Byron's big adventure: From logistics to life on board

Byron Blair, a 61-year-old logistics and operations director from Chorley, Lancashire, never imagined he’d find himself preparing to cross the South Atlantic in a stripped-back 70ft ocean racing yacht. And yet, here he is, standing on the Clipper Race pontoons in Musto technical apparel, gearing up for Level 4, the final stage of Clipper Race training, as he prepares to take part in Leg 2: the South Atlantic Challenge. 

“I wanted an adventure,” he says simply. “I’ve done a lot in my life, and this felt like something completely new. Another experience to tick off the list.” he adds, about to spend a week at sea with a crew of near-strangers. 

Byron is totally honest about it: sailing wasn’t a long-held dream. In fact, until recently, Byron had never even stepped foot on a sailing boat. “I have no sailing background whatsoever,” he laughs. “This will be my 16th day of sailing, ever.”  

Although sailing might be new to Byron, he has been on the water on motorboats. Though his experience gained cruising in idyllic conditions hasn’t much prepared him for the rigour of ocean racing. “It’s totally different. It's like chalk and cheese!  These boats are not exactly luxurious and obviously learning all the controls and sails, it's just a completely different beast.” he explains. 

“When I did level one, I found that a real challenge if I'm honest. And if I'm really honest, I thought this is not for me. Luckily, I managed to do it again and it's just got better; Level 2 was good, and Level 3 was even better.  

“So, every level I've done, it's just got better and better and better.” 

Whilst the sailing learning curve has been steep, adjusting to life on board has been a smoother transition for Byron. He says: “Living on board with strangers has been fairly easy. I think that the big thing for me has been the people on board have made such a difference, because it really is all about the people.” 

For Byron, this challenge is a personal one, and it's as much about the journey and experience as a whole, as the leaderboard success. And there was a very clear reason why he chose Leg 2. He explains: “I chose Leg 2 because it was the shortest, simple as that!  

“Leg 2 was around 18 days at sea. Initially I'd booked for the Mighty Pacific Leg - Leg 6 - which was 42 days at sea.  And then I realised 42 days at sea might be a challenge for somebody who's never sailed.  It looked adventurous but then I thought, you know what, this might be a bit too much!” 

When it comes to looking ahead to sailing beyond the Clipper Race, Byron says: “The Clipper Race is something I want to do, and I'm going to do it with the gusto and enthusiasm and participate fully to my limits - and be a hopefully a valuable member of the crew.” 

Looking for your next adventure? It’s not too late to join the 2025-26 edition! There are some limited spaces still available on selected legs for the upcoming edition, and applications are open for the 2027-28 edition, too. To find out more, download an info pack or get in touch, head to the application page.