Tuesday, 18 July 2006
Crew Report from Puma Logic
Crew member and navigator, Richard Jefferies, reports from Puma Logic after the Cowes to Dinard RORC race at the weekend.
It was the 100th anniversary of this great race with over 200 entries including Dame Ellen MacArthur’s B&Q compared to just 4 the four entries in 1906. I don’t get to see much of the start as I tend to get tied up below using the computer looking at our position on the line. After getting our bearings with practice runs at the line, the kite was hoisted before the gun and we had a text book start second over the line but the first boat was OCS. We went west towards the needles. Going past the needles always raises a tingle down my spine as I remember the first time I went past them aged 11 with my father on our way to Poole as my first real yachting adventure.
As we turned south at the Needles fairway buoy the winds were from the aft and we were trimming hard, driving towards the Western end of the Channel Islands. Tactically we were looking at how far east we dare go as that was where we were expecting the breeze to fill in from, always a bold move going the wrong way to get breeze but sometimes there is no choice especially with the number of French boats determined to be first to St. Malo.
As well as wanting a good result, this race was also about testing our newly installed systems for the forthcoming Round Britian and Ireland Race. This included the freeze dried and boil in the bag food, which we’d had all been dreading trying. With evening came our first test and we were all pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted and two weeks of it doesn’t seem quite so bad now.
As this race was expected to be quick the sleeping strategy was for people to take sleep when they felt they needed it. So, as one of the first at about 10pm, I headed down to get a couple of hours. I’d just settled into the forepeak, to keep weight forward, having forgotten about the Puma tradition of dropping wet kites straight down the hatch onto people sleeping!
Gradually the wind built and as we passed Guernsey I was woken to make sure we didn’t hit any rocks! Sitting down at the chart table watching our progress on the computer (again). It was a little like playing a sailing game shouting up right five degrees, standby to go to genoa in two minutes and watching the little boat on the screen make all the course corrections was quite surreal. I also managed to download another GRIB file which suggested that we could follow the lift of the wind round until we could bear away, hoist the kite and go for the finish. However, I didn’t quite have the faith in the forecast, Philippe our skipper agreed and we headed to the line surrounded by smaller French boats which was a little depressing! The sun coming up warmed our faces and we all hiked hard to eek every little last bit of speed out of Puma to the finish. After nineteen hours and five minutes we were finished and the beer and Bastille Day fireworks in St. Malo awaited us.
When corrections had been applied we were 7th in class, missing out on being 5th by under 30 seconds but was still good enough to hold onto our 2nd position overall in the series. How many other sports can get that close after such long periods of racing?
Crew member and navigator, Richard Jefferies, reports from Puma Logic after the Cowes to Dinard RORC race at the weekend.
It was the 100th anniversary of this great race with over 200 entries including Dame Ellen MacArthur’s B&Q compared to just 4 the four entries in 1906. I don’t get to see much of the start as I tend to get tied up below using the computer looking at our position on the line. After getting our bearings with practice runs at the line, the kite was hoisted before the gun and we had a text book start second over the line but the first boat was OCS. We went west towards the needles. Going past the needles always raises a tingle down my spine as I remember the first time I went past them aged 11 with my father on our way to Poole as my first real yachting adventure.
As we turned south at the Needles fairway buoy the winds were from the aft and we were trimming hard, driving towards the Western end of the Channel Islands. Tactically we were looking at how far east we dare go as that was where we were expecting the breeze to fill in from, always a bold move going the wrong way to get breeze but sometimes there is no choice especially with the number of French boats determined to be first to St. Malo.
As well as wanting a good result, this race was also about testing our newly installed systems for the forthcoming Round Britian and Ireland Race. This included the freeze dried and boil in the bag food, which we’d had all been dreading trying. With evening came our first test and we were all pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted and two weeks of it doesn’t seem quite so bad now.
As this race was expected to be quick the sleeping strategy was for people to take sleep when they felt they needed it. So, as one of the first at about 10pm, I headed down to get a couple of hours. I’d just settled into the forepeak, to keep weight forward, having forgotten about the Puma tradition of dropping wet kites straight down the hatch onto people sleeping!
Gradually the wind built and as we passed Guernsey I was woken to make sure we didn’t hit any rocks! Sitting down at the chart table watching our progress on the computer (again). It was a little like playing a sailing game shouting up right five degrees, standby to go to genoa in two minutes and watching the little boat on the screen make all the course corrections was quite surreal. I also managed to download another GRIB file which suggested that we could follow the lift of the wind round until we could bear away, hoist the kite and go for the finish. However, I didn’t quite have the faith in the forecast, Philippe our skipper agreed and we headed to the line surrounded by smaller French boats which was a little depressing! The sun coming up warmed our faces and we all hiked hard to eek every little last bit of speed out of Puma to the finish. After nineteen hours and five minutes we were finished and the beer and Bastille Day fireworks in St. Malo awaited us.
When corrections had been applied we were 7th in class, missing out on being 5th by under 30 seconds but was still good enough to hold onto our 2nd position overall in the series. How many other sports can get that close after such long periods of racing?
posted by Sailing Logic at 12:39 PM 0 comments
Friday, 7 July 2006
Reflections on French VictoryRead Philippe Falle's column in Yachts and Yachting about his views on the French victory in the recent Commodores' Cup. Click Here to view column.
Philippe was the skipper of Puma Logic in the British trials for the Commodores' Cup this year. Unfortunately the team were overlooked by the selectors this time. Philippe discusses his thoughts as to how the British team could now progress.
posted by Sailing Logic at 12:35 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, 5 July 2006
Abundance of Wildlife on Training SailThis trip has been the exact tonic that I needed! After the trials and tribulations of the past three months it could not have come at a better time. The outcome is that I have been reminded of exactly what it is I love about sailing.
