With a cool, calm and collected nature, Sam Goodchild stands apart from your average offshore solo sailor. There’s none of the stereotypical nervous energy bubbling away, no unrelenting singlemindedness. Instead, you get the sense that Sam is that type of person whose brain is continually, intently processing, but also ready to hone-in and prioritise as needed. This multi-channel thinking ability is impressive, and no doubt is what stood him apart as skipper of choice for this most multifaceted of campaigns.
Sam is currently skipper of the Ocean Fifty, Leyton – a semi-foiling trimaran previously known as the Multi50 – and is backed by French consulting firm Leyton (multi-national specialists in economic, environmental and social transition projects). Not only is he campaigning in a number of inshore and offshore races, both crewed and solo, he also has a full calendar of activation events for Leyton’s 2,500-strong tech-savvy employees. The campaign is also enabling a number of pioneering technology partnerships within Leyton’s corporate network, using the Ocean Fifty as a test platform.
It’s a hugely wide-reaching campaign, yet the 32-year old sailor appears energised and in no way daunted.
Lucky that, because sailing this boat takes someone who is on the ball. And in fact – let’s not mince words here – it takes someone who also has cojones.
With a 50ft beam, the Ocean Fifty is as wide as it is long. Weighing just 3.5
