|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Nov 6, 2023 18:48:58 GMT 12
Anyone else following this re-creation of the early Whitbreads? oceangloberace.com/First leg line honours into Cape Town was taken by Spirit of Helsinki, who raced in the 85-86 race as Fazer of Finland, Eric Tabarly's Pen Duick VI (the yacht that created much controversy in the 76-77 race with her spent uranium ballast) was second skippered by his daughter. Will be interesting to see if the "dinosaur Swan 65's handle the Southen Ocean any better than they did in the first 2 Whitbreads. What a shame Ceramco was not brought out of retirement, she would have blitzed the fleet. I remember visiting Mc Mullen and Wing on her launch day and later having a tour of her with Richard Mc Allister. The whole of NZ felt let down when her mast came done Always feel CZ has a little of Ceramco in her with the same clipper bow, Ceramco was Farr design 90, CZ 92, both on the board much the same time |
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Dec 13, 2023 8:08:24 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Jan 14, 2024 18:09:48 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by muzled on Jan 14, 2024 19:08:07 GMT 12
Sorry, I searched for this specific thread but it only came up with the other one.
That Pen Duick is a big lump of boat.
|
|
|
|
Post by muzled on Jan 14, 2024 19:18:36 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Feb 7, 2024 8:34:49 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by Fogg on Feb 8, 2024 12:04:30 GMT 12
I’m trying to rack my brain for the book I read about one of these races that I loved and re-read multiple times as a boy. In fact it might even still be on my parents’ bookshelf somewhere.
It was written by Chay Blyth and it was the story of his crew of paras whom he taught to sail from scratch to become Whitbread-race ready. I can’t remember which boat they were on though…
|
|
|
|
Post by Fogg on Feb 8, 2024 12:07:31 GMT 12
I even loved the name of “ADC Accutrac” (I think it was the name of a new high-end hi-fi turntable or something) and of course a Swan 65 was my dream boat.
Nowadays, if you offered me a straight swap of a Swan 65 for Fogg it would be a tough decision. I’d be v tempted but probably more for nostalgic reasons than practical purposes though. And my family would think I’d gone mad for sure.
|
|
|
|
Post by fish on Feb 8, 2024 12:27:38 GMT 12
I’m trying to rack my brain for the book I read about one of these races that I loved and re-read multiple times as a boy. In fact it might even still be on my parents’ bookshelf somewhere. It was written by Chay Blyth and it was the story of his crew of paras whom he taught to sail from scratch to become Whitbread-race ready. I can’t remember which boat they were on though… Was it Chay Blyth who said 'don't fall overboard, cause if you do we wont come back for you'? The concept being to encourage good discipline about clipping / holding on etc, and also to set the culture for winning, not "wasting time" searching for crewmen. And then when someone fell overboard in the Southern Ocean he wouldn't turn back. Very nearly had a mutiny and I understand thought it best to stay in his cabin for 24 hrs. I think his arguement was a search would have been fruitless anyway. (running under kite, at night etc etc) |
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Feb 8, 2024 12:50:16 GMT 12
It was written by Chay Blyth and it was the story of his crew of paras whom he taught to sail from scratch to become Whitbread-race ready. I can’t remember which boat they were on though… "Their's was the Glory", sailing on Great Britain II, designed by Alan Gurney (of Windward Passage fame) and built by Derek Kelsall (who later settled in Waihi for his latter years). GB II under various names I believe did at least 3 more Whitbread races and won the FT Clipper UK - Sydney - UK race in 1975 Correct on the turntable, the yacht was sponsored by UK company BSR Ltd with ADC being their US subsidiary Audio Dynamics Corporation. Yacht was skippered by Clare Francis and she wrote a superb book on their race, "Come Wind or Weather" She later went on to become a very successful author. The 1977 had the "legendary" race party at the Rio Yacht Club which saw (unnecessarily) the riot police called to sort out the crews. I suspect that is legend rather than reality noting Bernie Hoskins went overboard on the first leg and was recovered, however per the book when he went overboard on the 3rd leg they spent several hours searching without success chayblyth.com/ocean-adventurer/the-whitbread-race-1973-74/Two other yachts also lost cre in that race. |
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Feb 8, 2024 13:09:52 GMT 12
I have collected alot of yachting related books over the years (can't help myself), my (incomplete) collection on the Whitbread and a couple of related books  |
|
|
|
Post by Fogg on Feb 8, 2024 13:56:20 GMT 12
Clare Francis - now you’re talking. I had a crush on her back in the day! 😊
I read her original book “Come Hell or High Water” too many times to count. Was about her 70s(?) single-handed transat in a borrowed Ohloson 38 callled “Robertson’s Golly”, sponsored by the jam & marmalade company. Can you imagine the uproar if you tried that today.
Almost worth it for the fun… 😊
She went on to become a half-decent novelist too.
|
|
|
|
Post by Fogg on Feb 8, 2024 14:00:18 GMT 12
See what I mean:  |
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Feb 9, 2024 7:37:04 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by ComfortZone on Feb 14, 2024 13:10:35 GMT 12
|
|
