February 9th 2009:  Cork Confirmed as Stopover for Clipper 09-10

Cork made a huge impact on the crew of Clipper 07-08 with hospitality that was second to none.  The people of Cork also took the Clipper crew warmly to their hearts so it is no surprise to see them officially named as a stopover for the 09-10 race. The announcement was accompanied by even better news since Cork will now have a Clipper boat bearing the name of the port, joining Hull & Humber, California, Qingdao and Uniquely Singapore at the start line.  Cork will be the first stopover after the Atlantic crossing on Leg 7.

January 28th 2009:  B2 Training Part 2 of 2

Man overboard drills are carried out every day on Clipper - day and night and irrespective of weather and sea conditions.  It's not that we expect anyone to go overboard, but we need to be sure that every crew member is confident in the various roles to ensure safe recovery under the worst possible scenario.  Safety epitomises the Clipper approach to training and when you think that a casualty was successfully recovered in both the 05-06 race and the 07-08 race, the strategy is well justified.  On Wednesday as we sailed towards Weymouth, we sought to ensure that every crew member experienced the different roles involved - pointing to the MOB, launching the Dan Buoy, dropping the sails, hitting the MOB button and starting the engine.  Whilst all this is happening the helmsman is circling the casualty and the crew member designated to wear the harness is prepared for lowering over the side to recover the 'casualty' (in this case, Billy the fender).

On Thursday, in the safety of Weymouth Harbour, we decided to try the exercise again with a live casualty.  Paul valiantly volunteered to rescue me from the icy water and we both donned immersion suits which kept us dry but not very warm.  The whole crew worked hard to recover both casualty and rescuer and transfer us to the safety of the saloon.  We discussed the exercise at length afterwards and concluded, by combining our experience of rescuing Billy in rough seas to a live casualty at Weymouth, that Glasgow's achievement of recovering their MOB in the Southern Oceans last year, was nothing short of heroic.

We left Weymouth and stopped at Poole Thursday night whilst yet another storm blew through.  On Friday we enjoyed some spectacular seas sailing back to Gopsort and with wind speeds averaging 38 knots although the skipper later informed us that we touched gale force 9 at times.  With a poled out headsail we took turns helming and under the instruction of First Mate Matt we were soon learning how to anticipate the next wave and enjoy some good surfing speeds.  Neil took the honours on this day with a recorded high speed of 13.8 knots.

It was during this run back to Gosport that we experienced our first significant breakage.  Not something you want to happen but looking back, it should prove valuable experience for the race itself.  The winds had picked up and we had decided to put a reef in the main sail, reducing the area of sail exposed to the wind.  To achieve this we headed up into the wind which took the power out of the main sail but caused the yankee to flap considerably.  Normally this would not cause a problem because a reef takes about a minute to put in.  On this occasion however, the sliders holding the sail jammed and the skipper had to climb the mast and try to free them.  The constant flapping of the foresail eventually resulted in the steel hanks holding the sail to give way as if they were paper clips and the yankee fell less than gracefully into the sea.  What was impressive was the how the whole crew rallied to recover the situation - and the damaged sail - enabling us to proceed safely to port.

Saturday was spent in much lighter winds around the Solent and gave us one last shot at the spinnaker although the fickle winds meant it did not last for long so apart from my mother watch duties, I spent a fair deal of time helping to repack the spinnaker.  Saturday night saw us go for our customary last night meal (Landers in Gosport) and Sunday was spent deep cleaning the boat in readiness for the next course.  Once again, a great week and confidence goes up just another couple of notches.

January 26th 2009:  B2 Training Part 1 of 2

It was blowing a hooley as I drove down to Gosport for my second stint on Part B training.  It was a mixture of old and new friends as I was greeted on the pontoon by Skipper Ollie and Neil with whom I had sailed on my part A training last March.  Once on the boat, I renewed my friendship with Paul, who I sailed with on Clipper Qingdao and John who I met at the boat show.  Also on board were Will, Sally, Mike, Aleks and first mate Matt.

After the customary introductions in the Clarence Arms we retired for an early night.  Monday was quite tough, mainly because it had been a while since my last training session but we prepped the boat and by lunchtime we were headed out into the Solent practising tacks, sail changes and man overboard (MOB) drills.  The weather forecast was pretty much focused on high winds and low temperatures and I was (I think) well prepared with Icebreaker baselayers, ski gloves for helming, a selection of Buffs and a new sleeping bag.  In the event they all proved their worth but my worst investment to date has probably been my fingerless sailing gloves.  In conditions like this, they get wet in seconds and by holding the freezing water, they become a liability rather than an asset.  Bare hands are much better working with lines - they soon harden up - but there is no getting away from the fact that in these relatively cold conditions, you soon lose feeling in your fingers.  Particularly so when working on metal or above head height with the blood draining away.

Tuesday was another challenging day weather wise and we took the opportunity to round the Isle of Wight with a mixture of sail changes, configurations and MOB drills.  We also tested out the spinnaker for the first time as we headed east on the southern side.  This was my day on mother watch with Neil and we both survived well enough although the brie and cranberry rolls at lunch did force us both on deck briefly!  By this time, I was well pleased with my cheap bivvy bag which kept the boat condensation out of my sleeping bag.  Unfortunately, it did not breathe particularly well so I had to discard it by the third night.  It just goes to show that you generally get what you pay for!  In reality though, it will serve me well to keep the bag dry when I am not in it.

