed Pavlin and his crew beat his own record for crossing the Black Sea (a record he had held for 31 years).

Last year, in 2022, Pavlin was awarded the 'Golden Globe' from Bulgaria's Car Caroli Sailing Foundation (which is a separate entity from the Car Caroli Academy). This is a prestigious Bulgarian award.

The success of his business and the ownership of Espresso Martini meant that Pavlin was well placed to enter the GSC, and regarded this as an opportunity that has not presented itself to many sailors.

It was always a dream of his, to attempt a solo, non-stop circumnavigation and to him, this feat he regards as his own personal Everest.

Whilst Expresso Martini was set up for offshore racing, she was not set up for solo sailing, and indeed, has required some modifications to reach Category 0 requirements, as well.

Pavlin decided to undertake the GSC's 2,000 nautical miles solo qualifying sail at the end of last year.

Initially, Pavlin had wanted to undertake this voyage on the Black Sea, but after seeing the ongoing unrest in the region, he decided to go south through the straits of Dardanelles into the Mediterranean Sea and then back to Varna.

Pavlin set off the day after a large regatta, in which he and his team had competed, and admits that he was not particularly well prepared. He also admits that the sailing was far from ideal as a training exercise for the upcoming GSC, as there was so much shipping in the area at the time, and he was not able to develop any proper sleep and rest regime.

At present, Pavlin and his team are undertaking the required work for Espresso Martini but he has to also complete the routine maintenance and repairs for his commercial customers as well as prepare yachts for the upcoming charter season.

Pavlin anticipates that he will have the boat ready in plenty of time and will then set off with his crew for a leisurely meander up to A Coruña to arrive well before his departure date.

The boat, as I said, is a 45-foot boat designed by the famous Australian/American designer Bruce Farr. The design is a typical Farr design in that it is wide and low at the transom, making it super efficient at surfing large waves. A fact that Pavlin can attest to having ridden quite a few when he was caught in that Mediterranean storm.

One feature of this boat is its' large and indeed sensitive wheel. Pavlin had thought of changing this to a tiller but decided that it is such a feature, that it is great to hang on to in rough seas and it is so good, that he will retain this, though he will have a backup.

I lastly asked Pavlin about his social message. He states that this is something he is still considering but is totally content that his main message is to encourage new, younger Bulgarian sailors into the sport, particularly as he points out that apart from winning a previous edition of the two-star (dual-handed, Atlantic race), Bulgaria has had very little success in sailing.

Related Articles

Global Solo Challenge invites you to A Coruña
There is no need for an excuse to visit the beautiful city The staggered departures of the Global Solo Challenge, which will take place from the end of August to December 2023, present the chance to explore a location that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime: the city of A Coruña Posted on 18 Mar
Is David Linger the ideal GSC candidate?
The American entrant is set for the Global Solo Challenge When I first looked at the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) and considered the type of sailor it would attract, I could have been describing American entrant David Linger. Posted on 4 Mar
Ronnie Simpson: “Sailing Saved My Life”
A combat-wounded and retired Marine Corps veteran whose life has been changed by sailing When an entrant to the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) is announced, the organisers post a profile of the entrant, and one of the questions asked is 'Do you intend to link this personal challenge with a social message?' Posted on 15 Feb
Global Solo Challenge welcomes Curt Morlock
The American was already planning a round-the-world lap and looking for a suitable boat to do it Curt Morlock has gone all in to kick start his project, selling his house and cashing in on his retirement fund. At 64 he is convinced that "now or never" is the time to achieve his dream to complete a solo circumnavigation. Posted on 10 Feb
Patrick Phelipon - fifty years at sea
But still a dream to fulfill in the Global Solo Challenge Patrick Phelipon was the first skipper to register "Full Entry" for the Global Solo Challenge. Known as the most Italian of French sailors, he is a yacht designer and builder, let's say, an all-around sailing professional. Posted on 4 Feb
Ocean currents and the Global Solo Challenge
Driven by a variety of factors, including wind, tides, and the Earth's rotation Ocean surface currents are the movement of water at the surface of the ocean. These currents are driven by a variety of factors, including wind, tides, and the Earth's rotation. Posted on 28 Jan
When does the southern oceans adventure start?
The tagline of the Global Solo Challenge, simple and descriptive The tagline of the Global Solo Challenge, simple and descriptive, comprising just four sentences, captures the attention and interest of seafarers, especially participating skippers, but also those passionate about ocean sailing. Posted on 16 Jan
Sailing alone around the world: Joshua Slocum
The first sailor to cruise around the world, alone For millennia, the ocean has been a gateway to new worlds, the starting point of journeys towards the unknown. It was either the quest for food supplies or running away from the enemy. Posted on 22 Dec 2022
Tristán da Cunha, the door to the Southern Oceans
Considered the most remote inhabited place on earth The participants of the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) will have faced diverse conditions after having sailed approximately 5,000 nautical miles since their start in A Coruña. Posted on 14 Dec 2022
Global Solo Challenge - One watch at a time
Lessons learned from a simple story One of my favorite short stories when I was a nipper growing up in South Africa was 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner'. Posted on 26 Nov 2022
SOUTHERN-SPARS-MISSY-FURLING-BOOMS-728-X-90 BottomVaikobi 2021 Boots - FOOTERMarine Resources 2022 Salary Survey FOOTER