Global Solo Challenge: Hympendahl wants to go around the world single-handed
Kristina Müller
· 21.10.2022
YACHT: Philipp, you bought a Comfortina 38 for the thousands of nautical miles around the world, which can be very uncomfortable. Why this particular type of boat? It's not exactly the classic boat for a tough non-stop circumnavigation.
That's true, but it's also a regatta, so a sporty cruising yacht is certainly not a bad choice. I've had a 9.20 metre half-tonner for the last seven years. The new boat shouldn't be too different in terms of style. Some people have advised me to go for a Class 40, but that's not for me. These long-distance trips are all about being able to relax in between. And that's only possible on a boat that you know reasonably well and on which you feel comfortable. On my "African Queen" I recently sailed a North Sea Tour sailed If you've already done something like this on a relatively small ship, then the new one feels like an aircraft carrier. I have an enormous feeling of safety on it and don't think the yacht is unsafe. Otherwise I wouldn't do it.
What else was decisive for the purchase?
The boat should have a tiller, which is not easy in this size range. Structural things like the keel construction and the rudder blade were particularly important to me. I was actually looking for a Sigma 36, but couldn't find a suitable one. Time pressure also played a role to some extent, as I still have to sail 2,000 nautical miles with the boat by June for the qualification and, above all, modify a lot of things on board before then.
This will probably be a mammoth refit rather than just a bit of cosmetics, right?
Yes, there is a lot of work to be done. Let's start with the keel: Comfortina has a good solution for attaching additional lead weight to the keel. That should be done. Then the rudder bearings have to be replaced and I'm still thinking about whether I really want a fixed sprayhood. I think the safest thing to do in a really bad storm is to offer as little contact surface as possible. If you can then fold down the sprayhood, the boat really is completely flat.
On deck, everything still looks more like a Baltic Sea holiday than Cape Horn ...
That's right, there are still few options for holding on, I have to change that too. The teak deck has to come off, but I'll put a non-slip paint on it. The 7/8 rig is also an issue, I need a new one. It's certainly not the design that's made for the Southern Ocean in terms of stability. So we also need a second forestay that is reinforced on the inside. And the windows are also quite large.
Are conversions also planned below deck?
In any case. The boat needs watertight bulkheads fore and aft. But I also want to save weight and am thinking about removing a locker in the aft cabin, for example. But in such a way that it can be reinstalled later.
How do you want to guarantee the power supply?
The Comfortina has a fairly large and stable transom. In addition to the planned windvane control, a hydrogenerator could also be fitted. Then there's still room for the swim ladder. After all, I might have to get into the water if a fishing net gets caught in the propeller or something like that. I already have a solar cell, and there are more to come.
What is your attitude to sailing and technology? "Keep it simple" or do you prefer to have the latest technology on board?
Basically, I'm a bit like Wilfried Erdmann and want to keep everything very simple. Stable and robust. I think the main difficulties on a trip like this are caused by technical failures, such as the autopilot. When it comes to things I'm not so familiar with, such as weather software, satellite communication or electronics, I'll get advice from experts, I have no problem with that.
Why do you want to sail non-stop around the world anyway? What appeals to you?
I've always dreamed of it. I like the project, I like taking on challenges like this. When the Golden Globe Race was held again for the first time four years ago, I followed it and really fancied it. But there was no room for it in my life at the time, other things were important. I had worked as a full-time photographer for 20 years, had a lease car, a big flat and all these expenses. Then I completely turned my life around. I found out about the new Global Solo Challenge via social media.
The launch is less than a year away and you still have a lot of work to do on your boat. Are you currently subordinating everything else to the project?
Yes, I do it full-time, at least ten hours a day. I have a great little team that supports me on a voluntary basis. I wouldn't be able to do it on my own in that amount of time. I'm also looking for sponsors - the money for the boat is borrowed. The problem is that we have to order a lot of things right now because of the current delivery problems.
What do family, friends and your two daughters say?
They know my dreams and stories and tend to say: why don't you do it so we don't have to hear it any more? But many also think that I still have plenty of time, as the launch is only in about a year's time. They don't realise what's involved and that every detail takes a lot of time. Because if the preparation goes wrong with just one little thing, the whole thing can go wrong in the end.
Your schedule for the refit does indeed sound pretty ambitious ...
It is. I bought the boat in the Netherlands in the autumn, am now transferring it to the shipyard on the Schlei and then we're off. There's so much to do. It's also exhausting, and I really underestimated how many construction sites are waiting for me. It would be ideal if I had the time to take the boat for a tour of the Atlantic beforehand. But that's the way it is, and the 2,000 nautical miles for the qualification are already quite a lot.
If everything works out and you can actually start: What is your goal for the regatta?
I'm not in it to win. I'm not a classic regatta sailor, I've sailed maybe five regattas in my life. In a long-distance regatta like this, completely different qualities come into play. The whole thing is decided by endurance. By not destroying your boat and perhaps sailing at a relatively good average speed. And that you arrive at the end at all. It's an adventure. Nevertheless, I will of course try to sail as fast and as well as possible. But the main goal is to arrive. That would be huge!
