Tuesday, 22 July 2008
ACC Bank Cork Week Finale
Cork Week concluded on Friday with Puma taking another 3rd place which secured them 2nd in class overall.
The team aboard Puma fought exceptionally hard on the last two days of racing to win a race and came so close! On the final two races Puma led most of the way round the track as a result of good tactics and great teamwork. Sadly, Puma lost the edge on the last beat of both races and were piped both times by Anticipation who sailed a fantastic regatta to win all nine races!
Everyone on the team had a fantastic time both on the water and ashore, enjoying the fantastic après voile! What a fantastic regatta Cork Week is; it is well organised, extremely friendly, not overly commercialised and both the sailing and partying was second to none. Sailing Logic will definitely be back in 2010.
Cork Week concluded on Friday with Puma taking another 3rd place which secured them 2nd in class overall.
The team aboard Puma fought exceptionally hard on the last two days of racing to win a race and came so close! On the final two races Puma led most of the way round the track as a result of good tactics and great teamwork. Sadly, Puma lost the edge on the last beat of both races and were piped both times by Anticipation who sailed a fantastic regatta to win all nine races!
Everyone on the team had a fantastic time both on the water and ashore, enjoying the fantastic après voile! What a fantastic regatta Cork Week is; it is well organised, extremely friendly, not overly commercialised and both the sailing and partying was second to none. Sailing Logic will definitely be back in 2010.
posted by Sailing Logic at 4:38 PM 0 comments
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Day Three Results
Another good day of racing for Puma Logic. After posting another two 2nd places in the races on Wednesday Puma has moved up to 2nd overall! The gap on the water between Puma and Anticipation is fairly small and often only between one second and a minute. Thursday’s mission is to close that gap and win a race!
Another good day of racing for Puma Logic. After posting another two 2nd places in the races on Wednesday Puma has moved up to 2nd overall! The gap on the water between Puma and Anticipation is fairly small and often only between one second and a minute. Thursday’s mission is to close that gap and win a race!
posted by Sailing Logic at 7:46 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
ACC Bank Cork Week Begins
The team aboard Puma Logic have enjoyed two great days of racing at ACC Cork Week. Monday was a light wind day with Pete Summers skippering in conditions that do not suit the Reflex 38’s! However he and the team did a brilliant job to post a 5 and 7th place with just seconds separating the top few boats.
Day two provided Puma with better conditions for the Reflex with a steady 17 – 19 knot South Westerly breeze. Despite some interesting moments the team did a great job to score two second places and missed out on a win by just one second! Puma now lies 4th in class just one point behind 3rd and three points behind 2nd. It is all very close!
Wednesday will be another light winds day with 8 – 10 knots forecasted. Thursday should be slightly breezier with 12 – 14 knots. Go on Puma!
The team aboard Puma Logic have enjoyed two great days of racing at ACC Cork Week. Monday was a light wind day with Pete Summers skippering in conditions that do not suit the Reflex 38’s! However he and the team did a brilliant job to post a 5 and 7th place with just seconds separating the top few boats.
Day two provided Puma with better conditions for the Reflex with a steady 17 – 19 knot South Westerly breeze. Despite some interesting moments the team did a great job to score two second places and missed out on a win by just one second! Puma now lies 4th in class just one point behind 3rd and three points behind 2nd. It is all very close!
Wednesday will be another light winds day with 8 – 10 knots forecasted. Thursday should be slightly breezier with 12 – 14 knots. Go on Puma!
posted by Sailing Logic at 7:09 PM 0 comments
Monday, 14 July 2008
At Last, We Have Arrived
What an epic that was, I never thought a simple task of getting a yacht from the Solent to Cork in July could become such a nightmare.
Allie has done a fantastic job of the logistics back at base to ensure that Puma got across the Irish Sea. I think we all owe her a very large drink, a big present and lots of gratitude. Without her fantastic support there is no way we would have got here!
