Breaking Records: My Solo Sailing Challenges
YouMind was a game-changer throughout these challenges. Discover how it can help you unlock your full potential and improve your life.
Phuket – Where It All Began
After relocating to Phuket during a period of big changes, I set myself a challenge: sail as far as possible on a single-handed dinghy without assistance. I trained with a former SAS soldier before attempting my first record.
The Gulf of Thailand – Pushing Further
My second and third records were set in the Gulf of Thailand. Each challenge tested endurance, navigation, and survival skills.
Morocco – The Toughest Test
After losing my first record for the longest solo dinghy sail, I aimed to reclaim it. In September 2021, I relocated to Morocco for a new attempt. The journey was life-threatening but full of lessons. The second and third attempts were sabotaged—one ended with my boat confiscated, and in the last, I was blocked at sea by the coast guard for reasons I will not explain.
Turning the Tide – Official Support & Media Attention
After these unexpected issues, I reached out to the authorities to explain my challenge. The response was overwhelming. I received massive support, including navy ships as escort vessels, a helicopter on standby, and national media coverage. I made three more attempts, the last one in August 2024.
A New Direction
Following the final attempt, I decided to change location. The geopolitical and weather conditions were no longer suitable for challenges that require fast decisions and immediate action.
Preparation: What It Takes
- Mental Conditioning – Training for isolation and loneliness in a hostile environment, facing the fear of the unknown and dangerous conditions, and developing the ability to stay awake and fully focused for many days in a row.
- Food & Survival – Managing nutrition and energy in extreme conditions: understanding the body’s needs, consuming small but highly nutritious portions, mastering temperature and pain management, and being prepared to swim long distances if the boat is lost.
- Tactics & Training – Learning from elite survival techniques to stay sharp on the water: developing a deep understanding of the weather patterns in the sailing area, analyzing forecasts from the past 10 years, studying light conditions at night for navigation, reading the night sky, and assessing maritime traffic. This also includes analyzing swell direction, period, and frequency at different times, monitoring water temperature and estimating survival time before hypothermia, and identifying natural hazards such as lightning, rocks, shallow waters, currents, and air temperature fluctuations.
Media Coverage & Features
Articles about the 2014-2015 challenge
Article published in Sailworld, click here.
Article published by The Phuket news, click here
Articles about the 2019-2020 challenge
Article published in The Phuket news, click here.
Article published in Sailworld, click here.
Articles about the 2021-2022 challenge
Article published in Sailworld, click here.
Attempt one – The crazy ride – debriefing, click here.
A list of articles relating the 2024 attempts in Morocco.
2024 – First and second attempts
Hi. I wanted to share an update on the first and second attempt of the world record journey. I started with first journey on Saturday, the 20th, from the marina at 3:30 pm. Anticipating favorable conditions, I aimed to harness a good breeze, coupled with the right current direction, to get to the Atlantic side.
The wind turned out to be lower than expected and incredibly shifty. I found myself stuck and, at times, sailing backward. Realizing the situation, I contacted the support boat, and together, we determined that the best course of action was to return to the shore and await more conducive conditions.
February 29th, I embarked on my second ocean voyage. A few hours into the journey, I noticed the swell was increasing. Concerned, I contacted the support boat captain for a weather update. He informed me that by late afternoon, the swell would reach 10 feet. Prioritizing safety, we decided to return to shore.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the navy for their unwavering support throughout the initial attempt. Check out the video from the first attempt HERE
I am actively seeking another three-day weather window, with hopes of restarting the journey next week.
Find below the login information to access the trackers position in real time.
https://my.yb.tl/alwayshigher
password:
tangertest2024
Yassine
NEXT ATTEMPT: between the 20th and 30th of August.
Third attempt – August 2024
In August, I made another attempt but was met with unfavorable conditions that ultimately hindered progress.
One of the primary challenges in this area is the extensive administrative process, including the numerous meetings required with authorities and the need to inform them several days in advance of my departure. This level of pre-notification makes it nearly impossible to align with optimal weather and sea conditions.
After careful consideration, I informed the authorities of my decision to discontinue attempts in this location. I plan to explore other regions where both the geopolitical landscape and natural conditions are more conducive to hosting this type of sporting event.
Thank you for your support and understanding as I continue to pursue this goal in a more favorable environment.