‘I’ve always wanted to be at sea, ever since I was little. I Joined the navy at 18, and been involved with boats one way or another ever since.

‘Three years ago I was due my mid-life crisis. Some men get a girlfriend, some buy a Porsche; I bought a boat. Not something to sail in the bath, but one we could take places. My wife and I talked about what we were going to get, budget, kind of boat, and so on. As it would be a family boat, Brigitte quite liked the idea of an Etap. They can’t sink (no Titanic references please!). Maybe she just doesn’t trust me enough. Anyway, we came across an Etap 38i for sale in Nieuwpoort (Belgium). She seemed in okay nick, and after some negotiating we got the price down to within our budget (only just).

‘After three years of daysailing we’re ready for our first tentative steps offshore with our son Yanni (8) and daughter Evita (13). On 26 July we’ll be doing the Biscay Triangle, a cruising rally from Torquay to La Coruña, then La Trinite and home.’