Ertan Beskardes has plenty of experience preparing for solo races, having entered both the 2018 and 2022 Golden Globe Race.

But loneliness and the lack of contact with his family ended both races for the Turkish-UK sailor.

Now, he plans to compete in the 2025 Mini Globe Race: the difference? With no restrictions on having modern communications equipment on board, he will be able to stay in constant contact with his family while sailing each leg of the race.

“A lack of communication with my family has been my one issue in the past; it takes the pleasure out of the race,” explained Ertan Beskardes.

“To be able to just call my mother, and say ‘How are you, mom? And she says, ‘I’m okay’; that makes me feel really very happy.”

A sailor since his teenage years, Beskardes learnt to handle a yacht on the Bosphorus strait in Turkey, where he lived until moving to England and settling in Bournemouth, where he runs a military tailoring and regalia business with his wife, Arzu.

Together, they built their first boat in the back garden of their home, regularly sailing out of Christchurch.

Since those early days, they have owned a Drascombe Cruiser Longboard, a Parker 235, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 33 and the Rustler 36, Lazy Otter, which Beskardes sailed in both editions of the Golden Globe Race.

He has since sold Lazy Otter and bought the Globe 5.80, Trekka from the Mini Globe Race and Class Globe 5.80 founder, Don McIntyre.

Beskardes has already qualified for the Mini Globe Race 2025, having finished the 2023 Globe 5.80 Transat, where he placed fourth.

Trekka is based in Antigua, the start of the 2025 race; leg 1 will begin on 23 February 2025,

“This will be quite an epic journey in a little boat. Having taken part in the 2018 and 2022 Golden Globe Races, I am hoping it will be third time lucky to make it around the world.”

Why enter the Mini Globe Race?

Ertan Beskardes: I decided to do the Mini Globe 2025 because I needed something else to keep my mind occupied. And I called Don [McIntyre, founder of Mini Globe Race who used to own the Globe 5.80, Trekka]  up and said, ‘I’ll buy your boat and do the Transat [Globe 5.80 Transat], which I did last year.

It was a one-second decision, so to go on to do the Mini Globe was a no-brainer and will keep me occupied in 2025. I always need something, it is a habit now.

I’ve got ideas and am thinking about what to do in 2026, 2027 and 2028; I’ve got all those things in my mind now. As long as I am healthy and alive and have the means to do it, I will do it

What is it like going from a 36ft Rustler to a 19ft Globe 5.80?

Ertan Beskardes: It is less comfortable, obviously. And because you’ve got no engine power [only allowed an electric outboard] you can’t just go into a port, and you can’t go back somewhere because the wind will be coming on the nose.

So, 5 miles can take 12 hours, so you change the way you sail; but she is lovely. I’ve no complaints.

You do not get much exercise so walking can be difficult after spending a long time on board but although there is less of everything, like space and comfort, you just adapt; it is also more exciting.

What do you learn from the 2023 Globe 5.80 Transat?

Ertan Beskardes: Apart from the 20-hour storm, it was slow. I spent a week just stationary and I went swimming every day; the weather was lovely, the sea was warm so it was more like a holiday.

I learned what I learnt in the Bay of Biscay when I left Les Sables d’Olonne; the boat is good and safe and she’ll take anything.

But the voyage took a long time. I arrived at the finish. [Antigua] on 31st of December, and I had so many days just stationary.

But I had communication so I didn’t get bored, I could send lots of WhatsApp pictures to my children, and I plan to get Starlink [for the Mini Globe Race 2025] so I can do the same while I am crossing the Pacific Ocean.

Did the 20-hour storm help you develop your storm tactics at all?

Ertan Beskardes: During the 20-hour tropical storm, the boat was on its side so many times, that I can’t remember how many times, but it’s a very safe boat; it’s just uncomfortable.

When there are squalls for two hours or so, I just stay outside and deal with it but this lasted 20 hours so I spent a lot of time inside and just let the wind vane steer me downwind; the boat was just jumping over the waves like a cork. It’s just uncomfortable, not unsafe.

When the storm hit, I had my furlers up on the mast, so I took them down fast because of the windage. In the future, I will make sure that when I have finished with the furlers, I will bring them down on deck unless the weather is fantastic.

I will make the rear solar panel removable so I can remove them in a blow and put them inside the cockpit. In 40 knots, those solar panels act like a sail.

The boat is like a lifeboat once you close the hatch; yes, you can lose the mast, but it is very, very strong indeed. The boat will also not go upwind.

Drogues or warps?

Ertan Beskardes: I have never used them in the past but I do have a lot of long ropes and I have lightweight drogues.

Based on your Globe 5.80 Transat experience, have you made any modifications to Trekka?

