Derek Desaunois has left Brisbane on 8 January, 2019 to go the Long Route round the world on his S&S34 Ciella.
The following is a post on the Facebook page of Longue Route 2018 officiel. This is Official page of the Long Route 2018, solo and nonstop sailing around the world in the spirit of Bernard Moitessier and Guy Bernardin.
“Derek Desaunois has sailed from Brisbane on his S&S 34, to Brisbane, and intends to fire the Horn, the Azores, Good Hope, and Leeuwin before returning.”
Don McIntyre writes in comments
“Great to see him off…here is some background he wrote about himself 4 years ago when he planned to enter a one design RTW race in 2019 for S&S 34 yachts ( Now cancelled I believe??) but still an interesting read.. :)”
Born in the Netherlands 20 June 1961. I started sailing with the Sea Scouts at the age of 12, and knew within a couple of years I wanted to be a shipwright. At 16 I got an apprenticeship with Jongert Shipyards, which were just about to break into the Superyacht market with their very luxurious sailing yachts of 70 feet and over. I worked their for 10 years. In this period built two 27 foot sailing yachts for my self and sailed them around the Dutch coast and lakes and occasionally over to the UK.
In 1982 I sailed from Holland to New York and back with 5 friends on a Tayana 42. Crewed for two Azores and back races on a Swan 391 and also shorter races around Holland. In 1987, after 10 years at the yard, I quit my job, backpacked to Australia, with the ultimate goal to sail the Sydney to Hobart. Never got to do it but happened to be at Darling Harbour, Sydney, at the finish of the Tall Ships Race and jumped on board of a yacht that was about to leave for the UK, via Cape Horn. No electricity or engine on board (for a 100 foot yacht). An awesome voyage, on which I learned a lot. (Like patience in the doldrums!).
After arriving in the UK, I traveled to the South of France, where it didn’t take me long the get a job as deck hand on a Superyacht. I worked on various vessels (all sailing yachts), from 70 to 160 foot. Over a period of 12 years, I worked my way up to Mate and eventually Master. More Atlantic crossings than I care to remember a few Pacific crossings and the last vessel- a 110 foot schooner “Aschanti IV” we took around the world over a period of 3 years.
At the end of 2001 I went ashore here in Cairns. Picked up my old profession of Shipwright. Sailing got a bit on the back burner and I got more into adventure racing, Ironman, hiking etc. A bit of dinghy sailing at the yacht club with my youngest daughter.
I bought ‘Ciella’, my S&S 34 four years ago, sailed it locally for a year and then spend 2,5 years replacing the complete interior. She is back in the water and between sailing locally, I am still working on her. My next project is to make a hard dodger. Not as big a Jessica Watson’s, but the same size as my present dodger, just running further aft for more protection.
As my personal situation: I am married, with 2 daughters, age 15 and13. My wife has always known that I bought the boat with the idea to, some day, sail around the world, possibly non-stop and single handed. Doing it as a race, makes the reasoning even stronger. When I first heard about your race, I believe you had a date set for 2014. As my kids are still young, I knew it wasn’t an option. 2019 works perfectly. Simple as that.
Ciella is in a good condition, with a new engine and a brand new interior. I have glassed-in watertight bulkheads in the aftship storage – so no water can go from the storage lockers into the interior- and a glassed-in storage cum crash box in the fore ship. Still have a small list of wants, but with 4,5 years to go, Ciella will be ready.
How serious am I? This is something I wanted to do for a long time and your announcement for 2019 is the catalyst. My wife and I had long conversations about this the last few days, but she didn’t need convincing. Her words ” Since I got to know you I knew you’re going to do this some day”.
Yes, you can use me in your blog. Barring any disasters between now and then, I’m in. And that rum better be Mount Gay.”
Pictures and details of Ciella can be found in our yacht directory.
Ron,
Do you have an update on Ciella’s voyage? It appears that Robert may have retired on arrival at NZ, as the vessels track appears to have been dropped from the Longue Route tracker.
Dave Mitchell, Sea Shell
Hi Dave,
Yes I just received an email from Derek Desaunois, the owner of Ciella, and he has retired.Not sure what happened. The yacht is now for sale.
Cheers,
Ron