Ben and I were very relieved when Pete Summers and his fiancée, Tori, arrived in Newlyn on Friday evening to help us get Puma to Cork. For my part it meant that I could get some much needed sleep (I actually slept for 30 hours, all the way across the Irish Sea)! What a lightweight!
Ben has been fantastic this week, it is his first real offshore experience and he was faced with hours on deck standing watch in particularly unpleasant conditions. He took up the challenge and had a brilliant time with a great sense of achievement upon arrival. Full credit to Ben for a sterling effort.
We arrived at 0630 on Sunday morning and by 0930 Puma were raced prepped and ready to go out training. Time for Ben and myself to get off and allow Pete to take the team out for the day. I am having a couple of days off now and look forward to getting out with the team on Tuesday.
Dave Latham has now arrived in Cork and will be sharing the skippering role with me over the next few days. What a team effort! Thank Allie for a great job.
Now everyone looks forward to some great racing over the next five days. God luck Puma.
What an epic that was, I never thought a simple task of getting a yacht from the Solent to Cork in July could become such a nightmare.
Allie has done a fantastic job of the logistics back at base to ensure that Puma got across the Irish Sea. I think we all owe her a very large drink, a big present and lots of gratitude. Without her fantastic support there is no way we would have got here!
Ben and I were very relieved when Pete Summers and his fiancée, Tori, arrived in Newlyn on Friday evening to help us get Puma to Cork. For my part it meant that I could get some much needed sleep (I actually slept for 30 hours, all the way across the Irish Sea)! What a lightweight!
Ben has been fantastic this week, it is his first real offshore experience and he was faced with hours on deck standing watch in particularly unpleasant conditions. He took up the challenge and had a brilliant time with a great sense of achievement upon arrival. Full credit to Ben for a sterling effort.
We arrived at 0630 on Sunday morning and by 0930 Puma were raced prepped and ready to go out training. Time for Ben and myself to get off and allow Pete to take the team out for the day. I am having a couple of days off now and look forward to getting out with the team on Tuesday.
Dave Latham has now arrived in Cork and will be sharing the skippering role with me over the next few days. What a team effort! Thank Allie for a great job.
Now everyone looks forward to some great racing over the next five days. God luck Puma.
posted by Sailing Logic at 5:50 PM 0 comments
Friday, 11 July 2008
Cork here we come!
At last!! Puma Logic has headed out into the Irish Sea and is getting ever nearer to Cork.....
Most of the crew are flying out this evening and are eager to get training ready for the racing action starting Monday.
Skipper Philippe has gained 2 extra crew in Falmouth, but with the wind veering North Westerley, exactly the direction they are heading, it is going to be another interesting night. However, the wind has finally decided to calm down and the rain has at last dissipated, so with a calmer sea in prospect tonight, spirits may well be a little higher than they have been all week. Ben will at last have the chance to get off the helm, and actually get some sleep, something which he is longing for desperately!
Meanwhile, arrangements in Cork have been going ahead without the yacht and everything is in place for a great week of sailing.
Most of the crew are flying out this evening and are eager to get training ready for the racing action starting Monday.
Skipper Philippe has gained 2 extra crew in Falmouth, but with the wind veering North Westerley, exactly the direction they are heading, it is going to be another interesting night. However, the wind has finally decided to calm down and the rain has at last dissipated, so with a calmer sea in prospect tonight, spirits may well be a little higher than they have been all week. Ben will at last have the chance to get off the helm, and actually get some sleep, something which he is longing for desperately!
Meanwhile, arrangements in Cork have been going ahead without the yacht and everything is in place for a great week of sailing.
posted by Sailing Logic at 5:28 PM 0 comments
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Stormbound in the Channel
Ever wondered how an easy delivery from the Solent to Cork for Cork Week ends up becoming an Epic? Try the mix of Britain's unseasonal and very inclement weather, huge seas and torrential rain, and you have a recipe for grumpy skippers, miserable crew and very wet yachts!!
