Why the long road?
Completing the Longue Route is a project that Dominique has had in mind for a long time. Indeed, the sailor has been contemplating the adventure of sailing around the world, in the footsteps of Moitessier, since he was a young adult. But the time, budget and commitment required to take part were not enough for him at the time. The time that has elapsed since then has enabled him to accumulate the necessary experience, both as a yachtsman and as a professional, to bring this project to fruition. After 3 years of restoring Joietitude, a 1975 Sparkman & Stephens 32, he feels ready.
In choosing the Longue Route, the sailor who has already competed in sailing races explains his attraction by the specific nature of the event: "There are no rankings, less media coverage and no strict rules. In this sense, it's more individual and conducive to singular projects adapted and adaptable by each participant. Nevertheless, it also has a collective dimension. In fact, all the participants are leaving at the same time, on August 11, 2024 from Lorient. What's more, the 11 participants are now in contact with each other and exchanging ideas on technical, philosophical and psychological issues, with a view to sharing experiences."
Experience: the ambivalence between more knowledge and more tension
Dominique points to a certain ambiguity regarding the place of experience in this kind of project. "The last few years have allowed me to accumulate experience. There are some who go with little experience and that's fine too. In reality, the less experience you have, the more you go and the less tension there is. I've sailed in big conditions before, so I know what to expect, and that creates a different kind of apprehension." .
This experience has also enabled Dominique to prepare his boat well, to know what he needs and how to arrange it so that he can embark on this voyage with the best chance of completing it. Indeed, when asked "What are your biggest apprehensions?" his spontaneous answer is : "Not to come back" .
The critical point: high latitudes
The critical point for him is, as we can imagine, at high latitudes: it's hit or miss. For Dominique: "It's not a passage without stakes with this boat. If the going gets tough and conditions aren't ideal for rounding Cape Horn, there's the alternative of heading for Puerto Montt via the Patagonian canals. It's a more protected way of rounding the Horn, but it takes longer and, above all, it's not the same thing, it's not the same project" .
Other alternatives are available on the way in case of a problem or a change of plan, such as reaching Polynesia from New Zealand and passing through the Panama Canal, for example, before making a return transatlantic crossing. But as Dominique laughingly confides "Even if it's an alternative, that doesn't mean it's short and quick!"
The most important skill to have: the mind
You can have a lot of sailing experience and a very well-prepared boat, but if you don't have the mental strength, it will be difficult to complete this round-the-world voyage. Dominique has a long sailing record: 59 days from Cape Town to Lorient, 1 month from the Caribbean to Lisbon, with a short stopover in the Azores. However, for him, "It's one thing to arrive in port after 59 days and not sail for a while, but it's quite another to arrive from such a sail and know that you'll be leaving again 2-3 days later, just to refuel. It's the accumulation that can take its toll" .
As part of his "The Long Road" project, Dominique plans to stop off in Cape Town, Australia or New Zealand, and Ushuaia. The main reason for these stops will be to refuel. Indeed, his boat only has enough space to hold supplies for 2 to 2 1/2 months maximum, if he wants to maintain it in safe conditions.
A forced stopover that's good for morale
We met Dominique during a stopover in Concarneau, when he was completing his qualification and wanted to reach the Canaries, then Cape Verde and the Azores before returning to North Brittany. But he came to shelter with Happiness on October 24, 2023; he was only able to set sail again on November 21. As he says of this period: "1 month, 6 storms" including Ciaran. This storm was apocalyptic" . This period of waiting for the window was also a mental exercise, which may prove useful for the Long Road.
