Is Bob round the bend? Plumber swaps basins for the bow

60-year-old Bob Brown is one of the Clipper Race Crew members preparing to take part in the 2025-26 edition of the world’s toughest endurance challenge.

Considering himself a novice sailor before signing up, Bob is currently halfway through his training for an adventure like no other, with those who take on the Clipper Race needing no previous sailing experience before taking on the record breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a stripped back 70-foot ocean racing yacht. 

Divided into eight legs and up to 16 individual stages, Race Crew representing over 50 nations and from all walks of life, will complete the full circumnavigation (like Bob) or select individual legs in the next edition. Bob will depart on this adventure on 31 August this year, setting sail on the only race in the world where organisers supply a fleet of identical racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper and first mate to safely guide the crew. 

Throughout the eleven-month adventure, Bob will face storm force winds, tackle waves higher than a two-story house, work through searing hot and freezing cold temperatures, electrical storms, water spouts and squalls, all whilst racing for 24hrs a day.  

For Bob, a plumbing, heating and gas engineer from Belfast, Northern Ireland living in Leicester, UK, racing around the world has been a long time coming. He said: “It has always been an itch, an adventure I wanted to do. And now things have aligned with family and work. I am of a certain age where I may not be able to do it in a few years so now was the ideal opportunity.”

It was a significant birthday that spurred Bob on to sign up to the Clipper Race. He says: “I was looking to do something else to celebrate my 60th and I decided to see how far the same amount of money would get me on the Clipper Race, which was around Australia. But by the time I got through the interview stage I thought ‘why start something and not finish it?’

“I’m all-in or nothing at all. So I’m all in for the full circumnavigation! I thought I’d never get the chance to do the rest of it so I’m doing the whole thing.”

Whilst Bob has done some sailing for most of his life, by his own admission the Clipper Race is: “a different kettle of fish!”

Bob has been spending some time at Clipper Race HQ undergoing the first two of four levels of compulsory training that every crew member, regardless of previous experience, must complete before stepping on board to race – equipping non-professionals with the sailing knowledge to tackle up to six ocean crossings, and to live for weeks at a time at sea with up to 22 other people.  

Speaking after his Level 2 training week, Bob said: “It was everything I was hoping for and more. We had some cold, rough weather which was good to challenge myself and my kit. We’ve had all weather from sun to rain to big winds and light winds. It’s been a challenge but a really enjoyable one from start to finish.

“It’s been a real test and has spurred me on for Level 3 and Level 4 training and I can’t wait for the race to start.”

Behind every Clipper Race Crew member is a network of support and for Bob, there’s no exception. He said: “It took a while to pluck up the courage to present the idea of doing the Clipper Race to my partner! But she’s good about it. My parents are really supportive, they think it’s a great thing to do. My kids are supporting me from back home, too. Everyone’s behind me and have been supportive.”

As someone who has spent a lot of time building up a customer base, Bob also has his business to juggle whilst he’s away. He explains how he’s doing it: “I’ve had to put some plans in place for contingency and friends in the industry are going to help me whilst I’m away. All my customers are very interested and intrigued – not about their boiler breaking down, but for what I’m about to do!”

When it comes to staying in touch during the upcoming race, Bob has plans. He says: “I am going to be running a blog so people can read about where I am, the ups and the downs. The plan is to send that back to my two sons who will run the blog. When I get to port, I can do some more of it myself. Really it’s for friends, family and even some of my customers who want to follow me around the world! I’m hoping when I return after the race that I’ll still have a business to carry on!”

Inspired by Bob’s story? There’s still spots on the Start Line of the Clipper 2025-26 Race. To find out more and download an information pack, head to the application page of the Clipper Race website.