Ertan Beskardes:  There is nothing much to be done to make it more comfortable inside. You actually sleep like a dog as it is so small inside you can’t just stretch out as you always have to sleep on the higher side.

You are always very uncomfortable sleeping when the boat is leaning, but when the boat is going downwind, you just sleep in the middle of it.

When the weather is nice, sleeping isn’t a problem so it is comfortable relatively speaking.

As for other changes, I have installed a new top-down furler and that is about it.

What self-steering set up are you planning to use?

Ertan Beskardes: Hydrovane. Trekka originally came with a South Atlantic, but it is my personal opinion that the Hydrovane is better for a round-the-world voyage.

It is an idiot-proof system and it is very strong. I also used a Hydrovane in my Golden Globe Race so I know it works for me.

What antifouling will you be using?

Ertan Beskardes: When I left Lanzarote [the start of the 2023 Globe 5.80 Transat], the boat was clean but when I got stuck and the boat was parked for days, I couldn’t believe that the bottom of the boat was covered in barnacles and that slowed me down for several days until the wind stopped and then I could get in the water and clean them off.

So the moral of the story is to have lots of layers and make it fresh before a trip.

If the boat is moving, it is not a problem; the problem comes when the boat is effectively parked [becalmed].

I will use International, which I used on Lazy Otter in the Golden Globe Race.

Are you confident you will make the start?

Ertan Beskardes: I have already qualified for the Mini Globe Race as I did the Transat last year.

How are you preparing yourself?

Ertan Beskardes: I am ready to go right now. I am always open for business.

How will you cope with solo sailing?

Ertan Beskardes: I am used to sailing solo so it won’t be a problem and unlike the Golden Globe Race, we have comms for the Mini Globe Race so I will be able to send messages to everyone, which I like very much.

To be able to just call my mother, ‘How are you, mom? And she says, ‘I’m okay’; that makes me feel really very happy. Not knowing is not a very nice thing, and a lack of communication with my family has been my one issue in the past; it takes the pleasure out of the race.

For the Mini Globe Race, I will be able to stay in contact. Arzu [Ertan’s wife] can call me to ask me business questions too and I can answer them which makes me feel useful.

Boredom is a huge issue. Once you have set up the wind vane steering, the boat just goes.

It is not everybody’s cup of tea. For some people, it is natural to do nothing, but I find it very difficult.

Routing is forbidden. How are you preparing to sail the best route?

Ertan Beskardes: I will follow the traditional routes. I am a sort of rum line type of person because the boats are so slow, they make 100 miles, if you’re lucky, a day.

So you stick to the rum line. And unless something terrible is coming, you just stay on there, rain and shine.

How important is it that the Mini Globe Race is in legs?

Ertan Beskardes: Stops mean I can have friends and family visiting me in all of these lovely places and I already have people lined up, so it will feel more like a holiday trip

Obviously, you want to go as fast as possible. And I hope those who start in Lagos [for the 2024 Globe 5.80 Transat] will continue on to Antigua, but it is quite a commitment of time, money and so on.

Quite a few serious people are taking part, so it’ll be very exciting to sail against them and race them. And obviously, you want to get there as quickly as possible; that is part of the fun.

Which leg are you most looking forward to?

Ertan Beskardes: I am looking forward to sailing from Madagascar to South Africa; I think it will be an exciting journey due to the weather system there.

You are doing it from the south around Cape Town and that will be quite exciting.

We are bound to get some heavy weather days in the Pacific, but these days you can never tell; the weather is so unpredictable now.

What I have learned over the years is it is the windlass days rather than too windy days which sums up ocean sailing; everyone tends to want more wind.

What will your daily schedule on board be like?

Ertan Beskardes: I will be doing a daily check of the boat, and when the weather is calm, I will go over the side to check the bottom.

On this around-the-world race, I must have an exercise regime so I don’t lose strength in my legs.

After the 2023 Globe 5.80 Transat, I found I lost a lot of strength in my legs because I hadn’t done much. This is because you’re always on your knees. I will make sure I also swim when I can, which I do enjoy.

The Mini Globe Race is a celebration of John Guzwell and Trekka. What words of wisdom from Guzwell will you be following?

Ertan Beskardes: I read his book years ago, and he just went for a holiday; it took him years to go around.

What he achieved was wonderful, but this is far more serious than John Guzwell ever did because we will be racing like-for-like boats.

Unlike the Golden Globe Races [where many different types of boats are allowed], everyone has the same equipment so your sailing ability will show more on this race.

Those who sail the boat well will get there quicker.

If you want to sail these boats fast, you need to hand steer which I do not really do.

But generally, I let the boat work for me rather than the other way around and I think the Hydrovane [wind vane] will help me sail the boat as fast as possible without having to hand steer.

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