 Businessman
Kip Stone took a break from his usual commute to the office by setting
sailing from New Zealand on a 12,500 mile voyage in order to reach
the start of the Transat.
Kip Stone has made the longest journey to get to the start line of
the Transat. He sailed his Owen-Clarke-designed Open 50 Artforms12,500nm
from Auckland to Plymouth and arrived safely on Tuesday 27 April,
with his brother Nathaniel who joined him in the Azores.
As a businessman working hard running his own company Artforms –
a screenprinting business – Stone decided to sponsor his own
boat, take time off his usual routine and head and for the high seas
to compete in arguably the world's toughest yacht race. In order to
qualify for the Transat Stone flew to New Zealand in February and
completed his 1,000-mile qualifier. He was then joined by Alan Nebauer
(former BOC-Around Alone competitor) and left Auckland on 21 February
to sail to the Falkland Islands via Cape Horn. From the Falklands
to the Azores, Stone sailed alone.
Commenting on his decision and talking from the boat about his routine
during the voyage Stone said: "After years spent building Artforms,
the business to a size where it's able to sponsor this boat, my commute
to the office is now shortened from a half hour drive to a one second
step from my bunk to the nav station and as there is no pressing need
to shave or shower, I'm able to jump right into my day.
"A
quick glance outside and a roll or two of the boat dictate whether
things start outside with a sail change or at the nav station with
e-mail. Either way, in the few moments it takes to make that decision,
the kettle is on. In general, mealtimes have become much more a function
of hunger than of convention, but at home or at sea I'm a fan of eating
breakfast before heading to work.
"Once my day is rolling,
there's less difference than you'd imagine between working aboard
Artforms or working at the office. I review what's happened recently,
I gather together the materials I need for the day, and I formulate
a plan with a few hard-to-reach goals to keep me motivated. Although
I'm the only one to report to work in my floating office, I'm very
much in touch with members of my shore team whose capabilities and
efforts I rely upon heavily and whose hard work makes me look so good.
I'm sure that if there's a single key to success in making an Open
Class boat go fast or a small business go well, it's to surround yourself
with the most highly qualified people you can possibly find then get
out of their way when it's time for them to do their jobs.
"It's physically tougher getting through a day on the high seas
than in the office, but that just saves me an hour at the gym and,
in either case, I'm dog tired at the end of the day. Success in one
office is measured in miles and the other in dollars, but in either
case it's the notes of encouragement I value the most, an e-mail from
someone following my ride and wishing me the best, or a thank you
note from an employee tucked onto my desk just letting me know some
job I've done is appreciated."
According to Stone having his brother on board for the final stretch
into Plymouth was an excellent decision and certainly less stressful
because he had no autopilot. Stone added: "I hadn't planned on
stopping in the Azores, but continuing on to England without autopilots
wasn't an option. It also gave me a chance to make some sail and rigging
repairs before heading into the rougher waters of the North Atlantic."
The arrival in Plymouth is the penultimate step in Kip’s 14-year
dream to compete in one of the classic singlehanded yacht races. Since
his arrival Stone has been preparing his 50ft carbon-fibre flyer for
the start of the race in just under two week's time.
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