The call of the open Atlantic is about to get louder. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, Belgian skipper Quentin Debois is scheduled to depart Cadiz, Spain, on an ambitious solo attempt to break the world record for an east to west Atlantic crossing aboard a Mini 6.50.
Once Debois crosses the official starting line between Puerto Sherry and the port of Cadiz, an on-site commissioner from the World Sailing Speed Record Council will start the clock. From there, the course stretches roughly 4,500 miles to San Salvador in the Bahamas. To set the record, Debois must complete the crossing in under 30 days, a feat that would make him the first Belgian sailor to hold the solo Atlantic record in the Mini 6.50 class.
After arriving in Cadiz on Dec. 22 for final preparations and weather standby, Debois and his team now have the conditions they were waiting for. Forecasts show favorable winds toward the Canary Islands with seas of about 8 feet, conditions well suited to high-performance sailing. Strong trade winds are expected to allow a fast westward turn after the required passage to starboard of Gran Canaria, with an anticipated four-day run to the Canaries.
Farther offshore, conditions across the central Atlantic appear stable, setting the stage for an aggressive but calculated opening phase.
“I am completely ready and calm for the start,” Debois said. “My boat is also completely ready, checked down to the smallest detail. All that remains is to give the hull a final clean so seaweed does not slow the boat down, and to load the [30 gallons] of water I will need for the crossing.”
Though alone on board, Debois will not be sailing without support. Each day, he will check in with shore-based router Basile Rochut, who will analyze weather models and routing options.
“As soon as I set sail, I will check in every day with my router Basile Rochut, who will be my co-pilot from land,” Debois said. “The goal is to get off to the best possible start because we do not know what lies ahead.”
Rochut emphasized that the skipper remains firmly in command. “Every day, I will send Quentin routings and comments on the strategy,” he said. “Quentin will be able to view them, give his opinion and make his choices. It is always the skipper who makes the final decisions on board.”
Debois expects to hand steer between eight and 10 hours a day, using the autopilot only for short rest periods of about 20 minutes. Safety remains central to every decision.
“To succeed in this challenge, we want to stay close to areas of strong wind, but always within reasonable limits,” he said. “It is the good sailor who has the final say over the competitor. The first thing I have to think about is the safety of the boat and myself.”
While his target time is an ambitious 27 days, Debois is realistic about the variables. Technical reliability, human endurance, routing decisions and a measure of luck will all play decisive roles.
“I will be alone on the boat, but ocean racing is a real team sport,” Debois said. “If we break a record, it will be a team victory.”
Regardless of the outcome, Debois is already looking ahead. In June 2026, he plans a west to east Atlantic record attempt from New York to Lizard Point in England, a shorter but often more demanding route. Long term, he hopes these projects will form the foundation of a professional offshore racing career.
For now, the mission is simple. Cast off the dock lines, point the bow west and settle into the long rhythm of solo sailing across the Atlantic.