We moored at East Cowes on Wednesday night and Ollie recommended we get an early start in the morning and head west.  An early start for me is anything before 9am so a 5am breakfast for a 5:30am sail was beyond my wildest fears.  Still, we all made it on time and enjoyed a decent sunrise and some spectacular upwind sailing with the boat heeled hard over.  It was great helming and mixed in with a few tacks, a poled out headsail and the now customary MOB drills.  Make no mistake though; this was a very tough day and we were still sailing 77 miles and 14 hours later before we turned into Weymouth for the night, enjoying some excellent fish and chips and some 'local' pub entertainment.

Another early night was definately required.  Strangely enough, we all slept soundly and totally unaware of the challenges that lay ahead of us.

January 18th 2009 :  Follow Training on the Blog

As I pack for my 2nd Part B course, I'm hoping to keep a bit of information flowing back via the blog page.  In the meantime, just a few words about Durban Clipper.

Durban first entered a boat in the 05-06 race skippered by Craig Miller and finished in second place.  Buoyed by this success Durban entered the race again in 07-08 with Ricky Chalmers as skipper.  They quickly emerged as one of the boats to watch with two wins in the first four races but after losing their mast mid pacific they unsurprisingly struggled to find their early form and finished the overall race in a respectable sixth place.  The boat is becoming quite familiar to me as she was the vessel that I helped return from Liverpool and also completed my first Part B training on.

January 17th 2009:  First Crew Briefing

120 crew members assembled at the London Boat Show today to get their first briefing from Clipper Ventures.  Race Director Jonathan Bailey led the briefing ably assisted by Race Secretary Lizzie Nicholas and many others.  We received all the updates that were known on race sponsors, route, stopovers and equipment.  We hope over the next few weeks to be able to share some of this news with you.  What is known is that there will be a full fleet of 10 racing yachts taking part, that 75% of the crew allocation has now been completed and that there are only 3 or 4 round the world slots still to be allocated.

The boat show itself was huge and there were hundreds of trade stands including clothing sponsor Henri Lloyd who gave us a very entertaining presentation on the gear being provided!  They were not able to compete with Southampton in terms of the craft on display which is not surprising given the location so a good deal of time was spent meeting up with fellow crew and crew members from earlier races.  It was great to meet up again with people I had met through various training courses and delivery trips - even for the briefest of moments.  The highlight for me was to meet a crew member from Clipper London in the 2000 race and to re-unite with Hagan who I shared the delivery trip with from Liverpool to Gosport.  Hagan had come over from Austria specifically for the reunion and to share his knowledge and experience with Clipper 09-10 crew.

January 12th 2009:  Back to the Tutor - Part 2

It seems a long time since I was last on a Clipper boat so it will come as no surprise that when I had the opportunity to take a further week training at the end of January I jumped at the chance.

Whilst there is no doubt that my confidence has increased dramatically over the past few months, there's no getting away from the fact that this time last year, I had never set foot on a sailing boat let alone a racing yacht!  So any additional experience I can secure between now and race start will do me the power of good.  After all an additional weeks training in the middle of the British winter should be really valuable.  I've already benefitted from two delivery trips but this will be a step up as it is another Part B training course.  I am scheduled to report to Durban clipper next Sunday, 18th January and we will be sailing over the next week including an extended period at sea of three or more days and nights.

January 6th 2009:  On the 12th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, get below and make some tea, I've had enough of your stories!

Our final guest website comes from fellow crew member Elisa Jenkins who lives in Nova Scotia.  Her wesite can be found at http://capebretonclipper.net/.

Elisa Jenkins, who is a qualified physiotherapist and lives in Westmount, Nova Scotia, is sailing in Leg 1 of the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10.  She hopes to commit herself to further legs as and when funds permit.  Competing in the Clipper Round the World Race is a tremendous challenge, not just raising the finances but the physical and mental preparation and Elisa's determination epitomises the commitment and dedication of many crew members.  Elisa started sailing at University and has over 5 years experience of ocean sailing including a trip from Hobart to Sydney across the infamous Bass Strait. When the 07-08 race stopped in Nova Scotia last June, she was so inspired by the challenge that she signed up there and then.  Since then she has completed her Part A & B training and will be returning to the UK next August for Part C.

January 5th 2009:  On the 11th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper told me the race countdown has started on www.clipperroundtheworld.com who have this week relaunched their website to focus on the 09-10 race.  Between now and May, the website will provide an ever increasing amount of information about the race and the proposed route.  From May, when the teams are announced, there will be even more detail on boats, skippers and crew.  Finally, from September you can follow the fleet as they race around the world using Clipper's unique and exclusive race viewer.

January 4th 2009:  On the 10th Day of Christmas...

,,,my skipper said to me, 27 countries were represented in the 07-08 race including Brunei, Pakistan and Costa Rica.  So today we cross the pond to look at the first of two North American crew member websites.  Shana Bagley's website can be found at http://www.sailcharisma.com/

Shana is a Deputy Attorney General living in Walnut Creek, California. To say she is keen on sports would be an understatement as her CV includes half marathons, rugby, highland games (national finalist), strongwoman state champion and Bavarian Curling (Eisstock) at World Championship Level. Her love for sailing comes as part of her heritage; her Great Grandfather was a Barque ship captain who sailed from Genoa to San Francisco at the end of the 19th century to settle in California. Shana married a keen sailor and it was Bob that introduced her to ocean sailing. Over the last three years they sailed to the British Virgin Islands, the Grenadines and Hawaii and she now sails regularly in the bay on board the family boat, Charisma (Tayana 37) or racing out of the San Francisco Yacht Club on Elusive (Olsen 911).

