Josh Kali is a lifelong boater, and has spent years navigating the waters of the Great Lakes, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Puget Sound, as well as tuna fishing hundreds of miles offshore.

He grew up in Portland, Oregon and moved to Seattle after high school.

For 20 years, he was a high-level expedition Alpine climber, experiencing hostile mountain conditions before deciding to “turn my attention to the sea”.

“I have scaled peaks from the cascades and Mt Rainier to the French Alps. I summited Denali at 6,000 metres in 2015 solo and was a member of the only team to summit Cerro Torre in the Patagonian Andes in 2014.

“Cerro Torre is number 10 on the list of the world’s hardest mountains and it is considered a lifetime achievement for the aspiring alpinist. After miles and miles of unyielding rock, frigid snow, and bullet-hard ice, as well as hundreds of hours spent hiking into and out of the mountains, countless nights freezing in a tent, and generally being scared shitless, I decided I had done enough there, and it was time to answer the call of the ocean from the back of my mind and turn my attention to the sea,” said Josh Kali.

He began sailing in September 2020 and is no stranger to taking risks.

“I had never set foot on any sailboat before stepping onto the one that I bought. I acquired it in Olympia [Washington state] and immediately motored it 50nm home to Seattle, taking it through the locks; I then went out and taught myself to sail; all solo.”

And to those who argue that this approach is reckless, he says: “I never understood what all of the fuss was about. I simply went out in light air, hoisted the main, and puttered around until I got comfortable. Then I hoisted the jib and did the same. Then it was just a matter of doing it in increasingly strong wind until I had the hang of it.”

Since learning to sail, he has cruised and raced thousands of miles around Puget Sound, solo and with crew, and has crossed the North Pacific Ocean from  Honolulu to Victoria.

He is currently sailing his homebuilt Class Globe 5.80, Skookum from Seattle, Washington to Beaufort, North Carolina and on to Antigua – the start of the 2025 Mini Globe Race in February.

You can follow Josh Kali at joshkalioceanracing.com.

Why enter the Mini Globe Race?

Josh Kali: I was riding the bus to work one day and I was listening to the Sail Magazine podcast hosted by Adam Cort and he was interviewing an Australian named Don McIntyre.

Don, of course, talked about his two events the Golden Globe Race and the Ocean Globe Race, but then he went on to describe a new class of boat that he was developing called the Class Globe 580 and, through that, an event called the Mini Globe Race.

I was enamoured. I am a lifelong adventurer and Don’s Mini Globe Race sounded like an opportunity for an epic endeavor.

I have always wanted to circumnavigate the globe and, as a Vendée Globe entry is a little out of my reach,

I could not think of a more exciting way for someone of my means to do it. Couple that with the fact that the event is a precedent-setting world first and I could not resist buying plans and getting started building.

Are you looking to win or just complete the race?

Josh Kali: I am a competitor and I am looking to win. I believe that this is a game of attrition and the sailor that can keep it together and keep their boat sailing will be the most successful.

I believe that my background as a yacht technician gives me an advantage when it comes to fixing stuff that breaks on a boat, a critical skill set to win this race!

How are you preparing yourself for the race?

Josh Kali: I am a career adventurer having spent the last 20 years making expeditions to the great mountain ranges of the world.

I am preparing myself just like I have for many other past expeditions. I am training myself physically, more for muscular endurance this time rather than cardiovascular fitness.

I am meal planning for what will essentially be like spending 14 months inside the tent.

And, I am preparing myself mentally through meditation and exercises to train my focus in difficult situations combined with specific pre-visualization of various scenarios.

Is Skookum the first boat you have built?

Josh Kali: Skookum is definitely the first boat I have built. Although as a yacht technician, I have experience with all of the necessary techniques for the build, just on other people’s boats.

I had to pull all of the skills together on this one project and doing so allowed me to build the entire thing myself. I did not have to subcontract anything other than the cutting and welding of the keel plates.

This means I literally know every screw, every fibre, every inch of wire intimately.

What have been the highs and lows of the build?

Josh Kali: The obvious highs of the build are the big milestone moments, getting all of the stringers in, getting the hull planked, getting the boat glassed and flipped upright, putting on the deck, and of course the biggest of them all launching it into the water.

Perhaps it is the little achievements that add up to mean more in memory.

When a difficult-to-assemble part came out with a perfectly symmetrical measurement, or when I was alone in the workshop late at night and the little mouse that lived in there would come out to greet me, when the absolute perfect song came on the playlist and everything seemed to be happening in harmony, those were special moments.

There were definitely a few low points. I messed up the fibreglass on the hull and had to spend eight weekends grinding it all off before I could re-apply.