The delivery to Cork had always been in Sailing Logic's diary as a relaxing sojourn going westward along the English South Coast, stopping off in Falmouth for a nights rest, a Cornish pasty and some local Ale, and then a nice little hop across the Irish Sea to the welcoming Royal Cork Yacht Club with a cold pint of Guinness to finish....ahem....what we have got is not quite what was planned.
Puma Logic set off for Cork on Tuesday but decided to wait at Yarmouth just before the Needles to let the tide turn, hopefully wind abate and most of all, try to see if the torrential rain would stop...no luck there then! Tales of dismastings, crew mutinies and general horrible conditions came flooding in from those colleagues of ours already on their way so Yarmouth then became Weymouth, and the tales still continued. Not for the fainthearted this trip!
Plymouth will most probably be tonight's destination, and then on to Falmouth and then hopefully Cork. The rain seems to have stopped for today but the winds are still higher than forecast with big, lumpy seas and lots of swell. Puma is expected in Cork on Saturday afternoon all being well. If you see a couple of weary looking souls, in black jackets at the Royal Cork Yacht Club bar on Saturday afternoon, please buy them a drink, they will have deserved it!
posted by Sailing Logic at 4:11 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Results Are Not Always Everything.Myth of Malham Race Report
We are now well into our training and preparations for the Madeira Race which starts on 11th August. The Madeira race is 1400 miles of ocean sailing that will really put Puma Logic the team and through their paces. We have just completed the 3rd offshore race of the season and what a race it was! The forecast promised us a lively race and we were not disappointed with boat speeds of 18 knots and some of the most exciting sailing I have done in a long time.
The Madeira race is not just about yacht racing; it is about teamwork, camaraderie, friendships, adventure, fun and great sailing. Our little micro world for four weeks will consist of ten people in a confined space (Puma is just 11 metres long) living together and supporting each other whilst racing hard and continually pushing both themselves and Puma hard within the boundaries of safety and realms of sanity.
Our first weekend of training was met with a certain amount of apprehension as the new team aboard Puma gathered to meet for the first time. Some of the team have raced offshore with me on puma before, some have raced inshore, some have never been sailing with me and only know me by reputation. Several hours was spent in the classroom discussing the campaign and establishing what was important to us as team. We came up with a set of ‘team values’ which have now been printed and placed in various places on Puma to remind ourselves of what we felt was important to us on that 1st meeting.
What has struck me as different with this team compared to the teams of the past two years is that we quickly established that ‘winning’ was not the underlying and primary reason for being aboard Puma for the Madeira race. This is the inaugural race and is a very long race. It is as much an adventure as a race and to that end the dynamics of this year’s team are different. We are participating to be a part of a fantastic journey, an adventure with an eagerness to learn and bond well as a team.
Therefore the training approach, both sailing and intellectually, is very different to the past two seasons. Ultimately good results will be the reward of the tight bond, high morale, grit and determination, a desire to learn and improve and overall development of individual skills throughout the experience.
We started the Eddystone race with a certain amount of trepidation. The previous weekends Channel race was tough with many lessons learnt; during the 40 mile beat in a bitterly cold Easterly 20 knot plus wind and pitch blackness the team was granted a baptism of fire by King Neptune. It was one of the least pleasant races I have sailed in a long time. For the Eddystone race we hoped to address many of the small issues about living aboard that had been identified the previous weekend.
At the end of the Channel race we all drew our emotions curve as there were several highs combined with big lows throughout the race. This was an important exercise to initiate a conversation and honest appraisal of what each individual had endured. It clearly identified that the lows were not unique to each person; indeed generally they came at similar times for similar reasons. The exercise allowed us to learn about each others feelings, limitations and personalites.
The forecast for the Eddystone Race gave us mixed messages and emotions. Whilst the 35 knot NE forecast was going to provide us with a fast and exciting down wind ride to Eddystone the thought of turning around and heading home banging back into the same was far from appealing. It would be both punishing and gruelling on both Puma and the team.
