Pledge Sports

Round Britain 2020

Timothy Long

  • 100.20% funded
  • £ 2,805.50 pledged
  • Days Left

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My name is Timothy Long, I am 14 years old and I want to be the youngest person to ever sail around Britain solo.

I will be setting off to complete this voyage in the summer of 2020, in my 19ft British Hunter 19, departing from Southampton and circumnavigating Britain anti-clockwise.  The total distance is about 1800 nautical miles, and I will be doing this in 200-300 mile legs which will each take from 2 – 6 days depending on conditions.  On my way I will need to navigate past places like The Port of Dover which is the busiest port in the world and the Bristol channel with its extreme tides.

I want to do this because my passion for sailing is immense, I seek adventure and to push myself to find new limits. Moreover, it is my ambition to pursue a career in sailing and having this achievement “under my belt” would be a good way to put myself ahead of the many other sailors out there.

I have been sailing since the age of 9, when I completed my RYA dinghy levels 1 & 2.  The following year, I had the opportunity to crew for a week on a 33 ft yacht and from there on my passion grew.  In the past 2 years , I have sailed over 800 nautical miles with experience of night sailing, force 7 winds, and some very lively thunderstorms!   I have also completed my Sea Survival course and have now started sailing solo on my own boat, Isabella, which I purchased in 2017.

I have recently been building up contacts in the sailing world, including some key figures such as Ellen MacArthur, Ian Walker and Shane Connelly, who have been able to provide me with valuable advice and guidance on how to pursue my project.

In order to complete my project, in the coming year I need to fit out my boat with the necessary equipment and safety kit to enable me to take on this challenge.  I also need to complete courses in specific skills such as RYA First Aid, Diesel engine and Day skipper theory. Above all, I have various events planned for this summer to build my practical experience of British coastal sailing.

  • The Round the Island Race on the 29th June which consists of 1,500 boats!
  • A solo sail passage of around 300 miles.
  • An offshore dinghy race round Anglesey, Wales in August.

In total, the project is going to cost in excess of £10,000.  I am aiming to raise £2,800 through Pledge Sports, which will mainly go towards the refit of Isabella, which needs to be completed by May, and I am looking to fund the remaining amount through sponsorship.

Unfortunately, anyone who sails will know that the sport quickly gets expensive!

So, how can you support me?  It doesn’t matter how small your contribution is, it all makes a difference.  In addition, you could also help by sharing the project via social media or email to spread the word about Round Britain 2020 and hopefully attract more supporters!

Together we can make this happen.

Thank you very much for your support.

 

 


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