RORC shares Hard Won Wisdom for the Round Britain & Ireland Race
by Louay Habib / RORC 6 May 10:09 PDT
9 August 2026
RORC shares Hard Won Wisdom for the Round Britain & Ireland Race © RORC
On 30 April,100 days to go before the start of the 50th anniversary of the Round Britain & Ireland Race on 09 August, the Royal Ocean Racing Club held a live webinar.
The recording is now available to watch, giving sailors, supporters and prospective entrants the chance to hear practical advice from those who know the race from the inside.
The hour long presentation brought together a highly experienced panel with nine race campaigns between them. The aim was to help competitors prepare for one of the Club's great offshore challenges.
Hosted by RORC Vice Commodore Derek Shakespeare, who will be taking part in his first race in J/122 Bulldog. The panel brought together professional, Corinthian, military and double handed perspectives, with contributions from Derek Shakespeare, Pip Hare, RORC Commodore Deb Fish, Will Naylor and Sam White. The aim was clear: to share insight, reduce uncertainty and help crews prepare properly for a race that demands far more than simple endurance.
Derek opened by stressing early preparation. With the race stepping up to Category 1 offshore requirements, he reminded competitors that compliance, qualification, communications and boat preparation all need to be tackled well before the start. His central message was that RORC's race team is there to help and that, in offshore sailing, "the stupid question is the one you didn't ask."
Pip Hare, line honours winner in the 2022 race aboard IMOCA Medallia, described the course as one of the finest offshore race tracks in the world. Her advice centred on building a detailed "road book" or passage plan, with hazards, decision points, wind farms, oil rigs, traffic separation schemes, rocks, tides and forecast sources all identified in advance. Her key message was that good preparation reduces the number of critical decisions that need to be made when a crew is cold, tired or under pressure.
RORC Commodore Deb Fish brought both winning fully crewed and double handed experience to the discussion, including her 2022 campaign on Bellino. She encouraged sailors to break the race into sections and never underestimate the final stages. The race may feel close to home in the Channel, but in the North Sea, fatigue, tides and hazards can still undo a campaign that has been well sailed for many days.
Will Naylor, preparing for his fifth Round Britain & Ireland Race with the British Army Sailing Association, focused on crew management and resilience. His advice was practical and direct: do not have only one or two people carrying all the navigation knowledge, double up skills where possible, and think carefully about food, water, communications and spares. For a smaller fully crewed boat, he warned that the race can take longer than expected and that crews should plan with an extra margin.
Sam White, returning double handed on his JPK 1080 Mzungu!, drew powerful parallels between work as an airline pilot and offshore racing. He spoke about briefing culture, watch handovers, checklists and learning from mistakes without blame. His experience of an autopilot failure after Muckle Flugga in 2022 was a striking reminder that crews must plan the whole course before leaving the dock, not assume they will have the energy or capacity to do it at sea.
The webinar showed RORC at its best: not just organising offshore races but actively supporting the sailors who take them on. By sharing first-hand experience from elite and Corinthian racing campaigns, the Club is helping competitors turn ambition into preparation, and preparation into safer, smarter offshore racing, which are the keys to maximise performance.
For on-line entry visit the 2026 Round Britain & Ireland Notice Board