#clipperroundtheworld

Our Technical Director, Dan Eastley, is now back on dry land after finishing his Clipper Round the World adventure. Check out this article from the Andover Advertiser about his experience on board.

Dan Eastley, Technical Director of Andover-based business, Social You, will be taking on an adventure of a lifetime later this year.

He will be part of the team, led by skipper Lance Shepherd, that will be racing in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. 

The 2017-18 edition of the race will be its 11th year and starts at Albert Dock in Liverpool on Sunday 20th August. Around 700 members are expected to take part in this 40,000 nautical mile race. The event will take around 11 months to complete and is aimed at those with no previous sailing experience. 

"I'm really excited to be taking on this adventure. Having recently completed crew allocation, I'm delighted to be sharing this experience with a fantastic group of people. We have crew members from all across the globe, with a mixture of backgrounds and reasons they want to take part. 

"Life on board a 70-foot ocean racing yacht is very different to anything I have experienced before. Sleeping, eating and working around the clock in such a small space will have its challenges. We'll be working in shift patterns and taking on whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at us!" said Dan. 

With no previous sailing experience, Dan has thrown himself into life on board. Having completed levels 1 - 3 of his Clipper training, and additional RYA qualifications, he has a final week of training remaining before he sets sail in 3 months’ time. The training has left him feeling confident and ready to take on this life-changing adventure.

"It has been 2 years of learning theory, both mental and physical training. Learning knot types, how to use the toilet at 45 degrees and sleeping in 3.5 hour shifts isn't something I encounter in my daily routine!" he said. "When I set sail later this year, I will be on a 70-foot racing yacht along with 20 other people. This isn't luxury sailing, there are no showers or cocktail bars, we'll be living very closely together. Packs of baby wipes and learning to get creative with non-fresh food will be key."

All of Dan's family, friends and colleagues are fully behind him as he embarks on this adventure. He hopes by watching, supporting and sharing his journey it will inspire others to sign up in the future. 

There was excitement in the office when the announcement for the Start and Finish of the Clipper 2017-18 was released. 

We can now confirm that the adventure will begin on Sunday 20th August 2017, from Liverpool. As you can imagine, our Technical Director is getting just a little bit excited.

In a few months, the historic Albert Dock will be full of life as the fleet lines up and thousands of supports and followers attend this big send off. The Clipper Race fleet will be arriving in Liverpool on Monday 14 August, with a full schedule of entertainment planned to celebrate.