Next Racesail Weekend
DATE CHANGE! 19 - 21 March 2010
Clipper Yacht, Qingdao
These words from Quindao’s Clipper Race Report amused me. Somewhere in the South China Sea…
In relation to the rest of the fleet Qingdao is alone, but has had company in another form over the past 24 hours. In his report to the race office today, skipper Chris Stanmore-Major explains that it has been a busy night on board and gives an insight into why by recounting some of his recent chat over the radio.
“’Massive tanker, massive tanker, this is Qingdao, Qingdao, over.’
‘ Yes, good evening sir, we are a 20-metre sailing vessel fine on your port bow, range five miles. Can you confirm you have us on radar, over?’
‘You do not?’
‘I am turning on my deck lights. Now can you see me?’
‘You can? Excellent. Good watch to you sir. Standing by on one, six.’
“This happened again and again all night,” says Chris. “But interestingly every single ship made a change in course for us and each watch officer bid us a good journey. 150,000 tons of steel giving way for our little Dragon who, compared to the monsters on the move out here, seems a small refuge indeed.
“There is an air of expectancy aboard Qingdao and it is hard to equate the gentle north easterly blow we are experiencing now with the tempest to come.”
This is one of the winning photographs in the latest RNLI photographic competition. Poor fella!
What caught my eye was the vulnerability of the guy in the water. Surely it can’t be procedure for the skipper to have his hand on the throttle in such a situation, the crew runs risk of serious injury in a run over. Any comments?
There are loads more fab photos on the RNLI website.
A Twitter friend, Pam Nash very kindly added these words from JF Kennedy to the comments section of a previous blog.
J F Kennedy, 35th President
Part of a speech given by John F Kennedy at Americas Cup Dinner given by the Australian Ambassador, Newport, Rhode Island September 14, 1962
“I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it is because in addition to the fact that the sea changes and the light changes, and ships change, it is because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.”
The Americas Cup Challenge jamboree (no other word for it) kicks off in Valencia next week so it’s very topical, thanks Pam! In 1962, this event was the pinnacle of Yacht Racing and captivated the imagination of a worldwide audience. Such a shame that this year’s 33rd America’s Cup, after a $50m courtroom rangle, is a seriously downgraded affair with only one challenger for a fight between two massive multi-hulls, so fickle that in anything more than light wind masts will come tumbling down! The Challenge has become a charade massaging the egos of two billionaires to a point where, in my opinion, it bears little relevance to seamanship or sportsmanship.
Red Funnel stuck outside Cowes, Isle of White
Just found this on the net. It’s @mintoe s ferry trying to get into Cowes during a storm on our November Rally last year. We were all safely tucked up in our Arcona 400 hanging off a pontoon in Cowes yachthaven.
Arc Angel
This is my best race position so far in the Virtual Clipper Round the World Race. 18th out of 79048 competitors! We’re in the South China Sea east of Vietnam on Leg 6 from Singapore to Qingdao. My geography is improving. Not over until the fat lady sings! More than 1585 miles to go, Taiwan is upwind, to be left to port.
My boat’s called toeinthewater.org. Tell your friends about them!
Virtual Clipper Leg 6: 18th is best position so far (out of 79048 competitors)
Found this on the RYA website. 32GW of renewal energy planned through 9 sites. The price of clean energy!
The size of the areas in the North Sea are astonishing. Plenty dos-y-dosing for small recreational craft. HOEOCA Rallies will not be the same
Frost-T!
Frostbite advertised, frostbite delivered complete with frozen digits! Serves me right to volunteer as crew in January. This time aboard Beth a chartered J-109 entered in the Royal Southampton Yacht Club Frostbite Series.
J’s sail amazingly well in light winds. They’re fitted with an extendable bowsprit lengthening the yacht so it can carry a larger asymmetric spinnaker. And boy, do they shift! On Saturday we practised gybing and before we could say ‘Bramble Bank’ we were flying past ‘Ryde Middle’. Johnny Charterer (aka Neil our Skipper) sent me forward to the mast. Sail transitions on a racing yacht require co-ordination on the part of the crew. The trick is to practice the moves off-stage, so to speak, reaching a point of graceful elegance that would flatter the judges of Strictly Come Dancing!
So there we were waltzing along, doing our ‘reverse turns’ with the odd ‘cross-body lead’ from Johnny, when it all went slightly awry. Got a wobble on, bit of flog and suddenly we could see the Spinnaker Tower at Portsmouth nicely framed in mauve through a two foot tear in the sail. Whoops! Johnny Charterer was surprisingly calm, not even a Moonwalk! Is this a sign on progress we ask? With spinnaker and spirits doused we set about beating back up to the Hamble River. Beth was just brilliant, sailing in such a calm forgiving way whilst the activity kept us warm as toast. We dodged a few sandbanks at low water and headed in for tea.
