Transat? Wot Transat?

ronsurf

ronsurf

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Here in Plymouth the whole Barbican is taken over with Transatness. 40 and 60 foot racing yachts are everywhere. Jazz bands playing, people drinking, and a square rigger to climb over. It's a pretty cool event.

Couldn't find any mention of it in PBO, and I was wondering why? I was thinking of letting them know...

Looking forward to sunday to see them fly past and hope I don't get in their way. Also whether the Brittany Ferry will just plough straight through them....
 
we're planning to drop the hook over at Cawsand and watch with a pair of binos. The last forecast I saw was 10kts SE so I reckon the racing machines won't be at warp speed - maybe only 10kts eh!

rob
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just make sure you're on starboard tack and to leeward of them and you can cross the entire fleet really really closely for a good look. They'll appreciate it and you'll probably hear them shouting their greetings or somesuch as they thunder past, it's considered bad form not to acknowledge them with a wave and a "Bon Voyage".

Cheers, Brian.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're joking?
 
Hi Da-Ron

Speaking on behalf of PBO...(!)

Events like the Transat are obviously very interesting, and our coverage does tend to vary. We have a freelancer down there taking pix for us, and we may run a photo story off the back of it.

Our main attention is now focused on more affordable ocean racing - such as the Jester Challenge which kicks off from Plymouth at the end of this month. Now, this is REAL PBO territory as all the boats will be under 30ft, and most of them will be ordinary production boats. No rules, no entry fees, no hype - just non-professional yachtsmen taking on the challenge of sailing a modest boat single-handed to the Azores. For many, it will be their first time off-soundings. The race is secondary to the Challenge itself, as there are no handicappers, time keepers or protest committees to keep order! It's all done on honesty.

Come down and have a look! There's something like 50 boats turning up, and if you get carried away you can tag along all the way to the Azores.
Unlike the corporate-sponsored racing machines, you may only recognise a Jester by visual clues - the self-steering gear on a Westerly Centaur, for example, or a plexiglass dome over a Corribee 21's hatch. Oh, and the green burgee...just like the race, small, discreet, but speaking volumes!
 
Oooooooooooooooo Jake, you ol' lush /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif


Me heart strings played a melody at the lyrical and sentimental anecdotes of your post...

I must confess, you are sooo correct.. the sponsered rubbish is just outa reach, therefore not interesting.
PLEASE keep up the good work..

YOU da MAN !

ps..
If you up the page rate I wil send you many articles /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Capt'n S.
 
Capn Slarty, you old seadog! Been following your posts with interest. When can PBO have some of your excellent material? Page rate isn't bad - might even buy a gallon of diesel soon the way prices keep going up!

(Incidentally - I know your boat well - she used to belong to my step-dad!! He was intrigued by what you have done to her.)

Glad you approve of the Jester sentiments - it's the antidote to the nanny state. Tom Cunliffe's wife works for Greenpeace, and they reckon that the human race is now at plague proportions, so if a skipper goes down with his ship 'like a gentleman' ( or lady - and there are two women skippers on Jester this year) he will ease the problem by one six-billionth.

Trouble is, the Jesters go to such lengths to make their production boats (and themselves) seaworthy that this is unlikely to happen. Meanwhile, the professional racers seems to lose keels and mast with alarming regularity, and then have high profile and award winning rescues. Funny old world.

Get writing, Cap'n. Your public needs you! And we do pay - quite handsomely, especially if you can send some good step-by-step pix with your ideas!
 
Wow Jake, intersting stuff on your step dad owning our boat - was he the last owner before us ?.. I never got to meet him.

just an update for him on progress so far..
Interior mods.
Complete new seating areas port and starboard, lower seat level - angled slightly and angled backs. storage behind.
Interior steering removed - now a chart table area and the centre cabin is now a 5 feet wide by 6 foot six double.
Anchor locker moved to the aft of the for'ad V berth for weight distribution.
At the mo fitting solid teak panelling to the revised interior ply. Tongue n groove headlining - white with teak cross beams - throughout the boat.
All lining trim inside the pilot house has gone.. replacing with white tongue n groove and teak surrounds to the windows
(The pontoon near the boat is FULL of tongue n groove boards that have just had the second coat of varnish to protect the back of them before fitting.. good job its quiet in La Coruna at the mo !

10mm solid teak n holly sole to be fitted (Over exisitng access hatches)
Leccy winches are in, new autopilot in, new Goiot steering wheel (Quick release) New leccy cupboard where the old wet locker was.. new distribution panels - all new engine wiring and instrument set.

Never a dull day
 
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