The Libertalia crew will welcome you at 8:30 am at the port of Lorient La Base, the main offshore racing center in Europe. You will then receive Musto BR2 gear, including overalls and a foul-weather jacket, as well as a life jacket, a Spinlock harness, an AIS beacon, and also a mess kit and a thermos for your meals on board. Indeed, on a Volvo 60, meals consist of freeze-dried and canned dishes, not forgetting the little treats!
The sail loading will be followed by a tour of the boat, where you will discover the deck layout, interior circulation spaces, berths, chart table, and ballast tanks. It's important to familiarize yourself with this racing vessel, which offers a spartan and physically demanding level of comfort. After loading your personal belongings, an initial safety briefing will take place, along with introductions to all crew members.
A quick lunch will be served before leaving the port to hoist the sails in the Lorient harbor. You will sail towards Cherbourg, located approximately 280 km away. This delivery trip is a perfect opportunity to discover the different navigation stations, allowing everyone to adapt to the size of the boat and to organize the distribution of roles according to the size and experience of the crew for the watch shifts.