The Vendée Globe race was everything I ever dreamed it could be, and more. It challenged me every day, it made me scream with laughter, it brought me to my…
Pip Hare
Hallberg-Rassy 44 review: from the archive
Stepping aboard the new and comparatively modern Hallberg-Rassy 44, conducting a two-day test during the Swedish winter, the bitterly cold wind is cutting through my four layers of technical clothing…
Vendée Globe rollercoaster for Pip Hare as she makes mid-ocean rudder repairs
The Southern Ocean is renowned for its relentlessness. By the time they reach the final stages of the South Pacific, the Vendée Globe solo sailors have been at sea for…
Vendée Globe racer Pip Hare explains how sailors decide when to turn back
Whenever I show new sailors how to fill out the logbook I make a point of heading the page ‘Passage towards’, rather than inserting an end destination. It’s an old…
2020 Vendée Globe preview: Pip Hare and Paul Larsen’s guide to the fleet
The 2020 Vendée Globe, which sets off on Sunday, November 8, sports one of the most diverse IMOCA fleets the event has ever seen. Over the 33 entries there is…
2020 Vendée Globe: Pip Hare explains how it feels to be on the starting line
The Vendée Globe is the longest continuous racecourse in sport. Like some of the world’s great marathons, it offers something very rare: the opportunity for competitors from a wide range…
Vendée Globe racer Pip Hare on maintaining your focus on long sea passages
For me, managing a 60ft IMOCA alone demands my full attention so there is little time for distraction. However, even then it can be difficult to maintain really long-term focus.…
Pip Hare explains when to check and replace your standing rigging
This was a ‘no brainer’ decision as my rigging has been around the world once already and I would never take it into the Southern Ocean for a second time.…
Expert sailing advice: Pip Hare’s top tips for crisis communications
When sailing with any number of crew members, good communication is not only key to good seamanship but is the route to a harmonious and happy crew. In times of…
Pip Hare reveals the 15 essential items she packs in her grab bag
The kit packed inside a liferaft will vary hugely across different brands and models and there is no way of checking that the liferaft’s contents are serviceable outside of its…
Hi-Line transfers: Pip Hare explains how to prepare for a helicopter evacuation
As a sea survival instructor, I have been evacuated from a liferaft by helicopter and over the course of my sailing career I have helped with several practice Hi-Line transfers. …
Pip Hare’s sailing masterclass: How to make the most of a water ballast system
No two water ballast systems seem to be the same, but the principles for use and troubleshooting remain the same. Here are some guidelines for success. Filling ballast The ballast…
Vendée Globe 2020: Pip Hare on preparing for the world’s toughest race
It would be easy to assume the toughest challenge of the Vendée Globe Race is racing a 60ft IMOCA alone, battling the elements, sleep deprived and exhausted. But for me,…
Transatlantic sailing clothes: Pip Hare explains how to pack light
In November last year I completed my 18th transatlantic so my kit bag is now fairly trimmed down. Here’s a rundown of the sailing clothes I pack when crossing the…
iPad sailing: Pip Hare’s top tips on using your tablet to navigate
These days it’s rare for me not to use a tablet as part of my navigation equipment. The fact I can take my tablet with me anywhere in the world…
Pip Hare’s top tips for preventing chafe on lines, sails and hardware
Chafe on sails and ropes is something we should expect as part of the general wear and tear on passage, but equally it is something we can protect against. Here…
Boom preventers: How to use one and why they’re worth the hassle to rig
Rigging a boom preventer will allow you to sail a true downwind course without a constant worry about crew safety. I also use it to pin the boom in its…
Smartphone navigation: Pip Hare’s top tips for sailing by iPhone
No matter how good navigation apps have become, using your smartphone as a main method of navigation is just not a good idea. The screen is tiny and you’ll struggle…
Spinnaker wraps: Pip Hare’s tips on dealing with a tangled kite
I can still feel the pain of my first really bad single-handed spinnaker wrap. I was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, took my eye off the sail for…
Pip Hare’s 10 top tips on how to look after your yacht on passage
Stay clean and dry Keeping immaculate bilges and lockers will not only make your living environment more pleasant but will help identify leaks early. Start with a dry, salt-free bilge…