Gaurav Shinde Ocean Racing

Time waits for no man. Whatever you wanted to do in your life, do it now! Happy New Year. Time to begin my year with a visit to the boat.

Some pictures from the launch earlier this season

I'm really glad to not have shrink wrapped! Most canvas covers cost $3-4000 for a 35-40ft boat. Shrink wrapping yearly costs $800+ You will get a return on your investment within a few seasons.

The poor guy who was supposed to shrink wrap got Covid so I had to go with my cover that had been holed by rats. So my Saturday was spent covering the boat in crazy ass wind chill but thanks to @mokshjani and Lou & Lynd Ferreira (my dock neighbours) I was able to get this task done before it got dark. Luckily I had extra canvas and a huge as tarp to cover the holes. But this is going to make going in and coming out a nightmare, but it has gotta be done.

An artist rendition by Vincent Hop of Kevin Escoffier's boat breaking up. What a crazy story. We will know soon, what really happened. #vendeeglobe2020 #sailing #oceanracing

Folded in 2 The risks and the limits that need to be explored to be the best in the world sometimes go a bit too far. But if you don't go far, how will you ever know if you've gone far enough

Absolutely gutted for Alex.

Frame up! Shrink wrap next and then the demolition begins! #ggr2022 #diyrefit #sailing #adventure #goldengloberace

New blogpost alert: Read more about the engine install saga that stretched out the entire covid shortened season.

Start your Monday morning listening to the Chase Your Dream podcast where I feature this week. I got a little emotional during this podcast. Hope you enjoy it.

Absolutely sad! I hope he can get that boat back soon.

Another podcast host I had a great time chatting with.

Beyou was a serious contender. Let's hope he can do Michel Desjoyeaux and come can into the race with his fast boat https://www.france24.com//20201111-vendee-globe-contender-

Can’t share this enough

Going into this week, remember to be your best self and focus on your own goals. #mondaymotivation #sailing #quotes #simonsinekquote #adventure #motivation #yachting

And just like that, 2020 sailing season is over. However, the work doesn’t stop! New port lights, new cabinetry and new electrical coming up over the winter. Come 2021, Good Hope will be a racing machine. #goodhope #baba35 #perryboat #haulout #sailing #ggr2022 #adventure #diyrefit

Monday Morning Inspiration PS: always clip on in the Pacific Ocean #happymonday #shareyourlife #adventure #sailing #clipperrtw #sailor #wheretonext #letsgoeverywhere #solocircumnavigation #sailtheworld #saillife #boatlife

A truly historic and professional event! Hopefully someday I'll be at the start line there. For now it's time for GGR!

Scientists are busy gathering pebbles from asteroids that are 320 million kilometres away and we are busy trying to stay alive while just getting groceries. For a moment, just imagine how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Live your life!

My dream boat is up for sale. Feel like going away to the Antarctic and Arctic with this boat. Looks less work than preparing for the ggr to go sailing on a design from the original ggr! https://www.yachtworld.com/bo/1977/joshua-40-ketch-3213229/

Maybe, if it was a double ended

Making a hole in the stern of boat calls for a picture. PC: Moksh Jani

I have been doing a lot of media recently. Here is an appearance on a podcast about a podcast all the way from New Zealand- it's a podcast to provide support, advice and direction to those who have undergone significant change so that they can continue to connect and fulfill their purpose. Have a watch or just listen. You will enjoy it.

#thedream truly the pinnacle of ocean racing and a professional event through and through. Baby steps! ... #oceanracing #vendeeglobe #circumnavigation

The first black man in Formula 1 becomes the Greatest Of All Time! Just imagine if more people of colour had access to motorsports and my sport sailing. I was a Michael Schumacher fan and never wanted anyone to surpass him, but Lewis Hamilton truly deserves to be the #GOAT #LH44 #lewishamilton91 #blacklivesmatter

Did something very different today! A podcast on business and recruiting. Shared some funny stories!

Can't be on the water today. If anyone is going out please keep an eye out. It was ok yesterday but windy this morning. If you have any clue reach out to the Halton Regional Police

getting cheap stuff on auction sites has now become my new addiction. I'm becoming a hoarder! But today's box has a lot of stuff I can use for my boat rewire so I'm happy.