The forecast was absolutely spot on as we enjoyed the most exhilarating ride to Eddystone Light. With the heavy ‘A’ sail up we were fully powered up enjoying a multi orgasmic ride (well I was anyway)! with speeds regularly hitting 16 and 17 knots. The team work was superb and everyone was putting in 110%. As the wind rose above 30 knots we changed down to the jib top and were rewarded with a stunning broad reach hunting down British Soldier and Mostly Harmless who were just under two miles ahead. Our top boat speed peaked at 18.4 knots.
Then came the hard bit; swapping the jib top for the number 3 jib in preparation for the dreaded up wind battle again 30 knots plus of wind. The beat was everything we expected; unpleasant, cold and wet. However we were all on a high experiencing an emotional buzz that cannot really be explained. I was loving sailing with every single member of the team and was in awe of how far they have come in such a short period of time. The determination, the willingness to push themselves and the desire to be part of something special is fantastic. Above all else what is impressing me most is the way the team has bonded so quickly and well, how they support each other with such passion and thoughtfulness. They have embraced the ‘team values’ that we established on the 1st weekend and are taking them to heart.
As daylight was breaking I was sat at the wheel thinking to myself ‘for the 1st time in several years I am not fussed about the result of an offshore race. What I am experiencing on this race is far more special than that. I have absolutely loved the sailing, more than in a long time. The teamwork, humour and camaraderie that is developing so quickly is what is important to me and I am so proud to be out here with this team doing something so great.’
Our race back to the Solent was interrupted as Fair Do’s, a fellow competing yacht put out a Pan Pan call. Brixham Coastguard took control of the situation and asked us to divert to standby the troubled yacht until the lifeboat arrived. Obviously we did not think twice about diverting and sacrificing our good position to offer support to another vessel. As it turned out, no assistance was required as Fair Do’s plugged the hole and was able to safely make it to Brixham under their own steam. We have put in a request for redress to the race committee and will hopefully be compensated for the time lost.
At the end of the race we looked at the team slogan ‘To Finish Fast Safe and Happy.’ Every single person on board felt we had achieved that and in style. Eighteen knots is very fast, we did not stop laughing throughout the race and we broke nothing in very testing condition (apart from the heads seat and Dave’s boots). We also supported another boat that was potentially in distress. At the end of this weekend there was no need for emotion curves or similar exercise, what is the point when the race has been such a big high for everyone. This is what offshore racing is about and this team is going far.
We are now well into our training and preparations for the Madeira Race which starts on 11th August. The Madeira race is 1400 miles of ocean sailing that will really put Puma Logic the team and through their paces. We have just completed the 3rd offshore race of the season and what a race it was! The forecast promised us a lively race and we were not disappointed with boat speeds of 18 knots and some of the most exciting sailing I have done in a long time.
The Madeira race is not just about yacht racing; it is about teamwork, camaraderie, friendships, adventure, fun and great sailing. Our little micro world for four weeks will consist of ten people in a confined space (Puma is just 11 metres long) living together and supporting each other whilst racing hard and continually pushing both themselves and Puma hard within the boundaries of safety and realms of sanity.
Our first weekend of training was met with a certain amount of apprehension as the new team aboard Puma gathered to meet for the first time. Some of the team have raced offshore with me on puma before, some have raced inshore, some have never been sailing with me and only know me by reputation. Several hours was spent in the classroom discussing the campaign and establishing what was important to us as team. We came up with a set of ‘team values’ which have now been printed and placed in various places on Puma to remind ourselves of what we felt was important to us on that 1st meeting.
What has struck me as different with this team compared to the teams of the past two years is that we quickly established that ‘winning’ was not the underlying and primary reason for being aboard Puma for the Madeira race. This is the inaugural race and is a very long race. It is as much an adventure as a race and to that end the dynamics of this year’s team are different. We are participating to be a part of a fantastic journey, an adventure with an eagerness to learn and bond well as a team.
