Sailor keeps his promise to raise money for Les Bourgs

Back in 2016, Dave Birch, a resident of Guernsey for 12 years, sailed from the island to Torquay, covering 75 miles in an entry-level Laser Pico dinghy.

On completion, he vowed to return and undertake a new challenge to raise money for Les Bourgs Hospice.

Months of training and planning later, Mr Birch is weeks away from taking on another route.

He gave some insight into his journey and when he hopes to set off.

‘The challenge can only be done on a favourable weather window,’ he said.

‘Too much wind will be dangerous and too little could see me drifting for days.

‘I am hoping for an opportunity at the end of May.

‘The dinghy is simply a standard Laser dinghy, found at most yacht clubs,’ he said.

He plans to start in Falmouth, heading to Plymouth’s infamous Eddystone lighthouse, then down to France’s Lannion coast, before finally heading to the finish at St Peter Port.

The tricky nature of the water in the English Channel has meant the crossing has never been completed before, something which Mr Birch hopes to change.

‘There are numerous potential difficulties,’ he said.

‘Passing across the busy shipping lanes and having to navigate through the endless stream of container ships and tankers, and sailing through the night.

‘There is an ever-changing sea state, being exposed to potentially large waves in the middle of the Channel.

‘These will require careful steering over each and every one.

‘But by far the greatest difficulty will be mental and physical exhaustion.

‘This will set a new UK record for sailing a Laser dinghy single-handed and non-stop for over 150 miles.

‘More people have climbed Everest than done this.’

Perhaps there was a reason for that, with the challenge expected to take over 30 hours, he added.

‘No shelter, no auto-pilot, no comfort, hard focus all the way to stay on course and keep the dinghy sailing as fast as it can.

‘When all is said and done, my confidence is high for success despite knowing the difficulties that lay ahead.’

Mr Birch has explained why he has chosen to donate the money raised to the hospice.

‘My personal belief of the accelerating increase in life-limiting illnesses, and the hospice movement in general is it will be in ever greater and greater demand,’ he said.

‘The work they do is simply incredible and deserve all the support that they can get.’

n You can keep track of Mr Birch’s journey through Facebook, at Dave Invictus, or on the website, www.epicsailing.co.uk.