J-109 Beth
Plan A: Nip into Warsash for our kit and then cross the River Hamble to the Royal Southern pontoon for the night. Best laid plans, two boat lengths from our home berth and Beth came to a gentle halt. Oh dear, no water! Oh dear says Johnny no beers either, they’re in the car! ‘Shall we try ramming speed’ says one of the crew cheerfully. Immediately, a rather worried looking owner emerged from a nearby yacht suggesting we tried the ‘other pontoon’.
Plan B: About turn and off to Hamble Point in search of warmth and a swift half. At dusk, we sneaked into Hamble Point Marina and headed up to the Ketch Rigger for our tactical beer! (Raising another £30 for Toe in the Water!). Our first round was rudely interrupted with a leer n’sneer from Parky the Harbourmaster. You can’t stop ‘ere, more than my jobs worth. Has the man no heart? What about my chill blains! In what turned out to be the most co-ordinated move of the day, crew lifted their glasses and drank up. Back to Warsash under a full Moon on a rising tide, it was so romantic with the girls in their balaclavas! Eventually we made it to our planned berth for a jolly apres sail aboard and a lovely meal at Ye Olde Whyte Hart in Hamble…log fire and food to be recommended. Later, after happily navigating a cobbled hill and negotiating a carpet of frost on the pontoon a rather cosy two layer sleeping bag beckoned aboard Beth. And I slept like a baby.
You just know there's a roaring fire in there
Now I must admit, Sunday morning was one of those sailing moments when you question the meaning of life. It was just plain cold, ippy dippy doodah cold! With an icicle hanging from my nose, I could’ve cut my breath and sold it! Without going into too much detail, I found myself at six o’clock barefoot on a carpet of frost admiring the view from Beth’s stern – in my underpants! By the time we walked back from breakfast my circulation had returned and the sun had risen to warm the spirits and reveal the most amazing frost. Another beautiful day.
For reasons best known to the RSYC Race Officer, start was delayed for two hours putting the dampener on an otherwise fine morning. However, fellow crew remained cheerful chattering about the meaning of life, flag ‘Z’ and repairing the mauve sail with some rather fetching pink sailmakers tape. In light winds it might hold. Johnny put me on the helm where I could do less damage! We had a fab start and made good speed to the windward mark. A bit of nip and tuck with an Arcona 370 and after a couple of laps our practised spinnaker work paid off to cross the line in second place, just 1 minute and 47 seconds behind the leader (4th and 3 minutes on handicap). Not a bad result.
What a fab weekend! Thanks Johnny! And to fellow crew Dave, Mike, Kas, Ray, Amanda, Linda and Mark. Neil arranges low cost race sailing weekends year round, participating in a range of events on the Solent, with an emphasis on improvement and teamwork. Often looking for crew, Neil welcomes HOEOCA members with Racesail Weekend experience. There are places available in February and March. Contact Racesail for details
River Hamble, Sunday morning
HOEOCA were honoured to have Lloyd Hamilton Warrant Officer, Royal Engineers and Tanya Brookfield co-founder of Toe in the Water speak about the benefits competitive sailing organised by the charity is providing injured servicemen, dovetailing into rehabilitation programmes at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court. Recovering from serious injury requires a combination of both physical and mental strength and Toe in the Water creates a unique environment where both are tested.
I was struck by the professionalism and determination of the organisers and deeply moved by the difficulties these young men and women face in dealing with their injuries as a consequence of the war in Afghanistan. Most striking however were the anecdotes about the camaraderie and the humour which inevitably ensue in these challenging situations, as they adjust to a new way of life.
The inevitable question was put to Tanya, “What can we do?”. Well, as it turned out, quite a lot! First, donate or raise money. Having adopted Toe in the Water as ‘their’ charity this year HOEOCA members have already raised £700 from a standing start in November. More to come we hope.
Second, experienced sailors can volunteer to help with the mix of able bodied crew or shore support for a programme of regattas this year. There is a selection process and anyone who feels qualified to help should contact the chartity through their website event calendar page.
Finally, Toe in the Water is seeking openings with sailing organisations, yacht clubs and individuals to offer continuing sailing opportunities to the ones who inevitably catch the sailing bug and want more! If you feel you can help, again please contact the charity through their website.
Lloyd and Tanya from Toe in the Water receiving £700 from HOEOCA Commodore, Richard Callaghan
Sunsail Regatta 2: 15 March 2009!
19 – 21 March 2010 – Sunsail Regatta Round 2
16-18 July 2010 – Sunsail Regatta Round 4
15-17 October 2010 – Sunsail Regatta Round 8
Dates for Racesail Weekends here. Let me know if you can join the March Weekend now!
Wishing you all happiness and prosperity in 2010!
Richard
