Managing energy resources on board the boat is critical to my success on world voyages.
To break a round the world record, you have to push the boat to sail as fast as possible. The lighter a boat is, the faster she will sail. So to keep the boat as light as possible, you leave with the absolute minimum you think that you will need. Over 27,000 miles and three months sailing, a little weight makes a huge difference.
Consequently you manage what you have down to the last drop of fuel or water, and you can’t afford to waste anything because once you run out, there’s no way you can stop for more!
To have drinking water you have to use a desalinator. This is an energy intensive and slow progress, so you catch rainwater where you can, and wash when it rains. (I suppose one of the benefits of sailing alone is that there is no-one to say that you smell!) But you are careful. Very, very careful!
You never leave the computer screens or the lights on unnecessarily.
You know how much diesel you need per day, and you monitor your batteries and consumption as if they represent the boat’s heart rate.
You never throw anything away in case it could be useful, and you look after every single piece of rubbish. I took 14 kitchen rolls on the boat, for loo paper and cleaning and spills, and sometimes I only used a fraction of a sheet – you really don’t need more.
