The organization of Alberto Bona’s life on board in view of the Route du Rhum

The start of the Route du Rhum is getting closer (November 6), as is also the date of mandatory presence in Saint-Malo (October 24). In La Trinité-sur-Mer, aboard the Class40 IBSA, Alberto Bona continues to train for the solo transatlantic, a two-week regatta which must be prepared also with a focus on life on board.

How will the days on board the Class40 IBSA be organized during the RDR? Alberto himself tells us how:

Nutrition – “We studied in depth the nourishment issues with a nutritionist, who gave us some tips to follow a diet that is both balanced and, above all, suitable for the timings of the regatta. We are preparing daily packages that will contain everything a sailor needs for a full day of navigation: breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. There is a small cooker on board – a convenience not to be underestimated! – with which in the morning I will be able to cook eggs for breakfast. Then there will be carbohydrate dishes for the day, as well as other snacks. It really depends on the sailing conditions, but in general it is estimated that I will need 3,000 calories per day”. 

Sleep – “The most important thing will be to get into the rhythm immediately, that is, to be able to leave the sleep-wake routine I am used to. The goal is to get used to the rhythm of the sea and of navigation as soon as possible, by taking short, fast (10-20 minutes) polyphasic naps during the day, and possibly a little longer siestas during the night, when we are offshore. I exclude, however, that this will be feasible in the early days, when we are still in the Bay of Biscay and in the Channel. The rhythm of the open sea – the real one – I will get later, after the first week. It will be important to arrive in Guadeloupe with some spare energy, because there is the tour around the island to be completed before the finish line, and it’s always a complicated stage. In the cockpit there is a watch station, but you cannot lie down; it’s a sheltered place, but for stand-by situations; I prefer to sleep inside”. 

Clothing – “One of the characteristics of the Route du Rhum – to be considered for food as well as clothing – is the fact that you start with the winter cold from Northern Brittany to then reach the warmth of the Caribbean, in Guadeloupe. If the weather conditions make us travel the North route already in the first week of navigation, we could stay several days in the cold, and it will therefore be very important to have oilskins and other suitable clothing available”.   

Free time – “There will be very few distractions aboard the Class40 IBSA: however – unlike the Mini 6.50 – aboard our 40s we can have a mobile phone, with a music library. Sometimes I like to listen to music, to switch off my mind and rest. However, I often prefer to stay connected with the boat, listen to its noises. I can still clock out to sleep, but this too will depend a lot on the sailing conditions”.