One of America's elite solo sailors has shared his sailing secrets with some of Bermuda's budding boatmen during an unforeseen first-time visit to the island.

Bruce Schwab, the first American to complete the grueling Vendee Globe race, passed on his pearls of wisdom to young sailors from the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club last weekend.

The Californian arrived in Hamilton after the yacht he is delivering from La Rochelle, France, to Annapolis, Maryland, became bound to Bermuda en-route.

Due to unfavourable sailing conditions, and with the boat requiring repairs, Schwab and his crew were forced into the unexpected stopover and took the opportunity to speak to the local yachting club's aspiring sailors.

The 47-year-old, who is delivering the Open 60 Margaret Anna for friend, and fellow sailor, Tim Troy has also taken time to renew acquaintances with Bermuda's solo circumnavigator Alan Paris.

"My crew and I have received incredible hospitality from several friends here in Bermuda," he said.

"It's my first time in here which is strange considering sailing is part of the island's fabric - I love the fact people seem so passionate about the sport.

"Margaret Anna is being hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club - a great club with an impressive sailing and racing history.

"They have a great junior sailing program and so I returned the favour with a tour of the boat and a lecture for some of their young sailors."

Schwab said it was apt one of the first people he "ran into" after arriving in Hamilton was Paris, who sailed into the history books as the first Bermudian to sail around the world single-handed.

"Fittingly, pretty much the person I ran into was Alan Paris. His family hosted us at a fantastic dinner - a far cry from our freeze-dried food on the boat.

"Our visit to Bermuda wasn't planned to be honest," he admitted. "But we needed to refuel and make a few repairs and the weather seemed to take us to the island - it almost like this stop off was meant to be.

"The boat didn't qualify for a race Tim Troy was hoping to enter and that left him in a bit of quandary as he had to get the boat back to the US, which is very expensive.

"So I decided to help him out and offer some of my supporters who are keen sailors a unique chance to sail with me and hopefully pass on some of experience to them."

Paul Doughty, young development coach at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club described Schwab as a "role model" for young ambitious sailors.

"Guys like Bruce Schwab are great role models for young sailors - he has so much knowledge to pass on," he said.

By completing the Vendee in 2005, Schwab became only the second American to ever complete a singe-handed non-stop lap of the planet.

To learn more about Bruce, go to www.bruceschwab.com.