Getting rest while solo sailing

For the six Ultim Class multihulls racing in the solo non-stop ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest, getting rest while their boat sets a blistering yet blind pace around the world would not seem too restful. And while a good night’s sleep is not an option, neither is getting no sleep.

“To last the distance, long term you have to eat well and sleep well,” notes skipper Charles Caudrelier. But sleeping well is a battle and requires preparation both technically and psychologically. That can be specific equipment, alarms, working with freedivers. Sleep management has long since become a performance issue.

“What we try to do is to sleep as regularly as possible five, six, maybe seven times cumulatively over any 24 hours in increments of 30 to minutes to 1 hour 30,” explains skipper Armel Le Cléac’h. “As soon as the conditions are good, you have to sleep.”

Sébastien Josse, a member of the Banque Populaire routing unit and co-skipper of Le Cléac’h on the Transat Jacques Vabre, notes how 6 to 8 hours of sleep is possible…

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