This weekends plan was to do some serious work on the boat but On a trip to Walmart to buy drinking water for the boat I saw a good deal for pineapple’s. End of summer, why not do a nice tepache. Summer maybe be over but #wth Simple recipe- mix water, pineapple, a chilli, ginger, sugar(I used jaggery), cinnamon and cloves. ... And that’s all, it’ll be ready in 3 days and so I had to bring it home. I used some random ingredients there, Thai chilli does pack a massive punch with the cinnamon, but it tastes great now and I’m sure it’ll be tastier after it’s #fermented Maybe I should start a bored sailors recipe channel #zerowaste #hobby #tepache #recipe #boredsailor

2020 has been a horror year and maybe it's time to bring the season to a close. Many things were accomplished and many things on the to-do list remain pending. Hopefully the extra time on the hard will allow me to finish projects that will welcome a better world for 2021. Rest In Power RBG it was great to know that you liked sailing. We'll keep the fire for human rights burning on Good Hope.

I wish I could take Halo on the Golden Globe Race with me. He could be very handy for catching fish and barking at other competitors. He also doesn't get seasick, be it a 1000km car journey or sailing across the pond, but he hates dinghy rides!!! Regardless, Halo makes a great boat dog even though he's a bit larger for the boat. One day we plan to sail around the world so he can see more in his life as he's growing quick and becomes 2 years old next week. Can't wait for GGR to get over and start cruising with Halo. #boatsofinstagram #dogsofinsta #dogstagram #sailing #yaching #ggr2022 #dogswhosail #sailordog

Many people ask what will I eat for the 200 odd days of the Golden Globe Race ? There will be days where the calorie intake required will be 5000 and the normal requirement will be around 2000-2500. My #secretweapon in the food department will be RTE curry packets from India. They last a long time, aren’t freeze dried, have very less preservatives and are tasty as hell!!! See this packet I saw last night is supposed to last till 2022 and it’s only C$2.49 This tasty food is... going to keep me pumped all the way through and I’m going to leave the others smelling curry in my wake #nutrition #oceanracing #food #curry See more

Don McIntyre asked me to share the story of the 2008 race during my Golden Globe Race interview last Friday. I wrote a blog post to chronicle the journey as best I could remember. Please read my blog post: The race that made me- Lakshadweep Chronicles- Jan 2008 https://www.gauravshinde.com//lakshadweep-chronicles-jan-2

If you missed it, you can learn more about me and my prep for the race here in my Golden Globe Race live chat with founder & chairman Don McIntyre #GGR2022 #adventure #circumnavigation #sailing #canada #india

She roars! Finally! The sweet sound of the engine coming to life on the first try. After lots of work in a confined space to get the engine working, this was a momentous occasion for me. Vindication, relief, excitement for someone else in my place but for me this was just another job ticked off the list. Onto the next job this morning. Good hope has had a way of testing my patience but building my resilience. Good Hope doesn’t give in easily, she’s teaching me a life lesson ...every day. I’m sure she’s looking forward to her journey to her home-the Cape of Good Hope, but she’s making sure I’m capable and she’s well dressed when she gets there in first place in the Golden Globe Race Special thanks to my brother from another mother and Covid brother Chris from St Vincent! At 63 we’ve formed a partnership and bond that will get Good Hope ready for the oceans in no time #ggr2022 #sailing #yachting #goodhope #boatlife #diyrefit #saillife #inittowinit

Couldn’t believe my that I was racing my childhood hero @robert.scheidt on virtual racing!!! Sorry Robert, I messed up your race, I was just too star struck. #virtualracing #vrinshore #sailing

People of passion understand other people of passion. I went to @samhrespeed to get the exhaust manifold fabricated with anti -siphon for my engine and when I went to pick it up, he had it made in hours and then didn’t charge me for this. It’s people like Sam who are going to get me across the start line and finish line of the Golden Globe Race If you are into cars check out his shop and all the work he does. #grateful #peoplewithpassion #ldnont

My backup sextant is here, all the way from Moncton New Brunswick. This one is a 1977 Tamaya sextant #toys #toystagram #tamayasextant #celestialnavigation #celnav #ggr2022 #sailing #adventure #adventuretime

I love everything sailing. One of the most inspirational movies I have watched is 'Alone Across The Pacific' a 1963 Japanese movie on Kenichi Horie's solo passage from Japan to SF aboard a 19ft boat. I wanted to do the same in the Bombay Seabirds. I didn't understand Japanese and there were no subtitles but I watched the entire movie in awe. If you get a chance, don't miss a chance to watch this. It's true adventure. No carbon fiber and no fancy gear and no passport even. Th...ey made them pure adventurers back then. #adventure #sailingmovies #ggr2022 #pacificocean #singlehandedsailing https://youtu.be/JnHcR9Bh0Kg.

