Skip Novak is widely considered the world's pre-eminent authority on polar sailing. He has a wide range of achievements including four Whitbread Around the World Races and co-skippering the 33-meter catamaran Innovation Explorer in 2001 millennium ‘The Race’ – a nonstop circumnavigation that took 64 days.   Overlapping his racing career in 1987 he built the Pelagic, a steel cutter, giving him the opportunity to explore the southern high latitudes and explore his other passion, exploratory mountaineering. In 2003 he launched the 74 foot Pelagic Australis and has conducted adventure charters and logistic support operations in the far south (the BBC and Nat Geo among many others) for over 30 years, as Pelagic Expeditions.

 With his knowledge of how things work on all sizes of boats along with a deep background in around the world racing, Skip will be an important asset to help guide the project.