Lessons learned from the circumnavigation

Fuel tank: ‘My 31-year-old boat has a mild steel fuel tank,’ says Steve. ‘I had put biocide in, but in hindsight I would take the tank out and fit a plastic or stainless steel tank. I’d also take the inspection cover off, drain the tank and clean it before filling it with fuel.’

Servicing: ‘Make sure you agree a contract before getting any work done. I had lots of help from people in different marinas, but one time I was charged £430 for two-and-a-half hours work and a £5 part – I got charged extra for advice on the phone and £10 fuel for them to get a screw. I thought: “I’ve taken three months’ unpaid leave to do this thing for charity – I don’t expect service for free, but you’re ripping me off.”’

Stick to your guns: ‘As we were sailing with crew of varying experience on an old, small, 28ft boat, I decided to only go out in forecasts under Force 6 and moderate seas. My priority was safety.’

Plan ahead: ‘Get as much weather information as you can. I highly recommend the Android apps PocketGrib and MarineWeather by Accuweather – I used both on my tablet and smartphone whenever I could get a signal. I also got forecasts from the radio and marinas, plus local advice for passage plans going into harbours. Phone ahead: the almanac said one East Coast harbour had 24-hour access, but the harbour office told me that the sandbank hadn’t been dredged and we needed to arrive five hours +/- high water.’