Lassi Liimatainen decided at the last moments in Punta del Este that he would no longer continue sailing to the finish line in Tapio Lehtinen’s boat. “The long journey just came to an end.”
Another one too sailor Tapio Lehtinen in the team missed the trip in the Ocean Globe Race.
A native of Raisio Lassi Liimatainen returned home from the last port of call, Punta del Este, having previously sailed a good 21,000 nautical miles, just under 40,000 kilometers, on the Galiana WithSecure boat.
A Kitti resident living in Turku Juho Sattanen missed out in November at the end of the first leg in Cape Town. Sattanen appealed to his personal reasons.
In demanding open sea sailing, conflicts always happen when you are together for a long time in a small space and under the pressure of a competitive situation.
The Ocean Globe Race has seen a lot of team changes, most of which have been pre-arranged.
Sailors have also changed from one boat to another in the staging ports. That’s what happened in the Whitbread sailing, the predecessor of the Ocean Globe Race, in the 1970s and 1990s.
Liimatainen, 30, would also have liked to continue the Ocean Globe Race to the finish line in England. For example, in the second Finnish boat in the competition, Jussi Paavosepän the skippered Spirit of Helsinki boat would have possibly still had room for one.
“I made the final decision with chalk lines three days before the start. There was no time to apply for a place on other boats,” says Liimatainen.
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“I have always stuck to my own values and I respect them.”
How there was a big mutiny on the boat when two of the key sailors left the boat?
“There was no rebellion. In my case, there was a conflict of values. I drew my own conclusions. The long journey just came to an end. In Punta, it became obvious that my and Tapio’s ideas about managing people and communicating were too far apart,” Liimatainen honestly reflects on his departure.
“There was nothing wrong with the trip and it is very sad that the trip was cut short. Sailing was not a problem. I have always stuck to my own values and I respect them. I had nothing against anyone. Tapio and the team deserve peace of mind.”
Skipper Lehtinen said he respects Liimatainen’s decision. He especially thanked Liimatai for the smart routing advice and the sense of responsibility.
On the Galiana WithSecure boat, Liimatainen was the watch manager on the second and third legs. He inherited the position from Juho Sattase, who left earlier.
The second leg was sailed from Cape Town to Auckland and the third from Auckland to Punta del Este in Uruguay.
After the departure of Liimatainen and Sattanen, Galiana was left with skipper Lehtinen and nine sailors, which is enough to transport the boat. The Ocean Globe Race also includes boats with eight sailors.
“Now everyone gets at least their own tick,” Liimatainen laughs.
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“The group became like a second family, which we mourned the loss of.”
Galiana WithSecure boat team crossing the equator. Lassi Liimatainen behind the group and Juho Sattanen in front.
I will glue it the sailing project on Galiana started in 2019, when Lehtinen applied for sailors to join his team in the round-the-world sailing race starting in the fall of 2023.
The final team was selected in the fall of 2021. After that, two years of training and finishing the boat began.
“The group became like a second family, which we mourned the loss of,” says Liimatainen.
Most of the 14 boats that entered the Ocean Globe Race were assembled from sailing enthusiasts and a few professional sailors. Enthusiasts pay for their place with money and work.
Galiana’s basic philosophy was different. The team was not paid and did not pay for their participation. The goal of the project is to transfer the Finnish open sea sailing tradition to the next generation.
“Compared to other boats, being together for a long time even before the race was an advantage and a strength for us. We developed a special sense of humor and everyone got along well with each other. At sea, small compliments warmed you up. May I, excuse me and thank you were in active use,” says Liimatainen.
How sad was it to leave a group that had been together for a long time?
“That was hard. The last days in Punta del Este went by in an unbelievable fog, and on the other hand, I was in a hurry to think about how to get to Finland. It held the deck together.”
“The morning of departure was difficult. I had promised myself that I would still go to meet others with a smiling face. It was devastating when I no longer continued.”
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“Everything was topped off when we got a bag of tangerines.”
Lassi Liimatainen wants to continue open sea sailing in some form.
The warden in addition to the tasks, Liimatainen made a plan for the best route for the first ten days and a time estimate for when we will be there.
On the first leg, from Southampton to Cape Town, Galiana made it in 48 days, Liimatainen counted the travel time as 42 days.
“I felt guilty and failed when the assessment went wrong. On the other hand, we sailed at least about a thousand extra miles compared to the estimated route due to unfavorable winds. However, Tapio said that there is no point in worrying.”
When the boat finally landed in Cape Town, the emotional upheaval was huge.
“The feeling of relief and achievement came over me when we caught the boat in the dark in the cramped harbor. It was topped off when we got a bag of tangerines. It was the first fresh food in five weeks and it tasted better than the much-needed beer.”
In the second and third sections, the route estimates hit the button, so successes were felt.
Touring Cape Horn is also memorable. Eleven new kaphoornars joined Galiana’s team at once. Only Lehtinen had previously sailed around Cape Horn.
“The dolphins were also great. You couldn’t help but smile when you saw them around the boat.”
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“I was especially excited to go to the South Sea.”
Before at the start you said you wanted to try your own abilities. How well did you do it?
“I think I succeeded. I’ve been a skipper in patrol sailing for a long time, but now it was new to lead sailors my peers and in many respects more skilled than me as a watch chief.”
“It was especially exciting to go to the South Sea, but even that was not an insurmountable place.”
You also said that the Ocean Globe Race is a journey of self-discovery. Was that it?
“Really, it was a lot of spiritual growth. Getting away from the normal routine of everyday life and many weeks without a phone took my thoughts elsewhere.”
Between navigation and watch shifts, Liimatainen had time to read a dozen books, the most interesting of which turned out to be a book by a South African comedian Trevor Noahin letter An illegitimate child.
The book tells a humorously honest story about an unruly boy who grows into a restless young man. He learns how to overcome difficulties with humor.
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“I’m not a finished sailor yet, there’s still a lot to develop.”
Ashore Liimatainen plans to complete his unfinished master’s studies at Aalto University in the field of construction science.
“The circular economy of construction is a hot topic at the moment.”
Liimatainen plans to continue sailing together with Juho Sattanen on a loaned 6.50 meter Classe Mini class boat. It is the world’s first step into the big open sea competition classes.
If sailing the Mini goes well, the plan is to get a Class 40 boat. It would be possible to race in the Atlantic in big well-known open sea races and even around the world in the next 2025 or 2029 Globe40 race
“It can be one goal. I’m not a finished sailor yet, there’s still a lot to develop.”
With glue there is a good month to think about whether he will go to the finish line in Cowes, England to receive his former team. The first boats will arrive at the finish line after mid-April.
In the handicap overall competition, Galiana is fourth after three legs and ninth in the current last leg. The fourth part started on March 5.
“With a couple of French competition partners, we promised that we would take a Cape Horn-themed golden earring in England. This promise and Galiana’s goal can be enough reasons to travel to England.”
According to sailor tradition, the jewelry is taken in the ear that was closer to Cape Horn when sailing. In the case of the adhesive, the jewelry would trip the left ear.