Solo skipper and marine photographer Guido Cantini reflects on how his approach to sailing has changed over time. Here's how he's preparing for the 2026 Golden Globe Race.
Guido Cantini’s Golden Globe Race is a decade in the making.
He first purchased his cutter-rigged Vancouver 34 Hannah of Cowes in 2016, with plenty of time to prepare for the 2022 edition.
After he was forced to withdraw for personal reasons, the race-ready boat was packed away.
Now Cantini is dusting off the decks, ready for another attempt at sailing around the world solo, nonstop, and unassisted using only traditional navigation techniques.
Spirit 52 Flight of Ufford during the Penerai British Classic Week. Photo by Guido Cantini.
Cantini, who hails from landlocked Verona, Italy, is an accomplished mariner with over 30,000 miles sailing experience.
He raced extensively before transitioning into a career as a marine photographer.
Over the years, ‘My attitude changed completely. I gradually fell out of love with round-the-can racing. I became more and more inclined to sail to discover, and to travel,’ he has said in a podcast.
‘It was more the art and the tradition of being a mariner, rather than being a racer. The dynamics of it and the knowledge base is very different.’
But, he adds, ‘It’s good to have both.’
He appreciates the fact that the GGR is a race, ‘Albeit a good natured one. It keeps you on your toes.’
Photo by Guido Cantini
He’s going into the 2026 edition with a different mindset, he tells Yachting Monthly.
‘I’ve become a lot more conscious of how really difficult it is to sail around the world solo on this type of boat and with these means.’
‘The GGR is a challenge that tests one’s seamanship, one’s racing skills and one’s mental and physical strengths and weaknesses. It’s simple, it’s affordable, but still remains super challenging.
Sailors think it’s excessive. Non sailors think I’m crazy. My family supports me but they quietly have their doubts about my sanity.’
Not that he finds their concern unwarranted.
‘It’s a damn hard race,’ he admits. ‘Statistically, there’s a much higher chance that I don’t make it.’
Even getting to the start is an undertaking, requiring ‘money, time, mental and practical ability, and determination.’
‘Whoever will get their green card before the start at Les Sables d’Olonne is a very capable sailor, seaman and organiser and as such will be a fearsome competitor to respect and look out for.’
Photo by Guido Cantini
He’s been ‘pedantic’ in his preparation, Cantini says.
‘Planning and preparation is my beacon of light and has been the leit motif of the past ten years, down to the smallest detail.
Many hours were spent thinking and researching solutions for the many details that such a long time at sea, in challenging conditions, requires.
These last months are dedicated to the finishing touches to both boat and my personal preparation. It’s still quite hectic, but all on track.’
Part of the preparation has included refreshing his celestial navigation.
‘In 2022 I had it taped, after four years it needs a bit of brushing up. Constant practice is key.’
Photo by Guido Cantini
For his GGR boat, Cantini had first looked for a Tradewind 35 before settling on his Vancouver 34, Hannah of Cowes.
‘It’s a well designed and well built boat, it has great seakeeping abilities, it’s fast for its size, albeit not the fastest in the fleet on paper. Speed wasn’t my priority, sturdiness was and she’s a sturdy lady.’
Even on a sturdy vessel, to manage heavy weather, Cantini says his approach, ‘Depends very much on the conditions. No two storms are exactly alike.
I’m a believer in keeping the boat moving. After that, when it’s out of control, a Jordan series drogue will be my best friend. I had it modified so as to use it in various conditions and not just in extreme weather.’
With safety in mind, he paid particular attention to the condition of the hull and the engine when considering his vessel choice.
As most of it would be stripped or redone, the rest was less of a concern; a boat fit for “retro” racing would only be weighed down by most of the amenities normally found on a well-kitted modern vessel.
2018-19 Golden Globe Race winner Jean-Luc Van Den Heede’s winning Rustler 36, Matmut. Photo: Christophe Favreau/PPL/GGR.
In preparing Hannah, ‘The Notice of Race has been our bible. Suffice to say that absolutely nothing has been left to chance.’
He also took example from some of the modifications chosen by Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, winner of 2018 GGR, on his Rustler 36, Matmut.
The jobs required to get the boat race-ready ‘are countless and too many to list,’ Cantini says. ‘They fill tens of excel pages.’
These pages include removing all the furniture from the front cabin for an extra-meaty watertight bulkhead, replacing the wheel with a tiller, adding watertight lockers and a watertight radio system, and changing the existing king-post from wood to metal before bolting it to the keel and deck.
Cantini swapped soft water tanks for custom shaped plastic food grade, in order to carry as much water as possible.
Considering the Vancouver 34’s shallow bilge, he’ll have to take additional water tanks, but says this may prove to be an advantage as it will allow him to shift weight around as needed.
He also added a gas heater that runs on LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas).
‘Aside from the sailing fundamentals, I gave particular attention to the creature comforts.
We are social animals, to some degree or another. Being alone for so long, eating well and being warm, fairly dry, are all little components which make you perform better because you feel better.’
Like many of his fellow skippers, Cantini can’t wait to get to the actual sailing.
He’s most looking forward to ‘Being on the start line and leaving all the preparation hassles behind.
Just going out there and enjoying every minute of it, no matter how difficult.’
Quick facts: Guido Cantini / Hannah of Cowes
Sail Plan?
Eight sails out of the nine allowed for single mast boats. Keep it simple is my motto.
Furler or hank on?
Furler on both Genoa and Staysail.
Self-steering set up?
Hydrovane
Antifouling?
It’s a secret 😁
Sailing Inspirations:
The classic seafarers as well as modern ones. Knox-Johnston, Chichester, Moitessier, Slocum, Tabarly, Dalin, Soldini, Beccaria.
Three unexpected items you’ll take onboard:
- Lots of parmesan cheese
- Lots of biltong
- Books (I really like the classics, European, South African, Russian authors, so I’ll be taking many of those with me as well as tales of the sea from Joshua Slocum onwards)
Enjoyed reading this Golden Globe Race skipper profile?
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