Shana and Bob plan to sail the South Pacific together but since Bob has been sailing since he was 14, she thought she that maybe she had some catching up to do. Entering the Clipper Round the World Race is sure to do that and, like so many crew members, the race is starting to take over her life. Having originally signed up for Leg 1 (Hull to Brazil) she is now also committed to Leg 7 returning to Hull and would definately do the whole race if she got the chance.

January 3rd 2009:  On the 9th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, Wow, what an amazing story.  The story is true.  It comes courtesy of todays guest website and my nominated charity, the Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education.

The story concerns Summer Jones who was referred to Rainbow at eighteen months of age.  At that time, hemiplegic cerebral palsy left her unable to co-ordinate one side of her body with the other and prevented her from walking or even crawling.  She was a very frustrated little girl whose only mobility came from sliding around on her right hip and elbow.  Her parents had feared that she may never walk and without the help from Rainbow she would almost certainly have been confined to a wheelchair.  Within weeks of arriving at the Rainbow Centre she was taking her first tentative steps and now, fifteen months later, she is running around like any three year old and clearly enjoying a very fulfilling life.  The best Christmas present her parents could have wished for was to watch her opening her own Christmas presents.

Summer's progress is the direct result of conductive education.  This is an educational system that has been specifically developed for children and adults who have motor disorders of neurological origin. It is based on the premise that a person who has a motor disorder does not only have a medical condition requiring treatment, but very importantly a problem in learning that requires education. During the past two decades, Conductive Education, increasingly known simply by its initials, CE, has emerged as a potent and dynamic force that benefits children and adults who have difficulties in controlling their movements (motor disorders). 

All donations received through Justgiving, are passed on the the Rainbow Centre at Fareham.  Since this website was launched in October 2007, we have raised nearly £3,000 toward our target of £10,000.

January 2nd 2009:  On the 8th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, it's time to think about getting your jabs programmed in ahead of the race.  Todays website comes courtesy of fellow crew member Lois Bickerton and can be found at http://www.ocean2ocean.co.uk/.

I briefly met Lois at the inaugural Clipper Crew party in Liverpool last July and we have been following each others progress ever since. Lois lives in Dorset where I spent 12 happy years myself. Like me she has always been keen on watersports but despite living next to some of the UK’s best sailing waters, neither of us ever learnt to sail. My passion was diving whilst Lois could be regularly found windsurfing in Portland Harbour.

Lois is a physiotherapist by profession and is committed to Leg 1 of the Round the World Race which leaves Hull on September 13th. Her ambition though is to complete the full circumnavigation and is organising a number of exciting fund raising to help achieve her ambition and to raise funds for her nominated charity, Pan Atlantic which is dedicated to raising the profile of conservation through sporting endeavour. 

January 1st 2009:  On the 7th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me,  this is a BIG year for Clipper Crews.  Todays website comes from my race partner the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation at www.irrv.org.uk.  You can also read the clipper articles that have been published in their journal by downloading them from the Management Articles page of Meridian360.

When I joined the IRRV as a new entrant to local government, the Institute was mainly concerned with the valuation and collection of general rates.  Since the abolition of domestic rates, community charge and council tax has seen a greater reliance on welfare benefits and a greater opportunity for fraud.  The Institute has kept pace with these changes well by influencing Government thinking on the subject and supporting the many professionals employed to administer the various functions.  The Institute additionally supports a vast range of professionals who deal with the valuation of commercial properties and who administer the complex appeals systems associated with non Domestic Rating and Council Tax banding.  Their national conferences are now supported by gala awards ceremonies that recognise excellence in service delivery and international symposiums that ensure there is a global approach to improved customer care.

December 31st December 2008:  On the 6th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, when you are in the Southern Ocean you are closer to a satellite than you are to the nearest civilisation.  Todays website belongs to fellow crew member Pete Collins and can be found at http://www.collinsoceanracing.com/

Pete is an experienced sailor with more than a passing interest in adventure sports. His CV lists numerous achievements including long distance running, rock climbing, mountaineering and cycling. He is signed up to compete in the full 09-10 race and has set up a very impressive web site which gives a good insight into his preparations. He has secured sponsorship from a number of corporate concerns including Turner and Townsend and is committed to raising money to support his nominated charity, Cancer Research UK.

December 30th 2008:  On the 5th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, keep yourself hydrated with lots of water.  We've got two websites for the price of one today since BAA Communities Trust are working in partnership with Solent Skill Quest Limited to support my work with local schools. The Meridian360 site provides an on line educational resource through which students at both primary and secondary schools can follow the 09-10 race and link it to science, maths, geography, engineering and other curricula. 

BAA Communities Trust was set up in 1996 and to date have distributed almost £4m to causes in the communities close to BAA Airports.  The Trust focuses its spending on local community projects and initiatives put forward by BAA staff.  The Trust aims to create opportunities for young people, protect the environment, promote active communities and break down barriers to employment.  They are supporting by my local schools project through Solent Skill Quest who work in partnership with businesses, schools and colleges to broker relationships and facilitate learning that helps young people and adults develop their employment skills.

December 29th 2008:  On the 4th Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, there's a crew get together on Saturday 17th January at the London Boat Show.  Today I wanted to introduce you to another Clipper Crew Member, Julia Taylor who has her own blog at http://www.jatroundtheworld.com/.

