VOR In-port Melbourne race:
A Different View

G’day Scot,

Probably the largest spectator fleet ever seen in Melbourne watched a thrilling race which started in about 15 knots and ended in about 20-25 knots. Brazil surprised us all with her early pace but later keel problems saw her drop back and a spinnaker hoist halyard problem saw them replace their masthead chute with a fractional and by the end of that leg they were right out of the picture. Mike Sanderson and his team n ABN Amro 1 sailed a masterly race and took control to win comfortably. One of their onboard guest crew was John Bertrand who certainly knows Port Phillip well. They won comfortably from rapidly improving Pirates of the Caribbean and our buddies on Movistar filled third spot after a spinnaker drop problem had cost them dearly. Ericsson was also fast and was right in the hunt even though she had to restart after being OCS and had to fight her way back into contention. ABN2 was also recalled and never really got back into the race while an off the pace Brunel was completely outclassed by the rest. It is hard to see what could be done to Brunel to get her on pace with the rest of this fleet but underestimate Wharro at your peril.

Strictly enforced exclusion zones and lack of a decent lens means that I don’t have much to show from that perspective but I did manage to get aboard Movistar when bowman Pepe Ribes picked my son out of the crowd at the Presentation Ceremony having remembered him from their meeting at our yacht club last Wednesday.

My family was given a private and entirely unrestricted tour of Movistar which was just mind-blowing for all of us. There were no restrictions on photos but I was so busy taking it all in I didn’t take many shots.

I would have to say it is a good thing that offshore sailing doesn’t come under Union jurisdiction. The conditions in which these guys live at sea are, plainly, horrific and primitive. I know they love it but life inside a cramped dark carbon box can’t be all that flash when you add the heat of the tropics and associated body odours. Andrew Cape spends about ten hours a day in the cramped nav. station with the mainsheet grinder drive shaft threatening horrible injuries right above his head, Two minutes in there was about enough for me.

We had to look hard to find the galley in amongst the keel structure in the centre of the boat but the “piece de resistance” was the shitter. This magnificent engineering marvel is fully gimbaled and entirely sculpted in carbon. After a long crawl forward, occupancy would be difficult with the boat at the dock but it must be a precarious balancing act to use it at sea. Put it this way, you would really need to “go” to want to use it.

Fascinating to see the deck gear and interesting to note that the official terminology for the foreguy is engraved on the jammer handle as “Downfucker”, a source of great amusement to my 6 year old son whose vocabulary we are fighting hard to control.

There was so much to take in on the boat and it was just amazing to be shown over the boat. Jack was given an official Movistar Sailing Team hat which he slept in last night and will treasure for a long time. We extend our grateful thanks to Pepe Ribes, bowman extraordinaire, his lovely partner Sonia and the entire Movistar sailing team for their kindness and generosity in providing us with a very special experience.

SPORTSCAR