When I tell people that I am sailing Leg 7 of the 2027 to 2028 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the first reaction is usually excitement followed immediately by, “How do you even train for something like that?”
The honest answer is that you take it one steady step at a time.
One level at a time.
One mile at a time.
Which is exactly how this Snailor likes to move through the world.
The Clipper training program is known for being thorough. These boats are powerful, the conditions are demanding, and the teamwork needed to get a Clipper 70 safely and efficiently across oceans is no joke. Even experienced sailors start at the beginning. That is part of what I love about it. Everyone learns together. Everyone grows together.
Here’s what the training journey looks like and how my slow and steady path is unfolding.
Level 1: Crewing Skills — Booked (May 22 to 28, 2026)
Level 1 is the true beginning. This is where I will learn the foundations of offshore sailing: how to move around the boat safely, how to work in a watch system, how to communicate clearly, and how to be part of a crew that depends on one another. There will be drills, moments of “wait, what line is that again,” and plenty of learning curves. I am ready for all of it.
This is the week where The Snail Sailor officially enters the world of ocean racing, even if the pace is still entirely my own.
Level 2: Offshore Sailing & Life On Board — Booked (May 30 to June 4, 2026)
Level 2 builds on the momentum from Level 1. It is where I sharpen what I learned the week before and start taking on more responsibility around the boat. There will be more complicated evolutions, more teamwork, more chances to feel the rhythm of the yacht, and more opportunities to get comfortable with conditions that shift quickly.
This is the stage where things start to feel real. The boat, the team, the movement, the confidence. Level 2 is where I begin to feel less like a trainee and more like someone who belongs out there.
Level 3: Asymmetric Spinnaker Training & Racing Techniques — Booked (October 2 to 7, 2026)
Level 3 is the closest you can get to actual race conditions before tLevel 3 is the big one before the final team training. It simulates race conditions, which includes heavy weather practice, night sailing, limited rest, and long evolutions that push you in new ways. This is where I learn what it feels like to handle the unexpected and keep a calm, steady mind while the boat demands a lot from the entire crew.
It is a chance to test the mindset I have been building for years: slow and steady does not mean slow at all. It means deliberate. Focused. Fully present.
Level 4: Team Tactics — Not Yet Booked
Level 4 is the final step before the real race. It is where you train wiLevel 4 is the final stage, the moment where I meet my Leg 7 team, learn my skipper’s expectations, and begin working with the people I will race with. It is the space where we refine our communication, practice race starts, and prepare for the specific challenges of sailing from the West Coast of North America to the East Coast.
This is the week where the adventure becomes real in a way that nothing else can replicate, and I am saving that moment with a lot of anticipation and a little bit of awe.
Why the Training Matters
Training is not just about sail handling or learning where every line lives on a Clipper 70. Training is where I learn to trust myself, trust my crew, and stay steady when conditions are loud, fast, confusing, or overwhelming. It is where I learn to keep moving, even when I am tired. It is where I learn to pause, breathe, and reset when the boat or the weather asks more of me.
Training teaches me how to be patient when the wind disappears, how to be confident when the boat heels hard, and how to lean into teamwork when the task is too big for one person alone. It reinforces what I already know about myself: I do not have to be the fastest or the strongest. I just have to be thoughtful, curious, and willing to grow.
It is everything this Snailor stands for.
Following the Journey
I will be sharing every part of this training path, from the early nerves to the big wins to the quiet moments that feel life changing. If you want to follow along as I prepare for Leg 7, you are in the right place. This is where the journey unfolds.
Slow.
Steady.
Ready.
And I am so excited to bring you with me.
