Text: Margherita Pelaschier/Image: X-37 ‘Le souffle de la mer III’ ©Louis Robein
Reaching the starting line is often the most challenging phase of a project. French skipper Louis Robein, an entry in the Global Solo Challenge, is no exception. Robein, a former Figaro sailor and highly experienced solo navigator, had meticulously prepared his boat “Le souffle de la mer III.” Every stage of the project had been anticipated; for example, he had already completed the 2000-mile solo qualifier by the end of April 2022. But at sea, the unexpected is commonplace.
To reach La Coruña early and share the journey with friends and students from UNADEV (Union Nationale des Aveugles et Déficients Visuels), Louis had set off from Marina di Cogolin, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, where he is based, in mid-August.
During his transfer to La Coruña, the engine of his X-37 ‘Le souffle de la mer III’ began to experience overheating issues that didn’t appear to be related to the cooling circuit. After an initial stop in Cartagena and makeshift repairs, Louis reached Faro, Portugal, where he stopped to attempt final resolution of the issue. The intervention of a mechanic clarified the nature of the problem, identified as an issue with the glow plug circuit that remained engaged even after the engine had started. The engine overheating had caused various damages and necessitated the replacement of the glow plug circuit and the engine’s main head gasket.
After a futile wait of over a week, the necessary components to fix the engine had not yet arrived in Faro. In coordination with the organization of the Global Solo Challenge, Robein evaluated the options available to him.
The Yanmar distributor in Galicia made itself available to provide the missing components for the repair as quickly as possible. Robein decided to set sail again during the night between September 18 and 19, heading for La Coruña. Louis, without a functioning engine, must sail for a distance of 500 miles, and the transfer will last about four days. Fortunately, starting from Wednesday, September 20, Robein encountered favorable winds north of Lisbon that aided him in the transfer of his X-37, ‘Le Souffle de la Mer III’. His arrival at Marina Coruña is expected between Friday and Saturday.
During the night between September 20 and 21, a charming coincidence occurred: around 1:45 a.m. local time, Louis, heading north, crossed paths seven and a half miles to the east, north of Lisbon, with Édouard De Keyser who was heading south. This marks the first time in the Global Solo Challenge that a competitor in transit has crossed paths with one in the race. Surely, this will serve as a good omen to motivate Louis to soon follow the path marked by the first two participants.
Meanwhile, we hope the missing components arrive as soon as possible and that the planned engine work can be completed quickly. Due to these technical issues, Robein is forced to postpone his departure, initially scheduled for September 23. Furthermore, upon arriving in La Coruña, Louis will also need to complete all safety and administrative checks before getting the green light to set sail. The French skipper is facing these circumstances with his usual tenacity, not allowing himself to be discouraged by the difficulties encountered.
His family and friends have already begun sending fair winds and encouragement messages to the skipper. Below is the testimony of Eric Schmitt, a close friend of Robein who now lives in Brazil. The two have known each other for over forty years, and thanks to his testimony and his beautiful “archive” photos, we can delve into the fascinating story of this great and humble French navigator.
“I met Louis Robein in the late ’70s when we were both actively involved in the Association Nationale des Clubs Aérospatiaux. Initially, we were part of a club dedicated to building experimental scientific rockets and later organised launch campaigns. Despite the many years that have passed without seeing each other, our friendship has remained strong and intense. From 1984 onwards, Louis invited me to participate in various cruises in Brittany, the Mediterranean, Ireland, and even Corsica, always on charter boats. These experiences have been marked by unforgettable moments, like watching F1 Grand Prix trials in the bay of Monaco from atop the mast and spending a New Year’s Eve enveloped in the icy fogs of the Gulf of Morbihan, in Brittany. In 1991, he involved me in the Transat des Alizés, a transatlantic race from La Ciotat to Pointe-à-Pitre. Subsequently, in 1995, another mutual friend and I accompanied him in two stages of the famous Solitaire du Figaro, during which we also had a visually impaired person on board.”
“Louis has always shown great enthusiasm in sharing his passion for sailing, involving us in both formative and unforgettable experiences. His dedication to making sailing accessible to visually impaired people is remarkable and underscores a spirit of generosity that is unparalleled. Louis is not exactly a great communicator, and his discreet profile on social media hides a heart of gold and extraordinary nautical acumen. He undoubtedly deserves more support than he has received during his campaign. In his eight participations in the Solitaire du Figaro, he has always elicited the admiration of all skippers for his tenacity and perseverance, despite the almost total lack of financial support. The delay of his departure is just a minor setback, another obstacle on his route that Louis will overcome with great courage.”
“On the eve of his 70th birthday, which he will celebrate in the waters of the Great South, the Global Solo Challenge represents a unique opportunity to achieve what all true sailors dream deep down, but very few have the courage and opportunity to achieve.”
“I wish good wind to ‘Le souffle de la mer III’ and its skipper, hoping they return victorious to La Coruña, after fulfilling their dream of being Cap Horners and Globetrotters!””
The Global Solo Challenge kicked off on August 26. Given its unique format, the 20 skippers will set off in staggered starts over the next four months, depending on the performance of their boats.
For further details on the departure dates of each skipper, please visit this link: https://globalsolochallenge.com/start-dates/
It is possible to follow the progress of each skipper on the event’s tracker: https://globalsolochallenge.com/tracking/