Brian Thompson - Sailor in the Spotlight

Understated, quietly confident, yet wildly skilled, unless you're in the UK, Brian Thompson may be the best sailor you've never heard of.  The late Steve Fossett's right-hand man on many campaigns, and a world record-breaker 25 times times over, Thompson is a family man who hasn't sought the spotlight.  Despite that, an entire nation which is not his own (Bahrain) has sponsored him in this, his first Vendee Globe, simply due to his skill, and Brian is seen by many Vendee skippers as a real competitor for the podium.  A dark horse worthy of a wager.

 

On his boat, newly named King Hamad, Brian has now begun the Vendee Globe race along with 29 other skippers.  Nicknamed "the Scarecrow" (he doesn't know why), Thompson is calm, even keeled, and has the proven knack for managing performance against wear and tear on the long term.  Important in this race, as the Vendee is a marathon, not a sprint, and historically the fast and furious simply won't make it around. 

 

Speaking with Brian gives one a glimpse of his complexities.  His conversation is friendly and casual, his answers and comments considered, and his ability to view any given situation not just as it happens, but as it may unfold, and to understand how that may apply to the project at hand, is phenomenal.  He can truly see the forest and the trees, to manage strategy and tactics, and there's no doubt why so many count him among the best.  It is our pleasure to feature Brian Thompson as this week's Sailor in the Spotlight.

 

We spoke to Brian at home, where he was spending some time with his family just prior to leaving for the race.

 

 

YP:  So is this yacht racing getting to be old hat for you?
Brian:  No, I wouldn't say that!  Going around the world non-stop, by myself is something I've never done.  I've never sailed for that long.  I think 62 days is my longest sail, and this should be at least 20 days longer than that.

YP:  Why do you sail, what is it you love?
Brian:  I guess the old expression:  "the freedom of it."  I love crossing oceans.  To be out there in a unique environment - waves, stars, wind, clouds - it's a very simple, clean life when you're out there.  And then there's the highly tuned yachts - there's a lot of feedback when sailing these yachts - so that's a great thrill, like going down an endless ski run.  And then there's the competition, especially in this race with thirty boats, it's unparalleled competition.  So put all those together and it's pretty unbeatable.

YP:  How do your wife Natalie and your kids feel about the race?
Brian:  They're happy I'm doing the race, but it will be hard for them when I'm away.  It's what I love to do, and it's such an amazing opportunity to sail the Bahrain Team Pindar [now called King Hamad], because it's such an great boat.  It's a real chance to do well in a major race.

 

YP:  So, your boat is brand new, launched in 2007.  Do you feel you've had enough time to get everything tweaked and adjusted, since this is the boat's maiden 'round the world trip?
Brian:  Actually, it's the first major ocean race.  I've done 6,000 miles solo sailing this year, with two Atlantic crossings, but no singlehanded ocean racing.  But I know the boat pretty well, and I can draw on the experience of sailing other boats around the world.

 

 

 

YP:  What's your favorite way to relax?
Brian:  Spending time with the family. We have quite young kids, three and one, so it's really just to go do things with them.

 

YP:  Have you taken them sailing yet?
Brian:  Next year I definitely will.  I've taken the three-year-old kayaking. Sailing a little, but I've been sort of all-out for this Vendee Globe, but I've promised her and myself that next year we'll be sailing. 

 

YP:  That would be little Genevieve right?  That's interesting because you started sailing when you were three as well, right?
Brian:  Yes, actually, and she'll still be three in August, so I've still got time.

 

 

YP:  When did sailing turn to racing for you?
Brian:  Probably when I was eight or nine, in Cadets.  Small two-man dinghies.  Then my teenage years, and University team racing - collegiate racing.

 

YP:  Would you recommend starting with dinghies?
Brian:  Definitely.  You learn all of your racing skills and that sort of competitive edge with dinghies. Which can then translate into other boats and technical knowledge.  It's not totally transferable, but you do learn to keep working at sail trim and steering.  Then if you don't just go racing, but actually do some cruising in a dinghy, you learn seamanship as well.  Which is what I did as a kid, sort of sailing up the river.  Then you learn about navigation, and time, and how to paddle home [laughing].

 

YP:  What do you enjoy most about being a professional sailor?
Brian:  I don't know that I've become pro, because I've been spending a little of my own money.  [laughing] No, it's fantastic, I really enjoy it, and every year I think - well especially in my 20's - that soon I'll have to get a proper job.  Now every year something more interesting comes up.

 

YP:  I know you sailed on PlayStation/Cheyenne, and Stars and Stripes, and you earned something like 25 records together.  Can you tell us how it was to sail with Steve Fossett.
Brian:  Oh, yes.  Well, he was incredibly calm.  All the sailing I've done with him, with masts falling down, boats catching fire [laughing], you know, things that happen at sea, he never once lost his cool.  He was always very logical, very focused on what the goal was, but prepared to pull back from the goal if it didn't seem like it was going to work out, and then come back later to knock it out - wait for the right weather and do it again. 

 

But on the other hand, he was always fun, always laughing, enjoying himself on the water and off - talking about all his other exploits, which as time went on just grew and grew.  When I first met him he'd be talking about car racing, then it was ballooning, then the airplane records and the car records.  He had a really rich life.  I've learned a huge amount from Steve, so I feel very lucky to have spent so much time with such a remarkable person.

