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Enough talking - Kersauson's back in the boat

PARIS, France -- Olivier de Kersauson has paid off his debts and now he's off sailing again.

One of France's most flamboyant sailors, the 57-year-old is preparing for a four-year mission to beat a host of ocean records in a giant trimaron called Geronimo. Although in recent years his day job has been in the media as witty contributor to radio and TV talk shows, the Breton sailor learned to race with ocean legend Eric Tabarly in the 1960s and 1970s and the sea remains his reason for living. A self-confessed perfectionist with a passion for punctuality, Kersauson likes to be in control. He has finally managed to build the boat of his dreams and can leave the talk shows behind. "I appeared on television and the radio to pay my debts," he says. "Given my reputation, it was a world where I could earn a lot of money in a relatively short period of time. "I never did it because that was what I always wanted to do. It was simply a way of paying for my boats."

It was during his years with Tabarly that Kersauson developed a passion for multihulls, which led to a solo record of 125 days in 1989/90. In 1992 he turned his attention to the Jules Verne Trophy, the speed record for the crewed round-the-world passage. In 1994, on board Lyonnaise des Eaux, he fought an epic battle with Peter Blake for the title. At the helm of his catamaran Enza, the New Zealand skipper completed the voyage in 74 days and 22 hours while Kersauson followed him home in a time of 77 days and 5 hours. Not content with second, Kersauson set about improving his boat and, under the sponsorship of Sport Elec, set out again. This time he achieved his goal. On March 8, 1997, Kersauson and his crew of six left Brest and returned victorious 71 days, 14 hours, 22 minutes and 8 seconds later. Now he believes Geronimo has the speed to cut this to 60 days.

Kersauson has acquired vast experience that he puts down to observation. "At sea, I am always on the lookout. I have learnt to read the elements, understand what a particular cloud or swell means, why the sea changes in the way it looks and so on. "I never let my concentration slip. I don't like to talk and don't want others to talk either. For example, I don't like to hear a helmsman talking as this breaks concentration. You can't do two things at the same time."

Kersauson recognises that this can make him a severe captain. "I am not easy to get on with on board. I cannot stand badly executed manoeuvres. "Everything has to be perfect. I am like this with every aspect of sailing. I won't put up with a casual approach. Personally, I am never late for a meeting. I always give clear orders. This is crucial if I am to get the results I want.'