Pat Lawless knot fazed by round-the-world sailing mission

The 66-year-old Kerry native, who worked as a carpenter during his working life, set off from Crosshaven last week on 'the longest, loneliest boat race' in the world

KNOT FAZED: Pictured in Crosshaven as he prepares to depart for the Golden Globe Race is Pat Lawless. Pat was joined by his main sponsors, Cork based Green Rebel. Pat is aiming to become the first Irish person to sail solo, non-stop around the world. Pic: Darragh Kane

How do you plan on spending your retirement time?

Some of us daydream about early-bird dinner deals in seaside resorts, maybe restoring a vintage car or just pottering in the garden.

Pat Lawless, who worked as a carpenter in his native Kerry during his working life, will compete in what he describes as ‘the longest, loneliest boat race’ in the world.

Hey, whatever floats your one-man boat.

The former fish trawler owner from Ballyferriter set off on the second leg of his incredible adventure from Crosshaven in Cork last week as he was waved off by a large crowd of well-wishers and family. He’d earlier been led out of Dingle Harbour by a flotilla of local boats in an emotional farewell.

Lawless will now first compete in a preliminary race between Spain and France and will then undertake the nine-month-plus epic that is the Golden Globe Race, departing Les Sables-d’Olonne on September 4th.

The aim is to sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to the same port.

“For the last four years, I'm full time preparing for it,” he says. “Nine months solo, just pushing the boat as hard as you can for nine months."

If the 66-year-old pulls it off, he’ll become the first Irish person to sail around the world non-stop solo.

“This race is a part of sailing history and I can’t wait to get started. There have been 11 solo non-stop sailing races around the world. The first original Golden Globe Race was won by Sir Robert Knox-Johnson, an Englishman. All the other 10 races were won by the French. We need to get Ireland on this list,” he says.

Lawless will be one of 18 sailors – after some withdrawals – and the only Irish competitor.

He’ll be raising money for the Parkinson's Association of Ireland as he cuts through the 30,000 nautical miles ahead of him.

He goes in the slipstream of his father, Pat Sr, who sailed around the world at the age of 70.

In the spirit of the race ('Sailing like it's 1968'), no modern technology is allowed and Lawless will pilot his route using the sun, a sextant and paper charts. He won’t have the luxury either of iPads or contact with his family via sat-phone and he’s packed enough food, water and spare parts to get him around the globe.

He'll miss his family, his homeplace and Christmas will be hard. There will be lonely days, he admits: “That’s part of it. It’s the unknown, but I’m feeling very confident about it.” 

As well as the essentials, he does have some books and music cassettes to pass some time.

"It's old-school sailing,” he says. "Sailing at its purest."

Sponsored by Green Rebel, a Cork-based offshore site investigation company, the support meant he didn’t have to remortgage his house to take on the challenge. And he feels he has the right boat to make an impression. So, can he win?

“You wouldn't do it unless you thought you had a chance but there’s a lot of luck involved,” he says. “So the plan is to just go for it and hopefully I do well.”