One year ago I fell in love!

In the absence of a working engine I tried somewhat of a stunt two weeks ago that I learned from SAIL Magazine that I was told about by a well wisher Randy Cook- alongside tow with a rubber dinghy and a 9.9 Johnson motor that I borrowed from Ed O'Connor who has been supporting me through my stay at the previous yard. I was desperate to move the boat from the previous nightmare yard to my new yacht club PCYC in Mississauga. After the false alarm of the stuffing box I got the b...oat in order and went all in. Luck just wasn't on my side. The forecast was showing a steady breeze that never arrived and I had less fuel than required. I had to slow down Midway and pray for wind, which finally came 8 hours later and right on the nose. After more than 12 hours to sail just 25NM I finally arrived at PCYC just after midnight. The promising news was that when the breeze came the boat was doing a good 4knots with Yankee only. Just another day in my life. Nothing comes easy but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Onwards and upwards we go! #lakeontariosailing #sailing #yachting #goldengloberace2022 #ggr2022 #sailife #diyrefit #boatlife #inittowinit

Getting closer to having the engine working. The @bruntonsprops sigmadrive makes it so easy to align the engine.

So things are not as they seem. As I started mission remove useless weight from the boat it has been noticed that the stern is lifting up. A quick message to the designer and I found out that early Baba 35s needed an extra ballast of 1000lbs added astern to balance them out and increase performance. The good news is that the boat performs well regardless. On my sail last Thursday, Good Hope was doing a good 3.5-4 knots in just 7-9 knots of breeze with only the 140% up. Wonder how fast she'd be with the main and staysail out. We'll find out soon. #baba35 #perryboat #GGR2022

Thank you Larry for everything

You asked, we listened! Go FaceBook LIVE with Bert and Sir Salty on Friday July 24 from 1-2pm PST. Link here : https://facebook.com/events/s/facebook-live-with-bert-and-sa/585695388983536/?ti=icl

We Indians don't break a champagne bottle when the boat is launched, we break a coconut. Yesterday after delays set us back weeks, we finally stepped the mast a...nd got underway but had to come back after sailing only a few miles because of vibration issues with the stuffing box which led to a steady stream of water coming in. I got it back to safety to make sure it wasn't anything severe. Found out that it's just age and upkeep. The nuts came loose due to the vibration. I tightened the nuts and now he flow is 10drops / 24 seconds. I figured I'll just stay where I am for a few more days figure out everything before I move her again. Lesson for the day: she's a lovely old lady but needs to be treated a bit more gently till she's back to her old ways again. Thanks to Ed O'Connor, Moksh Jani and Ashish Kokane for going through the motions with me.

Going live in 57 mins. Grab your lunch and watch along for 12 mins as I speak about the updates on my prep for the Golden Globe Race.

It's "12 mo Minutes" with Gaurav Shinde :) How's Gaurav coming along with his quest to sail around the world by himself? How has the COVID lockdown affected hi...s efforts to prep for this adventure? What next steps lie immediately ahead? How are his parents doing back home in India? We discussed all of that in what felt like an extremely quick 12 minutes! momondays London is presented by: Mulligan Realty Group - Re/Max Centre City NoScheduleMan.com Sbenati Dentistry London's Airport Hyundai London's Airport KIA

Another huge news! I have decided to use the CapeHorn Marine Products Wind Vane Self Steering for the Golden Globe Race. You know I like doing things differently from the majority but this was a very well thought out decision. I was sure I wanted a servo pendulum wind vane and also something Canadian made. The CH is very popular with Perry Boat owners. Yves Gelinas also has a great product, which enables me to hide all the lines underneath. He also has been an excellent men...tor helping with ideas for boat prep for the race and was kind enough to send me a autographed copy of his book and the DVD of his film. The best part is, it is made locally in Canada! CH has been used for many circumnavigations, by Yves himself on his Alberg 30, by Donna Lange on her two circumnavigations and by Pierre Andre-Huglo on his circumnavigation with The Longue Route which was the same time as the Golden Globe Race. I cannot wait! #madeincanada #sailing #oceanracing #ggr2022 #gg2022 #windvane #wvss #circumnavigation #capehorn #adventure #circumnavigation #inittowinit #sailinglife #yachting