Julia and I sailed together on Clipper Durban when we completed our Part B training in August. We had some pretty rough weather heading out of the Solent and as I recall, Julia handled it a lot better than I did! My lasting memory of Julia from that week will be volunteering as a real life casualty in a ‘man overboard’ drill. This involved her putting on an immersion suit (even in late summer, prolonged exposure in the water can be a risky business) waiting patiently in the water for the boat to turn and for another crew member, Peter, to be lowered from the boat and lead the rescue.

For Julia the opportunity to compete in the full circumnavigation is the dream of a lifetime come true and like many crew members she will be raising money for charity; her chosen beneficiary being The Sacha Borthwick Foundation.

Julia is Founder and Director of her own recruitment and search and selection agency that operates throughout the UK and across all sectors and she will be taking time out of work to compete in the race.

December 28th 2008:  On the 3rd Day of Christmas...

...my skipper said to me, this time next year the fleet will be resting in Fremantle.  Todays website comes in the form of my race partner, Eastleigh Borough Council at www.eastleigh.gov.uk.

Eastleigh Borough Council serves a population of just over 117,000 and area of over 30 square miles stretching from Chandler’s Ford in the North to the Hamble shores in the South.  Eastleigh is at the centre of the communication network in the South of England and Eastleigh Town sits at the junction of the M27 South Coast motorway and the M3 which provides easy access to London and the Midlands.  Eastleigh also lies on the Waterloo to Weymouth main line railway and hosts an international airport that connects to the hubs at Rotterdam (Schipol) and Paris (Charles De Gaulle).  The declining railway industry provides a wonderful opportunity for regeneration over the next few years with the Eastleigh Riverside providing 130 acres of prime real estate that will be used to stimulate the economy with mixed employment and high quality jobs.

December 27th 2008:  On the 2nd Day of Christmas...

...my Skipper said to me, when in doubt use a bowline! And make sure you check out Elaine's website at http://neptunecalling.blog.com/

I met Elaine at the end of the 07-08 race in Liverpool as we prepared to join our respective Clipper Boats for the return trip to Gosport. I sailed on Durban 2010 and Beyond whilst Elaine joined up with Liverpool 08. We met again on a sea survival course in Gosport and later we sailed together on Qingdao for the delivery trip to St Katharine Dock. By coincidence, I also sailed with Elaine’s brother Paul on my Part A training last Easter and shared an interesting mother watch in a force 8 gale!

Elaine, a trained physiotherapist from Gloucestershire, has an amazing story to tell so I would strongly encourage you to read through her blog. I’ve been dreaming about this race for over two years and it has consumed so much of my life in the intervening time. That is a drop in the ocean (no pun intended) compared to Elaine’s story which started as far back as 1997 when she witnessed the return of the BT Global Challenge at Southampton. Signed up for the 2008/09 race, and having completed her initial training on the Challenge boats, Elaine’s dreams were dashed when Challenge Business went into administration.

Fortunately for Elaine, and for us, Clipper Ventures were keen to give the disappointed Challenge crew a further opportunity to sail around the world and Elaine will be joining us for the full circumnavigation as well as raising funds for the Philip Green Memorial Trust which helps to improve the lives for sick and disabled children.

December 26th 2008:   On the 1st Day of Christmas...

...my Skipper said to me, check out this website.   http://www.gra.uk.com/

Grahame Robb Associates is one of my personal race partners for the 09-10 Race.  They specialise in designing and delivering staff development programmes to public and private sector clients.  First formed in 1989, they now employ over 20 permanent and associate members of staff with a wealth of experience in all areas of training provision.  2008 has been a particularly good year for the company who recently acquired a major Corporate Outdoor Learning centre at Wokefield Park, Reading, which includes one of the largest rope courses in Europe.

Over the 12 days of Christmas, we will link to a different web site each day, alternating between personal race partners and other crew members that I have met through training and through the web.  It is great to meet people who, like me, are excited and committed to facing probably the greatest challenge we will face in our lives.  We can't do it on our own.  We need each other to achieve our goals.  We hope you will enjoy the fresh perspective that they bring to the race.

December 23rd 2008:  Hyde Named as Sail Partners

Hyde Sails, who are based at Swanwick near Southampton have been  unveiled as the official suppliers of sails for the 09-10 race.  The company will supply each of the ten yachts with a wardrobe of ten sails that will  need to last them the full circumnavigation.  Hyde have been making top quality sails, supplying both leisure and racing yachts, for over 40 years.  They join a number of other key race partners in the 09-10 race.  Henri Lloyd will supply Clipper race wear for the crews and Benromach has also been named as the official whisky partner for the race (although it should be stressed that all boats are ‘dry’ whilst at sea).

December 17th 2008:  Explorers of Christmas Past

You’re probably wondering what possible connection there could be between the Clipper Race and Earthrise on the moon as witnessed by Apollo astronauts.  The answer is that 40 years ago this month, Sir Robin Knox Johnston was in the middle of his record breaking solo non stop circumnavigation of the world.  Aboard his tiny ketch Suhaili, he was sailing deep in the Southern Oceans between New Zealand and Cape Horn.    The Southern Oceans are so desolate that it is difficult to be further away from civilisation – unless you are an astronaut!

At the very same time that Robin was making his mark as one of the great adventurers of our time, Borman, Lovell and Anders were becoming the first people to leave earth’s orbit and circumnavigate the moon in Apollo 8.  This was where they took this spectacular shot that has inspired millions ever since.  The first time anyone had seen our own planet in this way.

