Bill Riner sets sail on the trip of a lifetime

Posted by daviskd2 on Friday, April 21, 2023 in News.

Some days you might think to yourself, “I want to retire and sail around the world.”

For Center for Structural Biology Sr. Systems Administrator Bill Riner, that day is coming sooner rather than later. On April 28, Bill officially retires from Vanderbilt University—and he’s sailing around the world!

Bill signed up for the 2023-2024 Clipper Round the World Race, which is a 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a 70-foot ocean racing yacht, called a Clipper 70. The race is the brainchild of Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, the first person to win a solo, non-stop race around the world more than 50 years ago. He wanted everyone—even those with no previous sailing knowledge—to have the opportunity to experience the challenge and exhilaration of ocean racing.

The amateur crews set sail in late August. Although the exact race route is yet to be announced, each Clipper 70 crew will race eight legs from England to South America, South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, China, both US coasts, via the Panama Canal, and finish back in England.

“This race has been on my bucket list for a very long time,” Bill said. “I’ve been racing and cruising sailboats for almost 35 years, and the stars finally aligned for me to actually do it this year.”

In addition to his computational skills, Bill holds a US Coast Guard 100-ton Captain’s license and has over 12,000 miles of offshore experience. Most weekends, you can find him racing a J/32 sailboat at Harbor Island Yacht Club on Old Hickory Lake, in addition to offshore racing and delivering yachts for others. His longest yacht delivery was a 19-day, 2900-mile journey to deliver a 50-foot racing yacht from Hawaii to California.

“I’ve completed levels 1 and 2 of the mandatory four-week training and the sea survival school to take part in the race,” Bill commented. “Yet with that training and all my experience, I still wonder if I’m up to it.”

Crew allocation day is May 20 in Portsmouth, England. That’s when the skippers, first mates and all crew members will be assigned to one of the eleven Clipper 70 yachts. Bill will then complete his required race training, which concludes with a six-day practice race in the English Channel with his assigned crew and yacht for the race.

Bill travels back to England in August for two weeks of boat preparations in addition to a week of sail repair and engine maintenance school. Once the final boat prep is complete, the crew will make a five-day delivery run to the race start, somewhere near London.

Bill’s wife, Elizabeth, will meet him in England for the start of the race. She also plans to meet him at the finish as well as a couple of other stops to be determined. She’ll follow the crew’s progress using the online race tracker and crew diaries. To follow the race, use the online tracker at clipperroundtheworld.com.

“I’ve enjoyed working with everyone at the CSB and wish you all the best,” Bill said. “But I’m excited to start this adventure, especially sailing the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific. It will be cold, wet and wild!”  ~Karen D. Davis