Erik Aanderaa Viking Of The High Seas

Katy Stickland talks to Norwegian sailor Erik Aanderaa about why he searches out the worst weather the North Sea

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I know my boat. I know the waters I’m entering. I know my limitations. Still this situation is dangerous and can easily take a very bad turn. I don’t encourage anyone to try this. It will be at your own risk. Storms are dangerous.’ Norwegian solo skipper Erik Aanderaa is clear at the opening of his most popular YouTube video, Encountering Storm Force 10. He doesn’t want people to emulate what he is doing.

The 37-year-old has spent years slowly increasing his experience of sailing in heavy weather, crossing the North Sea in the middle of winter aboard his Contessa 35, Tessie, to test his ability, the boat and his equipment, all of which will prove invaluable when he sails to Greenland in July.

Like many offshore singlehanded sailors Aanderaa wants to know how his boat will handle in different conditions and make sure his seamanship skills are as honed as possible before any big adventure. The legendary Jean-Luc Van den Heede used a similar strategy ahead of the 2018-19 Golden Globe Race, spending a winter season sailing his Rustler 36, Matmut, out in Biscay as preparation for Southern Ocean storms. Based on his Biscay experiences, the French solo skipper lowered the yacht’s mast by 1.5m. He believes this prevented the yacht from dismasting, after his end-to-end pitchpole in 11m seas, 1,900 miles from Cape Horn.

But is deliberately sailing out into a Force 10 taking it too far? ‘Fear is only produced by the lack of knowledge. To get knowledge you will have to face your fear,’ defended Aanderra.

‘Sailing in over 50 knots downwind, offshore is touching the limit for what the boat can safely take. But now I know how it is.’