This time next year the crews of 10 Clipper yachts will be pushing their own personal boundaries of human achievement in the Southern Oceans as they dip into the ‘Roaring Forties’ on their way to an exciting Christmas break in Fremantle, Western Australia.  This is the only time that they have an extended stay in port, with a scheduled arrival around 16 December and the start of Leg 4 scheduled for 1 January 2010.  That will allow time for the boats to be lifted out of the water and have their hulls re-treated.  It will also give the crews a good chance to relax with friends and family before they start the hard work of preparing for the next leg up to China.

December 5th 2008:  Top Ten Trivia for the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10

10 - Ten months at sea.  Ten points awarded to the winner of each individual race.  Sailing in a fleet of ten Dubois racing yachts holding ten tanks - 4 fuel tanks (giving a total of 1400 litres fuel), 2 fresh water tanks (390 litres),  2 black tanks (for sewage in coastal waters - 242 litres) and 2 grey tanks (from sinks and shower trays - 242 litres)

9 - Only nine months now until the race starts in Hull on 13th September 2009.  Up to nine layers of clothing will protect the crew as they dash through the southern oceans!

8 - Eight yachts were in the original Clipper Round the World Race in 1996 which strangely enough sailed east to west.  The true clipper route was introduced with the current fleet of racing yachts in 05-06 to take advantage of their design which favoured downwind sailing.  This new fleet is eight foot longer than the older yachts but three tonnes lighter.  On each boat, the crew are allocated one of eight roles - bowman, mid-bow crew, mast crew, snakepit crew, grinders, trimmers, running backstays and helmsman.  The duties are normally rotated over a period to ensure everyone gets a chance of variation and additional experience.

7 - Seven legs across seven seas.  The 09-10 race will be the seventh organised by Clipper Ventures.

6 - Six controls on the mainsail - Leach line, vang, main sheet, traveller, cunningham and halyard.  Each sail has six main points - luff, leach, head, clew, tack and foot.  Each crew member needs to be proficient in around six knots - the bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch, admirals knot and cleat hitch.

5 - There are five winches available in the snakepit - but about 17 lines coming in.  There are five points of sail - close haul, fine reach, broad reach, beam reach and run and each round the world crew member will probably need five shots (Typhoid, Diptheria, Hepatitis A, Polio and Yellow Fever.

4 - Each boat has four different types of flare for emergencies - parachute flare, red flare (hand held), white flare (potential collisions) and orange smoke flare (used downwind in daylight).  Each boat is secured at the quayside by four mooring lines (bow, stern and two spring lines) and each watch (daytime) is normally of four hours duration.

3 - Each boat has three spinnakers and three yankees in the wardrobe of sails.  The mainsail can have up to three reefs.  There are three gears on the primary winch and three sets of spreaders on the mast.

2 - There are normally two watches rotating on each boat from which two crew are pulled out to become 'mothers' for the day - cooking, cleaning (including the two heads) and supplying the hungry crew with endless cups of tea and water to fend off the effects of dehydration.

1 - There is only one race that circumnavigates the world and is open to non-professional sailors and that is the Clipper Round the World Race.  Each boat has one professional sailor on board - and that is the skipper.

November 27th 2008:  Uniquely Singapore Confirms Entry to 09-10 Race

The Keppel Corporation of Singapore is once again sponsoring a boat in the Clipper Round the World Race.  This will be the third time that Uniquely Singapore has competed in the race.  Mark Preedy skippered the boat into 7th place in the 07-08 and Richard Falk helped her finish in 5th place in 05-06.  It also confirms Singapore as stopover for the 09-10 race; news that will delight the crews who received very positive feedback regarding the hospitality shown in the last race.

Perhaps equally exciting is the fact that Keppel are launching Singapore's first RYA sailing training centre.  This will mean that prospective crew in Asia and Australia will now be able to take their Clipper training without the need to fly half way around the world to join the training boat at Gosport.  In 07-08 several crew came over to do Part A, B and C training back to back which is undoubtedly both physically and mentally demanding before you add the 24 hour flight in each direction!  Keppel Bay Sailing Academy (KBSA) have appointed 05-06 skipper Richard Falk as principal of the academy that already owns two new Beneteau 40.7 yachts, Endeavour and Venture. KBSA can train up to 300 crew per year, in addition to offering corporate charters and corporate sailing activities on these yachts.

November 20th 2008:  California Enters Clipper Round the World Race

The 09-10 race will, for the first time, feature a boat from the West Coast of America as the State of California confirms an entry bearing the name of the State.  The 07-08 race stopped off at California for the first time in the history of the race and the hospitality at Santa Cruz was phenomenal.  Hopefully this will mean two USA boats in the race as New York has long been associated with the race and, like California, provides a high profile stopover and an opportunity for tired crews to relax and recharge their batteries ahead of the next race.

California so enjoyed being involved in the race last year they even got State Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger offering his support for this latest race entry just to make sure that 'we'll be back...'.  Leg 5 of the Clipper Round the World Race sees the fleet tackle the worlds largest ocean as they cross the Pacific from China.  When they leave California they will head for Panama where they will rendezvous to pass through the Panama Canal together.

November 14th 2008:  Channel 4 Reviews 07-08 Race This Sunday

For those that are interested, there’s a chance for you to relive the highs and lows of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race as Channel 4 prepares to broadcast a special one-hour documentary.

The one-hour programme follows the crews from the start in September 2007 as they get to grips with the rigours of life at sea as they race across five oceans, calling into 14 ports on six continents before their emotional and triumphant arrival back in Liverpool at the end of the 35,000-mile race.