Therefore the training approach, both sailing and intellectually, is very different to the past two seasons. Ultimately good results will be the reward of the tight bond, high morale, grit and determination, a desire to learn and improve and overall development of individual skills throughout the experience.
We started the Eddystone race with a certain amount of trepidation. The previous weekends Channel race was tough with many lessons learnt; during the 40 mile beat in a bitterly cold Easterly 20 knot plus wind and pitch blackness the team was granted a baptism of fire by King Neptune. It was one of the least pleasant races I have sailed in a long time. For the Eddystone race we hoped to address many of the small issues about living aboard that had been identified the previous weekend.
At the end of the Channel race we all drew our emotions curve as there were several highs combined with big lows throughout the race. This was an important exercise to initiate a conversation and honest appraisal of what each individual had endured. It clearly identified that the lows were not unique to each person; indeed generally they came at similar times for similar reasons. The exercise allowed us to learn about each others feelings, limitations and personalites.
The forecast for the Eddystone Race gave us mixed messages and emotions. Whilst the 35 knot NE forecast was going to provide us with a fast and exciting down wind ride to Eddystone the thought of turning around and heading home banging back into the same was far from appealing. It would be both punishing and gruelling on both Puma and the team.
The forecast was absolutely spot on as we enjoyed the most exhilarating ride to Eddystone Light. With the heavy ‘A’ sail up we were fully powered up enjoying a multi orgasmic ride (well I was anyway)! with speeds regularly hitting 16 and 17 knots. The team work was superb and everyone was putting in 110%. As the wind rose above 30 knots we changed down to the jib top and were rewarded with a stunning broad reach hunting down British Soldier and Mostly Harmless who were just under two miles ahead. Our top boat speed peaked at 18.4 knots.
Then came the hard bit; swapping the jib top for the number 3 jib in preparation for the dreaded up wind battle again 30 knots plus of wind. The beat was everything we expected; unpleasant, cold and wet. However we were all on a high experiencing an emotional buzz that cannot really be explained. I was loving sailing with every single member of the team and was in awe of how far they have come in such a short period of time. The determination, the willingness to push themselves and the desire to be part of something special is fantastic. Above all else what is impressing me most is the way the team has bonded so quickly and well, how they support each other with such passion and thoughtfulness. They have embraced the ‘team values’ that we established on the 1st weekend and are taking them to heart.
As daylight was breaking I was sat at the wheel thinking to myself ‘for the 1st time in several years I am not fussed about the result of an offshore race. What I am experiencing on this race is far more special than that. I have absolutely loved the sailing, more than in a long time. The teamwork, humour and camaraderie that is developing so quickly is what is important to me and I am so proud to be out here with this team doing something so great.’
Our race back to the Solent was interrupted as Fair Do’s, a fellow competing yacht put out a Pan Pan call. Brixham Coastguard took control of the situation and asked us to divert to standby the troubled yacht until the lifeboat arrived. Obviously we did not think twice about diverting and sacrificing our good position to offer support to another vessel. As it turned out, no assistance was required as Fair Do’s plugged the hole and was able to safely make it to Brixham under their own steam. We have put in a request for redress to the race committee and will hopefully be compensated for the time lost.
At the end of the race we looked at the team slogan ‘To Finish Fast Safe and Happy.’ Every single person on board felt we had achieved that and in style. Eighteen knots is very fast, we did not stop laughing throughout the race and we broke nothing in very testing condition (apart from the heads seat and Dave’s boots). We also supported another boat that was potentially in distress. At the end of this weekend there was no need for emotion curves or similar exercise, what is the point when the race has been such a big high for everyone. This is what offshore racing is about and this team is going far.
Oh yes, I nearly forgot to mention; we are now placed 2nd in Class 1 of the RORC Championships and 6th overall!
posted by Sailing Logic at 1:13 PM 0 comments
