A Manxman with no previous ocean sailing experience is taking part in a round the world yacht race to raise funds for a Manx charity. Marc Hundleby, aged 47, is originally from the Isle of Man and after leaving in 1996 worked in Hong Kong, Sydney and Dubai. He currently lives in Sydney, but still calls the Isle of Man home and returns whenever he can to see friends and family.

He has been training hard to take part in the Clipper Round The Yacht World race which starts on August 30. Divided into eight legs, and with 16 individual races, it’s an epic 11-month challenge covering a total of 40,000 nautical miles. Race organisers provide the fleet of 12 identical 70-foot ocean racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper. All crew members, many of whom are sailing novices like Marc, complete a rigorous training course before being allowed to take up the challenge.

Marc will be on board the Team Da Nang-Viet Nam yacht – the race visits Da Nang during the fifth leg of the event. The team has around 50 crew members in total, with 20 to 22 on board at any one time. Marc, an IT Project and Programme Manager who has worked in the finance, IT, energy, telecoms and construction sectors, is aiming to complete the full 11-month race. His additional role on board is as the ship’s engineer helping the skipper to maintain the diesel engine, generator, water maker and electronic systems. Although he has done some dinghy sailing while living in Australia, the Clipper Race is a whole new adventure. He’s aware of the dangers – not least because during training for the round the world off the coast of Sydney he had to have seven stitches in his head after falling on a winch in rough seas.

Marc said: “After working in the corporate world for most of my career I wanted to do something for other people rather than fuel the corporate machine. I wanted to select an organisation based in the Isle of Man and help the Manx community. As I am passionate about people’s independence, and also feel strongly about how isolated older adults can become, the Live At Home Schemes was the perfect choice. The Clipper Round The Yacht World race will be a real test of stamina and endurance – but I wanted to take on a challenge which pushed my limits and forced me out of my comfort zone, and it will certainly do that!”

The race starts at St Katharine Docks in London on Sunday August 30 and the yachts head off down the Thames, through the Channel, and into the Atlantic. The first leg ends in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the Clipper 70s expected to take 26 to 29 days to reach their first port of call. The rest of the route takes in Cape Town, two ports in Australia, China, Seattle, and through the Panama Canal en route to New York. The final leg takes the crews from the Big Apple to Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, and back to the finish at St Katharine Docks on July 30, 2016. Marc is aiming to raise more than ?3,000 for the Live At Home Scheme. If you would like to sponsor him, go to www.justgiving.com/marc-hundleby.  

Jo Dixon, Island Live at Home Manager for the Isle of Man Live at Home Scheme, thanked Marc for supporting the charity, and added:

“I am delighted Marc has chosen to raise money for our charity by taking part in this incredible race. It is a huge endeavour which I know he is absolutely ready to take on. Marc is interested in the services we provide, and the support we offer our Island’s older generation. It is with support from people like Marc that enables us to continue to enhance and expand what we do across the Island.”

There are six Live At Home Schemes on the Island – Western, Northern, Onchan, Douglas, Laxey, Lonan, and Northern Men In Sheds. These schemes – which are all part of the UK-based MHA charity – provide support for around 600 older adults by offering a range of services, including organising social groups, lunch clubs, film club, one to one befriending, help with transport, and advice on accessing other support services. To find out more about Isle of Man Live At Home Scheme, phone 616571, email Isleofman.liveathome@mha.org.uk or find the charity on Facebook. You can also visit the Live At Home Scheme website www.mha.org.uk. 

Phoot - Marc Hundleby pictured in training for the Clipper Round The World Yacht race.