The programme will be broadcast in the UK on Channel 4 on Sunday 16 November from 7.35-8.30am and an hour later on Channel 4+1.  Viewers outside of the UK should be able to catch the programme on line at the Channel 4 website from Monday morning.

November 10th 2008:  Following in the Wake of Legends

This time next year I will have already completed leg 1 of the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10 and on leg 2 we will be approaching South Africa and a rendezvous at Durban.  As we sail east south east from Brazil, the temperatures will drop sharply and the rolling waves will get progressively bigger.  We will be studying the grib files that provide valuable data on weather wind and current and trying to decide how far south we go (and how soon) to gain the strongest winds that will propel us towards Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of South Africa.  Helming skills will be put to the test on this leg and it will be important for some crew members to step forward and demonstrate their competence otherwise the skipper will be left with the lions share of the work at the expense of much needed sleep.

There will probably not be time to reflect on history and that will be a shame because 14 November 2009 will mark 100 years on from the date that Joshua Slocum was lost at sea.  Joshua Slocum was the first sailor to complete a circumnavigation of the world and was sailing down to the West Indies for the winter when, it is believed, his boat ‘Spray’ capsized in heavy seas.  Experts have subsequently speculated that the Spray was not as stable as some had thought and was vulnerable to capsizing when heeled well over.  All this makes his first circumnavigation in the Spray even more remarkable.  Joshua left Boston on April 24th 1895 and returned to Rhode Island on June 27th 1898; 38 months and 46,000 miles later.  Clipper crews will be able to visit a monument to Joshua Slocum at Brier Island when they stop over at Nova Scotia on leg 7.

Going forward to 1959 we find the first British sailor to circumnavigate the world.  John Guzzwell completed his trip on a twenty-foot yawl called ‘Trekka’ over a four-year period leaving Victoria (British Columbia) on September 10th 1955 and returning on September 12th 1959 – ironically exactly 50 years before the start of our race.  There are other connections.  John was born in my home town of Southampton and later emigrated to live in Orcas Island and Vancouver Island where I have both friends and family.  He now lives a short ferry ride from Seattle and is still active in the marine industry.  As our picture shows he is also often to be seen in the Puget Sound sailing his craft 'Endangered Species'.

In more recent times, we have familiar names such as Sir Francis Chichester who completed the first circumnavigation of the world by the traditional clipper route which gives our race its name.  He completed his journey in nine months and one day making only one stop in Australia.  At the time it was the fastest circumnavigation (226 days).  Ironically Sir Alec Rose was due to set sail around the same time but a series of misfortunes delayed his departure by around one year but he completed his circumnavigation in 354 days.

Finally we come to 1968 and the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race.  Sir Robin Knox Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures plc, won the race and in doing so became the first sailor to solo circumnavigate the world non stop in his wooden ketch ‘Suhaili’.  He left Falmouth on June 14th 1968 and returned on April 22nd 1969; a total of 312 days at sea.  Eight other sailors entered the race but four retired before leaving the Atlantic Ocean.  Chay Blyth sailed past the Cape of Good Hope before retiring.  Bernard Moitessier rejected the philosophy behind a commercialised competition and retired from a strong position and sailed for Tahiti.  By the time he arrived he had completed 1½  circumnavigations!  Nigel Tetley was leading with just over 1,000 miles to go when his boat sunk but he later became the first person to circumnavigate the world in a trimaran.  The last competitor was Donald Crowhurst who tragically lost his life in the Atlantic.  The story of his preparation and deteriorating health is both moving and yet somehow inspiring.  Sir Robin Knox Johnston subsequently donated his prize money to the family of Donald Crowhurst.

November 5th 2008:  The Rainbow Rock and Roll Ball

The Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education is the main charity supported by Meridian360.  At their centre in Fareham, the Rainbow Centre performs small miracles almost every day working with children, and their carers, to improve their quality of life.  They achieve this through Conductive Education; a unique system that encourages emotional, social and cognitive development as well as the more obvious physical development.  None of this comes cheap and since the Rainbow Centre receives no Government funding, they rely almost entirely on donations.

Throughout the year the Rainbow Centre organises a series of fundraising events and we are delighted to support the black tie Rock and Roll Ball which will be held on Saturday 29th November.  Full details are available on the Rainbow Centre web site by clicking here.

We hope you can join us for an evening of fine entertainment, fabulous food and some questionable dancing but if not, please remember that you can always help the Rainbow Centre by making a personal donation through our justgiving site.

October 24th 2008:  Refitting Boats for the 09-10 Race

Although I have no sea training scheduled until the spring of 2009, the Clipper boats will be in almost constant use during the winter, promoting the race around the world and undertaking Part A and B training for recently recruited crew members.  In between, each boat will be taken out of the water in Hamble and will undergo an extensive refit ahead of the 09-10 race.  In preparation, the mast and all standing rigging will be removed from the boat.  This will make it easier to lift out of the water.  After that most moving parts will be removed to facilitate repainting which is truly an enormous job.  Essential preparation can typically mean sanding of interiors but it can mean chipping rust, angle grinding plus several coats of primer including hard to reach places like bilges and lockers.  All the internal boards, deck areas and hull will require extensive filling and sanding – in some cases filling and fairing (an epoxy resin) may be required to provide a smooth surface to minimise drag through the water.  At each stage – filler, primer and topcoat – the working temperature is critical and drying time has to be built in to the equation.  All in all, some of the more complex parts of the boat can take several weeks to complete.

All the plumbing and electrics are checked and replaced where appropriate and extensive checks are made on the engine, generator, gearbox and propeller shaft.  Batteries are then changed on the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) and the SART (Search and Rescue Transponder).  

