andlauer
Well-Known Member
Ewen message :
With the safe arrival of Roger in Mingming into QAB yesterday morning I now declare that the JC 2010 is over.
I will now lower the Jester burgee from Black Velvet's port cross trees with a happy (and relieved!) heart - plus a tot or two.
Roger's message is in the Sitrep: he has returned with a broken rib (a month ago in the Davis Strait - went for an X-ray today!) but otherwise sounds in good shape after 4,000+ n miles. China Blue and Argus (see Sitrep) also accounted for.
I can now write my summing-up report (including a long mist of repeated 'thank yous') although this will take a day or two. Apart from Amadeus's awful loss I think we can say it has been a success in every other respect - thanks to the good seamanship and wisdom of ALL the skippers who, where necessary, took the correct action in good time in order to reach a safe landfall whether in Newport or elsewhere. As I said at the skippers' briefing I would not mind where anyone ended up provided they were safe and had upheld the growing tradition of the JC for sound seamanship and sensible decisions undertaken expeditiously - and the unavoidable loss of a vessel and the saving of a life in extreme conditions comes well into that category.
24 starters, 9 arrivals in Newport, 1 vessel lost and all others safe and sound with no serious personal injuries reported (even Roger will admit one broken rib is pretty small stuff for 60 degrees north!) is a good striking rate that compares more than well with the larger classes in OSTAR and indeed with the shore-supported, ultra high-tech, often professional, fully-crewed or single-handed vessels around the globe.
BRAVO ZULU to all and Happy Moons'ls for the remainder of the season.
I think we are in danger of proving that giving responsibility for their own affairs - in every respect - back to the skippers (an earlier and much-criticised aspect of the JC) is working! A good and caring seaman who wishes to cross an ocean in company does not need to pay an organising committee thousands of pounds just to be told in return in what state he and his vessel will, or will not, be allowed to go to sea.
Onwards!
Ewen.
PS See you all again on 27 May 2012 if not before: London Boat Show pub-dinner et al
With the safe arrival of Roger in Mingming into QAB yesterday morning I now declare that the JC 2010 is over.
I will now lower the Jester burgee from Black Velvet's port cross trees with a happy (and relieved!) heart - plus a tot or two.
Roger's message is in the Sitrep: he has returned with a broken rib (a month ago in the Davis Strait - went for an X-ray today!) but otherwise sounds in good shape after 4,000+ n miles. China Blue and Argus (see Sitrep) also accounted for.
I can now write my summing-up report (including a long mist of repeated 'thank yous') although this will take a day or two. Apart from Amadeus's awful loss I think we can say it has been a success in every other respect - thanks to the good seamanship and wisdom of ALL the skippers who, where necessary, took the correct action in good time in order to reach a safe landfall whether in Newport or elsewhere. As I said at the skippers' briefing I would not mind where anyone ended up provided they were safe and had upheld the growing tradition of the JC for sound seamanship and sensible decisions undertaken expeditiously - and the unavoidable loss of a vessel and the saving of a life in extreme conditions comes well into that category.
24 starters, 9 arrivals in Newport, 1 vessel lost and all others safe and sound with no serious personal injuries reported (even Roger will admit one broken rib is pretty small stuff for 60 degrees north!) is a good striking rate that compares more than well with the larger classes in OSTAR and indeed with the shore-supported, ultra high-tech, often professional, fully-crewed or single-handed vessels around the globe.
BRAVO ZULU to all and Happy Moons'ls for the remainder of the season.
I think we are in danger of proving that giving responsibility for their own affairs - in every respect - back to the skippers (an earlier and much-criticised aspect of the JC) is working! A good and caring seaman who wishes to cross an ocean in company does not need to pay an organising committee thousands of pounds just to be told in return in what state he and his vessel will, or will not, be allowed to go to sea.
Onwards!
Ewen.
PS See you all again on 27 May 2012 if not before: London Boat Show pub-dinner et al
