Taylor Grieger on Skeleton Crew's participation in the Ocean Globe Race
by David Schmidt 28 Jun 2023 11:00 EST
September 10, 2023
Taylor Grieger, a former United States Navy Rescue Swimmer with several tours in more than seven countries, decided to deal with the stress of being first responder on disaster sites by sailing an old Watkins 36 around Cape Horn © American Odysseus Sailing Foundation
The past few years have seen the rise of retro races, where singlehanded skippers race around our lonely planet on older yachts that represent yacht's golden age. The idea has now spread to fully crewed racing, and this September 10 will see the first Ocean Globe Race begin on the waters off of Southampton, on the UK's southern coastline, and will take the fleet around the world via the three great capes.
The catch? Teams need to race aboard yachts that harken back to the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, and they need to be prepared to race without today's modern navigation and communication tools (read: Sextants and radios).
American interests are being represented by Taylor Grieger and his Skeleton Crew, which is comprised of military veterans who are attempting to raise awareness about veterans' causes.
I checked in with Grieger, who proved to be a man of few words, via email, to learn more about his team's participation in this exciting around-the-world race.
What drew you to the Ocean Globe Race
It's the only real race in the sailing industry
What are your team's biggest goals for the race?
That nobody dies!
What about your personal goals for the race?
Just to finish the race with everyone alive and no major issues on the boat
Can you please tell us about how you and your team have been preparing for the race?
We've rebuild the boat from scratch and installed every piece of equipment ourselves. We are constantly fund raising all around the country and sourcing our own parts. We will have sailed 9,000 NM, through all conditions, just to get to the start of the race.
What do you see as your team's biggest challenges as you take on this race?
Definitely is fundraising!
Can you please tell us about your yacht, and how you came to select a Swan 51? Also, how many miles do you think you and your team will have on the boat, prior to the start?
Swan 51 [chose] us because it was the only boat on our side of the Atlantic that we could afford and would take us around the world. We will have about 8,900 nautical miles prior to the start
You guys will be thinly boat flying the Stars & Stripes in this race. How does that enter the picture for you and your team?
No Pressure!! It's the exact reason that we are in this race and this is the only real race in the sailing world. This is exactly what we need to show what our nonprofit does to help our veterans on a large scale.
Can you please tell us about any steps that you and your team have—or are—taking to reduce your environmental footprint as you race around the world?
We have solar panels to keep our batteries charged.
Is there anything else that you'd like to add, for the record?
We don't have the biggest or best boat or [the] most experienced team, but we are excited to compete on the world stage with our military veteran crew.