There has been wildlife in abundance, changing moods of the sea and skies and varying emotions. It is a long time since I have seen such a variety of wildlife and been able to enjoy the moods and experience without the pressures and high intensity of racing.
In the Irish Sea I sailed through a swarm of jelly fish ranging in size, colour, shape and texture. Leopard was surrounded by them for as far as I could see. I hate jelly fish but I was mesmerised by them at four in the morning as they were migrating south in the tranquil and still waters, subtly illuminated by the early morning twilight.
Further south, near Lands End I was entertained by a pod of about twenty dolphins. It never ceases to amaze me that after seeing so many dolphins over the years I am still as excited now as I was when I first saw them. This display was made special by the electrical storm that was lighting the sky.
Finally and most impressively came yesterday afternoon when two twenty five foot sharks circled Leopard. They are a magnificent fish and I had to stop the boat to enjoy and savour the moment. They stayed with me for about twenty minutes before getting bored and disappearing into the depths to find more plankton.
The variety off moods of nature and wildlife in just four days at sea has been superb. It is this that originally gave me such a passionate love for sailing. Something I think I had forgotten over the past few years whilst being wrapped up in the excitement of racing. Now I look forward to the Round Britain and Ireland race with a boosted enthusiasm and have re found my passionate love for the sea.
As for the training, well that is another story. My other crew member decided to jump ship and abandon me (it is ok, he did wait till we got ashore in Penzance). He said he had issues at work to sort. I am not sure, I think I may have offended him and suspect that asking for my breakfast in bed was possibly one step too far!
So for the last 200 miles I have been enjoying my first proper experience of single handed sailing, my first night passage on my own. It has been very interesting and I have loved the opportunity and experience. I am full of admiration for the single handed sailors. I do not know how they do it both physically and mentally. Total respect.
Lessons learnt; Drink plenty of water! Dehydration creeps up so quickly and affects performance so badly. It made me extremely tired and grouchy (what is new there then)? It is so unnecessary to get dehydrated, it just takes discipline.
Last thought; are there any aspirations to become the next up and coming single handed talent? Not likely! I love sharing the wonderful moments and emotions with other people. I love the team work aspect of sailing, the interpersonal element and camaraderie is the final ingredient that makes sailing special for me. Not to mention that I have had to do my own cooking and cleaning!
posted by Sailing Logic at 10:11 AM 2 comments
Monday, 3 July 2006
Skipper Training for Round Britain & Ireland.
When I was asked if I would deliver a Reflex 38 from Troon, Scotland to Southampton I jumped at the opportunity. It may seem a little bit silly but I thought it would be excellent training for the forthcoming Round Britain & Ireland race.
I am not thinking of it as a training session from a sailing skills point of view. It is really training in sleep deprivation and re acquainting myself with what life is like aboard a boat on a non stop passage. The total miles I will sail will equate to just one third of the race itself or the same distance as the Fastnet race. The main difference for me is that I am doing this two handed which is giving me a good opportunity to work with sleep patterns.
My sleep management on the RB&I race will be extremely important and will have a fairly large impact on the successful performance of Puma. As the skipper the responsibility of the final decision making lies with me. I will make decisions based on the continual flow of information provided to me by the navigators and the team on deck. If I am too tired then fundamental and elementary mistakes may occur. If I am sleeping at the wrong times then vital tactical calls may be missed. It is always difficult for the skipper to decide when the best time is to sleep and re charge the batteries and indeed what duration of sleep is required.
This trip is providing me with the ideal opportunity to experiment with how much sleep I can function with and what sleep patterns work best for me. With the lessons learnt I will be ready to get aboard Puma with a clear plan as to the best approach for my sleep management which will boost my confidence and performance from the outset. To me, success in the RB&I race will be the result of meticulous preparation in all areas and the attention to small details.
The down side of this little project is that I am sat in the Irish Sea with no wind, rain and a thunderstorm!! Oh well, I guess you have to expect that on the stretch of water between Ireland and Wales!
When I was asked if I would deliver a Reflex 38 from Troon, Scotland to Southampton I jumped at the opportunity. It may seem a little bit silly but I thought it would be excellent training for the forthcoming Round Britain & Ireland race.
I am not thinking of it as a training session from a sailing skills point of view. It is really training in sleep deprivation and re acquainting myself with what life is like aboard a boat on a non stop passage. The total miles I will sail will equate to just one third of the race itself or the same distance as the Fastnet race. The main difference for me is that I am doing this two handed which is giving me a good opportunity to work with sleep patterns.
My sleep management on the RB&I race will be extremely important and will have a fairly large impact on the successful performance of Puma. As the skipper the responsibility of the final decision making lies with me. I will make decisions based on the continual flow of information provided to me by the navigators and the team on deck. If I am too tired then fundamental and elementary mistakes may occur. If I am sleeping at the wrong times then vital tactical calls may be missed. It is always difficult for the skipper to decide when the best time is to sleep and re charge the batteries and indeed what duration of sleep is required.
This trip is providing me with the ideal opportunity to experiment with how much sleep I can function with and what sleep patterns work best for me. With the lessons learnt I will be ready to get aboard Puma with a clear plan as to the best approach for my sleep management which will boost my confidence and performance from the outset. To me, success in the RB&I race will be the result of meticulous preparation in all areas and the attention to small details.
The down side of this little project is that I am sat in the Irish Sea with no wind, rain and a thunderstorm!! Oh well, I guess you have to expect that on the stretch of water between Ireland and Wales!
posted by Sailing Logic at 8:58 PM 0 comments
