The Skipper
Karl Smith
The man behind the campaign
In 2018, I left behind my Chartered Accountant career to pursue a dream that made little practical sense – a life in offshore sailing and, ultimately, solo ocean racing.
With no direct pathway, I started at the bottom by completing a Yachtmaster Offshore course aged 28. I rose through the ranks by running yacht deliveries, instructing and undertaking further qualifications. Stubborn persistence ultimately led me to captain superyachts in incredible locations. Yet my deeper ambition to pursue solo offshore racing remained unfulfilled.
In 2021, a freak accident almost ended my days at sea when my right foot came far too close to being amputated. My recovery was long, complicated by multiple surgeries, and mentally confronting. Choosing to return to sailing afterwards seemed insane to most people, but it was the only option for me. I refused to let circumstances define me or what I could achieve.
My Global Solo Challenge 2027 entry represents the next phase of my sailing journey. More importantly, it offers an opportunity to raise money for a cause greater than any individual while having a crack at a significant Irish maritime first.
Smith Ocean Projects isn't just a race campaign. It's a story about reinvention, resilience, and the pursuit of unfinished dreams – my own and those of people who have had their futures altered by Parkinson's Disease. I will be sailing for them and their families, and this is the biggest motivator of all.
The Cause
Why Parkinson's?
"Parkinson's is invisible to most people until it touches your life. When it touched mine, I knew I had to do something. I can't cure it. I can't reverse it. But I can sail, and I can use that to make people pay attention."
The Global Solo Challenge gives Karl a global stage. Every media mention, every social post, every sponsor conversation is an opportunity to put Parkinson's in front of people who might otherwise never think about it.