 

YP:  I wish I'd had a chance to meet him.  So, how do you like the Open 60's compared to the multihulls?
Brian:  In rough conditions, you feel a lot safer on the Open 60.  And it's probably - compared to a 60' tri - equally fast in rough conditions.  Then in flat water - say 16 knots of wind - the multihull is much much faster, and you get an even greater sensation of speed.  But the 60' monohulls have really increased their speed, and they're pretty much as quick as the 50' multihulls, which is astonishing.  Only Crepes Whaou can beat an open 60.

 

YP:  Loick Peyron told me that everything feels like slow motion in a monohull after sailing multis, do you agree?
Brian:  Yeah, I read that.  You still have to think a long way ahead, because the sails are pretty hard to get up and down, but that's not quite as far ahead as you do on a trimaran.  You don't have the same capsize possibilities as you do on a trimaran.  You can get away with a little more heavy-footedness with the monuhulls.

 

 

YP:  So, speaking of capsizing, the IMOCA boats have to prove their ability to right themselves after capsize, because when the keel is centered, they're almost as stable upside down.  Is that right?
Brian:  That's right, if the canting keel was in the middle, it would stay upside down until a wave pushed it over.  But, you only have to cant the keel 10-15 degrees, and the thing just rolls right over, and it would be very unlikely if you rolled the boat that the keel wasn't canted anyway.  So, you probably would come straight back up again.  Otherwise you could go below and manually cant the keel to bring it right back up.

 

YP:  So you CAN manually cant the keel?
Brian:  Yes!  There's a little hydraulic pump that you can use, similar to a hydraulic backstay or something.  So if the electrical goes out, you can cant the keel with a hand pump as well.

 

 

YP:  Have you ever calculated the miles you've sailed?
Brian:  No, I haven't.   Since I was 21 I've been sailing almost constantly.  I suppose it's something like half a million miles?

 

YP:  Wow, I could see how you'd lose track!  With 25 broken sailing records, what do you think is the secret to your success?
Brian:  Um... Let's see.  Anticipating what's going to happen, and knowing how hard you can push the boat before it breaks.  Sort of that balance of getting the optimum possible, for as long as possible.  And of course, being lucky - lucky to meet people like Steve Fossett who invite you sailing!

YP:  You also seem to be very even-keeled.  You don't get rattled easily, I'm guessing?
Brian:  That's right, and that's something Steve was like as well.  It's looking at the big picture.  I'll love to see what happens in the Vendee.

 

YP:  So will we.  With this incredible career, what accomplishment are you the most proud of?
Brian:  Probably that 'round the world record with Steve.  It's quite relevant for this single-handed race.  Although that was a record and this is a race, it's very much the same philosophy in that you have to get the boat around the course, and fix the things that happen along the way.  Minimize the breakage, and keep focusing on all the facets you have to, to get the boat around.  In many ways you're sailing against yourself, while keeping an eye on your competition.

 

YP:  Then, besides these abilities to multitask and keep sight of the big picture, what do you think are the qualities of a successful ocean racer?
Brian:  Stay calm, and keep making rational decisions all the time.  Not getting wound up by things, not getting depressed - and not getting over-confident, which is the flip side of that.  A lot of that comes from enjoying the act of sailing.  You know, you should be happy out there.  Of course you're dealing constantly with the tiredness as well, and sleep deprivation.  Making sure your mind is working rationally and effectively, and your body is working effectively, and recognizing that all the time you're very tired.  You have to be sort of outside yourself, monitoring your state of mind.

YP:  You mention not getting depressed.  What keeps you going when you get scared or depressed?
Brian:  I think it's in your character; I think most ocean sailors have to be optimists, otherwise you wouldn't go out there.  A pessimist would be feeling bad when the weather is fantastic - they might be saying "Oh no, it can only get worse than this!" [laughing]

 

YP:  What do you think your biggest challenge will be in the Vendee?
Brian:  I don't think you can tell before the race starts, what your challenges will be.  Certainly the competition, keeping the boat functioning for that long, and the Southern Ocean is of course the hardest on the skipper and the boat.

 

YP:  What would you tell someone who dreams of ocean racing?
Brian: I think they've got to get as much experience as they can.  When you're younger, you take as many opportunities to sail as you can, and read as much as you can.  I certainly learned a lot of seamanship and tips from reading.  Also, go out and take some risks.  If you want to sail in a race, go out and do it.  Make mistakes, and learn from them.

 

 

- Kim Hampton exclusively for YachtPals.com

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE Vendée Globe or Brian Thompson:

• Brian Thompson (Brian's Profile Page - YachtPals, add Brian to your Buddy List)
• Pindar (Brian's Boat Home Page for Pindar's yacht King Hamad)
• Vendee Globe (all news, blogs, and photos about the Vendee Globe)
• Sailor in the Spotlight - Loick Peyron
• Loick Peyron - A Candid Chat with the Jedi Master
• Vendee Globe Skipper in the Spotlight Interview - Dee Caffari
  
• Vendee Globe Skipper in the Spotlight Interview - Steve White
• Vendee Globe Skipper in the Spotlight Interview - Sam Davies
• Vendée Globe Skipper in the Spotlight - Mike Golding
• Vendee Globe Group (read Vendee Globe News and communicate with the skippers at sea)

Submitted By YachtPals on 10 Nov

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