The engine is finally in. Alignment today and tomorrow and hopefully we'll start it again Friday and be sailing off to PCYC on Saturday. This again has been one of my frugal decisions which I hope works out. It's a Chinese made engine which is a copy of Bukh engines. They are often used by fishermen in South East Asia and that is why I feel the engine will be reliable. I anyway need the engine to go in and out of marinas. Sail is the main power source for my boat! #marinedieselengines #sailing #baba35 #perryboat #ggr2022 #gg2022 #oceanracing #yachting #goodhope #yachting #sailboatengine #diyprojects #diyrefit

Wow! Blast from the past! An article about me in a Singaporean magazine from 2014. Oh, the dreams I had then and the ones I am pursuing now!!! Read on, you will enjoy it. https://www.tabla.com.sg//21021/epage021/TA21-TAB-023.html ... #GGR2022 #GG2022 #OceanRacing

I just couldn't find a better picture! Him keeping me safe as I explore something new. He's given everything that I needed from him and more and now he has also fought the coronavirus. Coming back after winning @goldengloberace to my dad and mom is the biggest motivation in my life right now. Happy Father's Day and I hope you get out of that Hospital soon!... #fathersday #ggr2022 #gg2022

This evening was a successful day of virtual racing at the Port Credit Yacht Club (PCYC) virtual monday night. Sniffing all the anti-fouling just before racing helped my online game. Also, I am very thankful for all the wishes and everyone that reached out to me to check on my parents’ health. My father was moved out of the ICU last night Indian time. My mother continues to recover at home and is being looked after by friends and family. Hopefully they will be better soon.

It's been a difficult week. My parents in India have been diagnosed with covid-19. My father is hospitalized and recovering and mother is at home with minor symptoms. Being far away, there's not much I can do other than organize. Luckily, family & friends have rallied to our support in these times. I look forward more than ever to take my parents sailing for the first time on Good Hope. There's nothing more I want in this world. For now we are scheduled for a summer solstic...e launch. I would again like to stress, please look out for each other in these uncertain times. That is how we defeat the biggest problems that plague mankind.

Binnacle out after a lot of muscle work. Tomorrow will be fiberglass day. If I could go back in time, I would go back to the 80s and tell the TaShing guys to go easy on the caulking and epoxy. #baba35 #perryboat #ggr2022 #gg2022 #oceanracing #diyrefit #instaboat #yachtinglifestyle

Last week we painted the bottom of Good Hope, this week the basement of rental no.1. it's been a workout. Next is fixing the flooring- today's workout was lifting 65 boxes of flooring! #homerenovation #financialfreedom #rentalproperty #gg2022 #ggr2022 #inittowinit #nopainnogain

I have never met Patrick in my life but this news has brought me to tears. Patrick's videos were my go to for any work on Good Hope. I'm really sorry for your loss Rebecca. This is difficult as I deal with the situation back home in India worsens. Stay safe everyone and look out for everyone around you.

This weekend we made unreal amounts of progress thanks to the efforts of my friends Ashish Kokane and Moksh Jani. Both from Mumbai, Ashish is my childhood friend and Moksh was a Sea Cadet at TS Jawahar like me. Such friendships are the driving force of my campaign and such committment will see this campaign through! This was all followed by a well deserved vada pav, dosa and Biryani. A good day with a good end. 1 week to launch day!

Finances are tough in times of covid-19 and the GGR itself is a big commitment. But, I am an MBA and I am the man with the plan. If anyone can, I can. Here is an open conversation about my plan to fund my Golden Globe Race 2022 campaign while trying to remain corinthian. If you have more tips on how I can raise money, I am all ears! ... #GGR2022 #OceanRacing #PersonalFinance #InItToWinIt

Next item of the engine assembly is here. All the way from Bruntons Propellers in UK. Flexible coupling and spacer as my engine needs some wiggle room to fit properly in place. #diyrefit #diy #oceanracing #ggr2022

#FML 821 days to go for the start of the Golden Globe Racefrom Les Sables d'Olonne and the list of #todo grows and grows. #ggr2022 #inittowinit #circumnavigation #oceanracing

No black out for me. This is a letter of support from the leader of my people Dr. B. R. Ambedkar to one of the founders of the NAACP Prof. W.E.B. DuBois We support them like he did in their fight against systemic injustice in America as we fight our fight against systemic injustice in India. #blacklivesmatter #dalitlivesmatter #blackouttesday #riseup

Dinghy davits are not made for this but come in handy regardless. The batteries are out. Monday will come the tank and the paint and then we are off in a week. #goldengloberace2022 #ggr2022 #launchprep #repower