Yesterday, September 6th, my dad Pär Nyman set off from Les Sables d’Olonne to begin the Golden Globe Race — the adventure he has poured everything into for more than a year.

But while the rest of the fleet is now making their way south, my dad and his boat Lazy Otter has been forced to return to the dock.

Something went wrong with the rudder when he set sails, and the boat now needs to be lifted out of the water so that the rudder can be removed, the damage properly assessed, and whatever has broken repaired. Right now, the goal is simple: fix the boat as quickly and safely as possible and get Pär back out to sea.

During the GGR livestream, we shared what had happened, and something incredibly touching happened in return: many of you started asking how you could help, and whether there was somewhere you could donate.

That is why I have created this fundraiser.

Where will the money go?

The first priority is the unexpected cost of getting the boat lifted, removing and repairing the rudder, and covering the other expenses necessary to get Pär and his boat back into the race.

If the donations exceed the cost of the immediate repairs, every additional contribution will go directly towards Pär’s Golden Globe Race project and the ongoing costs of keeping it alive.

One of those costs is the livestream, which costs him more than SEK 5,000 (approximately €450 / US$520) every month. Keeping it running means that all of you at home can continue to follow his journey and be part of this extraordinary adventure.

The Golden Globe Race has required an enormous personal and financial commitment from Pär. Since buying the boat a little over a year ago, countless hours of work, preparation, sacrifices and resources have gone into getting both him and the boat ready for this challenge.

But for my dad, this has never simply been about competing in a sailing race.

This is his calling.

Those of us closest to him know how much this means to him. He has built so much of his life around the sea, and reaching the start of the Golden Globe Race has been the result of extraordinary determination, preparation and an almost unbelievable amount of perseverance.

And this project means an enormous amount to me, too. I have watched how much of himself he has put into making this dream possible. Seeing him finally leave Les Sables d’Olonne was incredibly emotional — which makes seeing him back at the dock, while the rest of the fleet continues over the horizon, especially hard.

But he is not giving up.

This is an unexpected setback. It is not the end of his race.

Every donation, large or small, helps us get one step closer to getting the boat repaired and Pär back where he belongs: out at sea, chasing this dream around the world.

And if donating isn’t possible, sharing this fundraiser is just as appreciated.

To everyone who watched the livestream, sent messages, asked how you could help, and continues to support Pär, my pappa: thank you.

It means more to him — and to all of us around him — than you know.

Let’s get Pär and Lazy Otter back out there! ❤️⛵