Yachting – 5 Expert Tips

How to put together a winning team

- By Tom Kneen

For Tom Kneen, having fun is the most important ingredient in his offshore racing, he tells Andy Rice. That didn’t stop him and his team winning the Rolex Fastnet Race this summer, taking the IRC overall trophy.

Despite only having come to offshore racing six years ago, Tom Kneen has proven a fast learner. He’s also done things his way, steadfastly holding to his preference to sail with friends rather than surrounding himself with professionals. “My goal is to have a load of fun and surround myself with lovely people that you enjoy being with. When you’re offshore, and you’re trying to make the boat go fast, you’re not thinking about the balance sheet or what’s going on at work. It’s a good escape from normal life.”

Kneen did make an exception to his ‘no professionals’ rule by accepting Dave Swete’s ‘try before you buy’ offer to take him along for the Rolex Middle Sea Race. That unpaid outing proved successful, with Swete gelling so well with the Sunrise ethos that the Volvo Ocean Race veteran has been a vital part of the programme ever since. “You don’t win because you pay people, in my view,” says Kneen. “You win when everyone’s working together as a team and everybody’s focused on the objective and making a real contribution. That’s much more important.”

Here are his tips for creating a winning team environment.