Alastair Buchan began sailing in dinghies on the Clyde nearly 50 years ago and has been sailing ever since. He has been an RYA Ocean Skipper for over 20 years. He is now based in the north east of England and from there has spent his summer holidays sailing his Hurley 20, Mintaka, across the North Sea to Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. In 1994 he took Mintaka on a single-handed circumnavigation of Britain and enjoyed the experience so much that the following year he set out on his first Atlantic Circuit. On his return he bought Margo, a Dockerel 27, and in 1998 began another Atlantic Circuit lasting over 2 years.