TopTip2020 #72 
In the Head of a Sailor 
by Magne Klann, NOR 

Magne Klann is both an RS Aero adventurer and racer having sailed the length of Norway in 2018, starting from deep inside the Arctic Circle. He camped and fished as he went, carrying his RS Aero onto some very remote beaches! The account and photos of his voyage are incredible, do check out the links. Here Magne delves into the mindset required for both cruising and racing alone;

' In the Head of a Sailor

Sailing is a mind game, but not only a mind game of course. Especially dinghy sailing is extremely physical as well, and to win a race you need to be above average at every aspect of the game. I am both a racer and cruiser. I find that the mindset in cruising is different from racing, but there are similarities. As some of you might have read, I have sailed my RS Aero the coast of Norway from north to south. A total distance of 1,158.1 nm. To do that you need focus and patience. It probably helps if you love doing it as well. Maybe loving it is the most important part really, because then you don't need to feel patient, you just feel lucky!

People ask what I thought about during the long distance of cruising alone for 58 days and 349 hours of sailing. The answer is 'Sailing', that is what I thought about. I was as focused on the weather, speed, hiking and of course safety, as I am when racing.

I left North Cape, deep inside the Arctic Circle, on 25th April 2018 with a temperature of 2'C both in the water and the air. The first week I saw one or two ships a day, otherwise there was no one out there. There definitely was an element of risk. I had communication and safety equipment, but focus and care is the best safety device!

You need to take one wave at the time, one leg at the time, one opponent at the time, and one day at the time. People read books and go to groups with people sitting on thin mats in uncomfortable ways to learn about mindfulness. Sailors don't need that. We enjoy our own ways of discomfort. We only need to go sailing. You get into the flow if you love it.

In Norway there is a saying that «The joy of sailing is inversely proportional to the size of the boat». I enjoy every way of sailing, also together with others on large boats, but the focus and mindset of dinghy sailing alone is unique.

These words probably wont help you win races, but they might help or inspire you to enjoy sailing even if you don’t win. And take my word for it: RS Aero sailing without all those racing opponents on your back all the time is quite nice!
God Seiling! Magne Klann '

Check out a Summary of Magne's epic voyage southwards here;
RS Aero forum; https://www.rsaerosailing.org/index.asp?p=forum&fid=1&tid=8067
Magne's Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/magneklann/
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/pg/blueoceanmediabooks/photos/?ref=page_internal