Finally the hull is painted and anti-fouled before going back into the water when the mast and standing rigging will be re-introduced.  For the race, we will also have new running rigging and new sails.  The latter will not be delivered to the boat until just before the race but it will be useful to  break in some of the new running rigging beforehand as new ropes are notoriously difficult to work with.

October 14th 2008:  Delivering Clipper Qingdao to St Katharine Dock

I arrived at Clarence Marina Gosport around 5pm on Thursday to join the crew of Clipper Qingdao.  Lots of new faces and some familiar ones too.  It was good to meet up with Peter (Part A & B) and Elaine (Sea Survival).  We were joined by Gill, Tom, Owen, Paul I & II, Ron I & II, Ian, Mark, and Jon to make a full crew.  Over 4 days you don’t have quite as much time to get to know everyone but hopefully I’ve remembered the names well.  They were certainly a pleasure to sail with and we laughed, ate and worked well together under the leadership of Simon Bradley, who completed the 07-08 race as skipper of Clipper Jamaica, and Emily Caruso the First Mate.

Leaping into mother watch for the first meal we prepared some stir fry before a quick orientation and briefing on the trip ahead.  Finally we adjourned to the pub in Gosport.  I don’t think I was alone in being pretty pleased to be back on the boat again and several found sleep difficult that first night.  We rose early and rigged the boat ready for departure around 10am.  We were a few minutes late due to a faulty gas alarm but were pleasantly surprised when we set sail to find that we had plenty of light wind for sailing so we would not, as feared, be motoring all the way.

We worked as one team raising the yankee and stay sail and got some pretty good speeds down the coast past Brighton and Beachy Head throwing in a couple of tacks for good measure.  This wasn’t a training session but you had the feeling that the skipper was (quite rightly) satisfying himself that we could carry out most of the manoeuvres required should we need to.  I also had the dubious pleasure of assisting First Mate Emily to disassemble and reassemble one of the heads in an attempt to get the flush mechanism to work again.  We were unsuccessful but acquired a depth of knowledge on working heads that neither of us expected.  Not the nicest job in the world, that’s for sure.

As evening approached, we went into a watch system and my watch stayed on until 8pm by which time I was getting exceptionally tired (due to lack of sleep the night before).  I always find this first switch of watches a difficult time of adjustment and I was almost too tired to eat but by the time I returned to deck, around midnight, I was fully recovered.  We shared the helm through the night and enjoyed the night sky which took on a spectacular appearance after moon set around 3:30am.  We even learnt our first two or three constellations!  By the time I next reported on watch, around 8am, we were approaching Ramsgate where we had decided to moor up for the day.  It was a relatively short trip to London and we could only enter St Katharine Dock around lunchtime so by leaving at dusk we should arrive bang on schedule.  The break was very enjoyable and we explored the town, tried out the local restaurants, relaxed and chatted in a way we will no doubt replicate in many ports around the world next year.  I even had my first experience of acupuncture on a trapped nerve in my arm.  Thanks Elaine!

Quite suddenly around 10pm, the fog came in and we left with crew placed all around the deck on watch for approaching vessels, navigational buoys and lobster pots.  To be honest it was more like sea mist and very patchy at that so it was not too arduous a nights sailing.  Our entrance to the mouth of the Thames was a different matter altogether.  Without the benefit of navigation lights, other vessels were even more difficult to spot and with visibility down to a few hundred yards we were increasingly cautious and extra vigilant.  It was a combination of visual awareness, careful course planning and constant checking of the radar although it was clear this was struggling to pick up vessels around the numerous sharp bends that make up the River Thames.  At one time, we heard this deep fog horn which could only come from a freighter but it was very difficult to accurately place the sound so we slowed right down until the vessel showed herself crossing our bows a short way ahead.  In all, we encountered and safely negotiated two or three vessels at relatively close quarters and although we failed to get the views we were hoping for there was no doubt that this was all good experience as we prepare ourselves for the big race. 

In the event, a pilot boat was sent to escort us to St Katharine dock so after an ‘interesting’ couple of hours we finally passed the Thames flood barrier in glorious sunshine and enjoyed a spectacular trip the remaining few miles to our dock.  We passed efficiently through the lock and witnessed some really impressive mooring by the skipper who managed to make a difficult task look incredibly easy.  Even more so considering how little sleep the skipper and first mate are able to grab on these trips.

October 9th 2008:  Qingdao

As I head down to Gosport for the delivery trip to St Katharine Dock, I thought it would be a good time to provide a bit of background on the boat and city that bears the name Qingdao.

Qingdao was skippered by Marcus Cholerton-Brown and finished 4th overall in the Clipper Round the World Race.  She secured four pennants, finishing 2nd into Panama and Cork and 3rd place into Fremantle and New York.  She was one of 5 boats to avoid any penalties for professional sail repairs which is pretty impressive going.

The city of Qingdao attained international fame as the main Olympic venue for sailing events in the summer Olympics of 2008.  Twinned with Southampton she is home to 8 million Chinese people and is becoming a popular sailing resort boosted, no doubt, by their role as a stopover for the Round the World Race.  It is understood that there is a commitment to being part of the 09-10 race which is really good news (assuming it is confirmed) because they were preceived by many crew as outstanding hosts in the 07-08 race.

