When Preparation Becomes the Test
An Atlantic crossing begins long before the dock lines are released.
For Mara, the preparation has been practical and hands-on. Deliveries have been delayed. Weather systems have held her in harbour for weeks at a time. Timelines have shifted. Instead of compressing the schedule, she has used that time to continue the work herself.
Mara is preparing for a solo Atlantic crossing that will be livestreamed 24 hours a day for five consecutive weeks, with the goal of setting a world record for the longest continuous livestream broadcast from sea. The scale of that ambition has required significant technical adaptation, much of which she has carried out independently.
Engineering for Endurance
The electrical system has been upgraded by Mara to support a 24-hour offshore broadcast. She has installed new batteries, reworked elements of the charging setup and ensured the system can sustain prolonged transmission without compromising core sailing functions.
Cameras have been selected and mounted by Mara with salt, vibration and constant motion in mind. She has configured Starlink with redundancy, refined the audio system and programmed and tested the broadcasting software herself. Each component has been installed with a focus on durability rather than complexity.
Saltwater corrodes. Motion fatigues fittings and wiring. Offshore, there is no technician on call. The systems now in place reflect hours of personal installation, troubleshooting and retesting.
Offshore Readiness
Alongside the broadcast infrastructure, Mara has continued to refine the sailing platform.
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New sails have been cut and fitted
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A new jib furler has been installed
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Jib car tracks have been replaced
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The main sheet system has been rebuilt for improved efficiency and control
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The stay sail configuration has been adjusted
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The hydrovane has been serviced
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A Watt and Sea hydrogenerator has been installed to generate power under passage
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An SSB radio has been fitted for long-range communication
Below deck, she has reorganised storage with careful attention to weight distribution and accessibility. Safety equipment has been repositioned. Tools and spares have been catalogued and secured.
Preparation has extended beyond hardware. Survival and first aid training have been completed. Time in harbour has been used to build mental resilience, particularly in managing uncertainty and delay.
Managing the Psychological Load
The most demanding element has not been the physical work, but the waiting.
Weather systems have dictated departure windows, holding Mara in harbour despite readiness to leave. Accepting that lack of control requires discipline. Rather than losing momentum, she has returned to the boat repeatedly, checking systems again, reviewing contingencies and refining details.
Confidence has been built methodically, through action and verification.
More Than a Passage
This crossing will unfold in real time. Changing conditions, routine maintenance, long watches and the practical realities of solo offshore sailing will be visible to a global audience.
Before that begins, there has been this quieter, deliberate phase. Wiring runs installed by hand. Deck hardware replaced and tested. Systems configured, reset and tested again.
Much of the preparation behind this Atlantic attempt has been completed by Mara herself.
Nothing about this crossing has been left to assumption.
To see the offshore kit that will be protecting Mara throughout her Atlantic passage, explore our Women’s Offshore Sailing Collection:
https://www.henrilloyd.com/collections/womens-offshore-sailing
