Episode #7: Brendan Huffman on Prepping for a Major Race

Welcome back to Latitude 38’s new podcast, Good Jibes! In this podcast, we’re bringing you the world of sailing through the eyes of the West Coast Sailor. Each week, you’ll hear stories and tips from the West Coast sailing community on cruising, racing and just plain sailing. Cast off, laugh and learn, and become a better sailor. Hosted by John Arndt, Nicki Bennett, Ryan Foland, and the team at Latitude 38 – the sailing magazine for West Coast sailors since 1977!

This week’s host, Ryan Foland, is joined by Brendan Huffman to chat about how he prepared for the Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race from San Francisco to Hawaii. Brendan is a US Sailing Certified Instructor at UCLA’s Marina Aquatic Center and has raced to Hawaii seven times. Hear how to prepare and take safety precautions for a giant race, what to do if you wipe out or get thrown overboard, how to eat and sleep during the race, debunking sailing superstitions, and the emotions that come with casting off for a long journey and then finishing to friends and family in beautiful Hawaii. This episode covers everything from safety precautions to good meals.

Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Is there something special about sailing by yourself?
• How do you prepare for the Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race?
• What safety requirements are there for the race?
• How do you eat and sleep on a major race?
• Why are bananas supposedly bad luck on sailboats?
• What is the story behind the belt buckle?
• Will Brendan do the race again?
• Tack or Jibe: What is oil canning?

Learn more at https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/singlehanded-transpacific-race-wrap/.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots – follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!

Good Jibes is brought to you by the Safe Boating Campaign, in partnership with the National Safe Boating Council and U.S. Coast Guard. Learn more at SafeBoatingCampaign.com.

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Brendan Huffman on Prepping for a Major Race
  • [0:00] Good Jibes is brought to you by the Safe Boating Campaign, in partnership with the National Safe Boating Council and U.S. Coast Guard. Learn more at SafeBoatingCampaign.com
  • [0:47] Welcome to Good Jibes with Latitude 38
  • [0:51] Ryan Foland
  • [1:05] Subscribe to Latitude 38 at Latitude38.com
  • [1:20] Learn more at https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/singlehanded-transpacific-race-wrap/
  • [1:43] What is Brendan’s bio?
  • [3:52] Does he love sailing?
  • [4:49] What is a story that shaped him about sailing?
  • [5:43] GPS
  • [6:40] Spinnaker
  • [7:37] Is there something special about sailing by yourself?
  • [7:55] Catalina Island
  • [8:21] COVID-19
  • [8:45] How do you get out of your comfort zone when sailing by yourself?
  • [10:04] How do you prepare for the Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race?
  • [13:07] What safety requirements are there for the race?
  • [14:37] Farallones
  • [15:03] Pacific Cup
  • Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race
  • [15:46] How was it casting off?
  • [18:12] How many people were in the race?
  • [18:52] Cruising Club of America
  • [19:19] Golden Gate Yacht Club
  • [20:34] What was the impact of the wind holes?
  • [21:01] Pacific High
  • [22:09] How do you eat and sleep during a major race?
  • [24:01] Why are bananas supposedly bad luck on sailboats?
  • [26:21] Was there a turning point in the race?
  • [27:15] Autopilot
  • [28:22] What is a round up?
  • [29:24] What was the rest of the race like?
  • [29:52] Kauai
  • [30:03] Navy
  • [31:24] Squall
  • [32:09] Hanalei Bay
  • [32:49] What is the story behind the belt buckle?
  • [33:01] Singlehanded Sailing Society (SSS)
  • [33:18] Will Brendan do the race again?
  • Tack or Jibe?
  • [35:02] What is Brendan’s favorite sailboat?
  • [35:28] What is his cruiser to racer ratio?
  • [36:00] What is the biggest lesson he learned from this race?
  • [36:34] If he could sail anywhere, where would it be?
  • [37:34] What is oil canning?
  • [38:32] What is a fun fact about sails?
  • [39:55] Airbnb, Podcast
  • [40:05] How would Brendan convince a power-boater to go sailing?
  • [42:10] Good Jibes is brought to you by the Safe Boating Campaign, in partnership with the National Safe Boating Council and U.S. Coast Guard. Learn more at SafeBoatingCampaign.com
  • [42:15] What is Brendan’s most important safety piece other than a life jacket?
  • [43:20] What is his biggest fear on the water?
  • [44:48] Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing by John Rousmaniere
  • [45:14] Mutiny on the Bounty: A Novel by Charles Nordhoff
  • [45:31] 10,000 Leagues Over the Sea by William Albert Robinson
  • [46:00] Mutiny on the Bounty movie
  • [48:07] What final thoughts does Brendan have?
  • [50:21] Email Brendan at [email protected] and check out UK Sailmakers 
  • [50:28] Learn more at https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/singlehanded-transpacific-race-wrap/
  • [51:19] Make sure to follow Good Jibes with Latitude 38 on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
  • [51:55] Follow our sponsor, the Safe Boating Campaign, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @boatingcampaign and use the hashtags #SafeBoating and #RealBoatersWearit. Learn more at SafeBoatingCampaign.com
  • [52:26] Subscribe to Latitude 38 at Latitude38.com
  • Theme Song: Pineapple Dream by SOLXIS