I had fibreglass in all of my clothes, in my bed sheets, in the car, everywhere. That was a very itchy few weeks.

Then when it came to sanding the interior for paint it was hours and hours of overhead work which was very demoralizing and had me considering quitting more than once.

Then once I moved the boat outside and built a tent over it the tent kept collapsing and I had to spend days fixing it where I got no work done on the boat. That was tough but I always carried on.

How will you prepare Skookum for the race?

Josh Kali: I am going to set up the boat from an endurance standpoint rather than outright speed. In fast and light alpinism we say “every ounce counts” with regard to weight.

While that certainly applies here I am going to try and balance having the things I need to fix what breaks while not bringing three of everything. I suppose that’s the challenge for any long-distance cruising sailor though.

The secret is to know what you can live without, and not how much can you bring.

What storm tactics do you plan to use? Drogues or warps?

Josh Kali: I plan to use warps. I know the Class Globe 5.80 is not Trekka but towing warps worked well for John Guzzwell so I believe they will work well for me also.

Have you practised those storm tactics?

Josh Kali: I have used a sea anchor and a drogue offshore. And, I have practised setting and retrieving a warp but only on moderate seas and not yet on Skookum.

How have you prepared your boat for the race?

Josh Kali: I have prepared Skookum by building it as strong as I possibly could. I understand the importance of weight but rather than build a waif, featherweight version I wanted to make something stout.

When making decisions about hardware and materials I almost always chose the stronger option within reason.

As a result, my hull was a little heavier once completed but as I believe this race will be completed by entrants whose boats survive I think the extra strength will pay dividends in the long run.

Are you confident you will make the start?

Josh Kali: My ability to make the start is entirely dependent on my finding financial support for the campaign.

I have been entirely self-funded until now and I will need a sponsor to continue.

I am still working towards the start every day and if I can find the funds, I will absolutely be on the start line.

What self-steering set-up are you planning to use?

Josh Kali: I have the South Atlantic windvane for self-steering as well as a Raymarine tiller pilot.

I bought the South Atlantic windvane after the first Transat only to learn that everyone found them lacking.

I am committed to it at this point so I have come up with a daily maintenance routine that, with discipline and some luck, should keep it functioning.

What antifouling will you be using?

Josh Kali: I am using Seahawk Cukote semi-ablative antifouling.

This is the paint we use on all of the boats that we service at work and it always comes out of the water looking clean.

I was able to scrap together enough leftovers from jobs at work to put three coats on Skookum for no cost before it hit the water.

I will likely give it two more coats before heading to the start line.

Routing is forbidden. How are you preparing to sail the best route?

Josh Kali: By looking out the window? I am a huge fan of old-school techniques. What did Sir Robin Knox-Johnston do without routing?

I have spent two decades obsessing over the weather, albeit I was looking for a lack of wind, and have become a bit of a meteorology nerd.

At work, they all call me the ‘resident meteorologist.’ That and I hope to use GRIB  files from Stan Honey’s SailMail service 😁.

How will you cope with sailing solo for so long?

Josh Kali: I will follow the example of those that went before.

I will read books, draw, play the ukulele, listen to music, stare at the sea, look at the stars, anticipate the sunrise, make coffee, sing out loud, and do all of those distinctly human things without any of the distractions from the backdrop of society pulling me in countless directions.

I am looking forward to it and needless to say I am more concerned with coming back to land than being alone at sea.

How will you prepare for the challenges alone at sea?

Josh Kali: I will prepare for the challenges at sea by training my mind to accept what comes.

To not agonize over that which is out of my control and to have the discipline to address problems as they arise and before they become worse.

It is easy to spend hours worrying about what might happen but ultimately you just need to go out and see what happens.

The Mini Globe Race is a celebration of John Guzwell and Trekka. What words of wisdom from Guzwell will you be following?

Josh Kali: I’m not sure about words of wisdom but my favourite part of Trekka Around the World was when John was sailing across the Indian Ocean.

The thought of actually riding the boat like a giant surfboard for hundreds of miles a day sounds absolutely amazing.

His account of the Indian Ocean compels me to see it for myself. Being from the Pacific Northwest and living only 65 miles from Victoria BC my campaign is the closest one to the real Trekka and her adventure.

I even got to see Trekka in person last September, and touched her with my own hand!

---

Want to read more articles like this?

A subscription to Practical Boat Owner magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price.

Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals.

PBO is packed with information to help you get the most from boat ownership – whether sail or power.

• • • • Take your DIY skills to the next level with trusted advice on boat maintenance and repairs
      • Impartial in-depth gear reviews
      • Practical cruising tips for making the most of your time afloat

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter