Fourteen months after breaking the non-stop singlehanded westabout round the world record, Jean-Luc van den Heede is to take on the non-stop solo round Britain and Ireland record.

The former maths teacher and Vendee Globe skipper is planning to start his attempt in Adrien, his 86 ft sloop, from Ventnor on the south side of the Isle of Wight on Wednesday.

The current weather forecast show a strong well established breeze from the east or ESE of force 5 to 6 average, ideal for making a clockwise lap of the British Isles.