Unfortunately the time has come to shift fire from the Mini Transat 2021 race and extend this campaign to the new target of the Mini Transat 2023 race. Due to many circumstances beyond my control, it is not possible to compete in this year’s race despite fully committing myself to this campaign.

View my video of the sail test here!

After finally arriving on 24 May, June was my first full month in France. If you have been following the daily updates on Facebook, Instagram (@pgnoceanracing), or the media section of my website then you probably know how busy the month of June was for this campaign. After returning from delivering the boat to and from the host cities and my first two races, I finally have a moment to capture June in this blog post.

This past month has proven challenging with the delay receiving permission to enter France and preparing the boat for racing.  As you saw in my last blog post I finally made it to La Trinité-sur-Mer on 24 May.  This is a big milestone because so much of the upcoming schedule depends on when I could actually arrive.

Bonjour from France!  Last weekend I finally made it to France and have spent every minute since getting the boat ready to sail. Time to start preparing Terminal Leave for racing! 

Update: This time last week I should have been flying over to France to link up with Terminal Leave and kick off this upcoming adventure. I should be there right now at the Port of Trinité-sur-Mer waiting for the flatbed truck to pull into the marina any minute now with my boat and all of my sailing gear.

The plan is in place and all of the stars have aligned so far…except for one. The French Consulate in Washington, D.C. has not released my passport or approved my visa yet, both required for entry.

Boat projects, packing up, shipping the boat, transitioning off active duty, ready to head to France…what a month!

What a month March was for this campaign!  It began with a full trailer repair, included fund raising events, continued with boat projects, and consisted of incredible support from excellent sponsors. 

I am excited to announce Fawcett Boat Supplies as the main sponsor for this 2021 Mini Transat campaign!

Even though February in Annapolis felt like endless days of snow, sleet, and freezing temperatures, it was a busy month for this campaign with boat projects, planning, and fundraising! As I write this SITREP, with the cold rain just outside, I remain hopeful for the upcoming season after the glimpse of spring yesterday.

The registration for this upcoming racing season in France leading up to the Mini Transat opened earlier this week. I have registered in four races totaling 1,972 nautical miles (nm) of sailing. This will fit with my timeline of transferring off active duty from the U.S. Marine Corps in April and still meeting the 1,500 nm requirement of Classe Mini races before the big September Atlantic crossing.

Below is an overview of the four race routes and qualification route I plan on completing from June through August this year.

As January comes to an end, it is time to bring you all up to speed with how the campaign is coming along in this SITREP.

What a year 2020 turned out to be for all of us. Join us as we look back on this year with U.S. Patriot Sailing in Annapolis, MD.

Why race in the Mini Transat, over 4,000 nautical miles, across the ocean solo, and in a 21’ sail boat? I am racing in the 2021 Mini Transat as an ambassador for U.S. Patriot Sailing to raise awareness for this incredible non-profit team.

U.S. Patriot Sailing supports the veteran community navigate the hardships of transition to civilian life, rehabilitation after injury, and the complex life challenges associated with combat deployments. The organization accomplishes its mission by welcoming veterans back onto a winning team, provides camaraderie, a sense of mission accomplishment, and new dynamic experiences.

As we near the end of 2020, this campaign is just heating up. The foundation is laid and continues to be built upon as we focus on preparing for the 2021 Mini Transat.

Earlier this week, the race organizing authority launched their new website with the most up to date information for the race itself, to include the notice of race! Make sure to check it all out and the new intro video here: https://minitransat.fr/en/

Thank you for exploring the PGN Ocean Racing website!

The objective of this campaign is to compete in the 2021 Mini Transat on a 21’ sailboat, racing solo from Les Sables-d'Olonne, France across the Atlantic Ocean to Guadeloupe, without assistance.