September 28th 2008:  Probably the Best Training in the World

On 9 October, I am due to report back to the Marina in Gosport to join Clipper Qingdao as she is taken up to St Katharine Dock London to promote the 09-10 race.  It will give me another 4 days sea experience (approximately 250 nautical miles) to supplement the extensive training that I have received from Clipper over the last six months. Qingdao is scheduled to arrive at St Katharine  Dock on Sunday afternoon (12th) where she will stay until she returns to Gosport on  Sunday 19th October.  I still find it quite amazing that in just over 3 weeks they have managed to turn a non sailor into a reasonably competent crew member.  I have managed to develop a reasonable degree of confidence in many of the tasks asked of me and whilst there is a huge amount to do before I can describe myself as an ocean racer, the development is definately very much on course.

What is clear is that over the last decade Clipper have refined a training programme that is second to none and produced enough ocean racers to have safely completed a circumnavigation of the world in six consecutive races.  There is no doubt that the Clipper crews will face the full forces of nature as they progress around the world but the Clipper emphasis on safety and competence ensures that those challenges are faced with a healthy combination of respect and confidence.

September 11th 2008:  PSP Southampton Boat Show Opens Tomorrow

For a really good day out, you can't do too much better than visit the PSP Southampton Boat Show which starts tomorrow in Mayflower Park, Southampton.  The entrance fee is £20 but there are plenty of discounts available on line if you are able to plan and book in advance.  This year will be the 40th show at Southampton and there is the capacity to exhibit over 400 boats so don't be surprised if you fail to get around in one day.  The show runs from 12th to 21st September and is open from 10am till 7pm daily (closing at 6pm on the last day).

This 40th anniversary show will be opened by a host of sporting legends.  Hampshire's gold medal winners Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy and Pippa Wilson will be joined by the rest of the triumphant sailing team including Andrew Simpson, Sarah Ayton, Paul Goodison and Sarah Webb.  Also in attendance will be Clipper Venture's Chairman, Sir Robin Knox Johnston (the first person to circumnavigate the world non stop), Ellen MacArthur (who briefly held the record for the non stop circumnavigation) and Mike Golding - one of the few yachtsmen to race both directions around the world and who famously rescued a sinking Alex Thompson in the Velux 5 Ocean Yacht Race in 2006.

Best of all there is chance to see Clipper Hull and Humber at the Clipper Ventures berth from 19th to 21st September.  This is one of ten identical boats that will compete in the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10 which starts from Hull on 13th September 2009 - just 52 weeks time! 

August 29th 2008: Part B Training - Faster, Faster, Faster; Grind, Grind, Grind!

If Part A was about teaching us how to sail safely on a big boat, Part B was definitely about getting the boat to sail faster and to start to think about how we can perform effectively as a team under race conditions.

As we left Weymouth on Wednesday morning the conditions were just about perfect for sailing. We quickly raised the main sail and headsail.  With the wind behind us we were able to pole out the head sail and then swing the main sail back the other side (see picture).  In this ‘goose wing’ configuration we were soon reaching speeds of over 10 knots but then the skipper pointed out a gap between the sails so we hoisted the staysail to fill it and increased our speed even further.  Finally we hoisted the heavyweight spinnaker to get us up to around 14 knots.  It was amazing to think how long it had taken us to reach Weymouth against the wind.  Coming the other way it seemed very different, a little more than two hours before we were flying past The Needles and heading on toward Niton.   We might have made even better progress than that but our sail changes took about 15 minutes.  Under race conditions we need to get that down to around 4 minutes or less!!

We then turned into the Solent and dropped the spinnaker which is perhaps a more labour intensive and delicate operation than other sail drops.  To start with, we have to release the spinnaker from the end of the pole and then pull it under the headsail and down into the main cabin without the wind catching it.  Once down below the three corners are stretched out as far as possible and rolled in from the edges before being tied off with wool.  It then resembles a chain of sausages as we fold it in to the sail bag.  It’s a long and tedious job which has to be done properly otherwise the sail will not raise correctly next time it is used and will cost valuable seconds (or even minutes) under race conditions.  After a lesson in navigating up and down Southampton Water amidst quite heavy traffic we anchored in Osborne Bay and drew lots on the anchor watch.  Somewhat predictably I ended up with the 4am slot.  This is when I had to get up and check we had not drifted by taking readings on three pre-defined locations.

Thursday was an early rise and lots of pole drills – including climbs up the mast and to the end of the spinnaker pole with minimal assistance.  I did not do the mast climb this time but attempted to climb towards the spinnaker pole.  I almost made it and realised that it’s OK so long as you don’t stop, in which case its pretty much impossible to start again!  Good practice though and I’m sure I’ll make it next time.  Through the week we had hoisted pretty much every sail in our armoury and this morning we took the opportunity to complete the set by raising our storm jib and storm sail – pocket handkerchief sized sails that are used in the strongest winds we face just to keep moving with minimal risk of sail damage.  You can spot storm sails quite easily because they have these large orange dots to make the boat more visible to search and rescue vessels.  Our configuration caused a few wry smiles from crews on other boats who were sailing under spinnaker and I guess they knew we were training!

After lunch we set off for a simulated race around the Isle of Wight.  This time we were very quick past The Needles because the tide was with us.  We did not beat the record of 3 hours 50 minutes for the circumnavigation of the island but our (approximate) 7 hour trip did include two man overboard drills – one at night – a lot of winch work and so many sail changes and spinnaker packs that my arms were aching as we slipped into Gosport around 10pm.  

Friday was my day to accompany Katharine on ‘mother’ watch – cooking and cleaning the boat from bow to stern.  Not the most popular task but after a 15 hour day the day before the light duties had a slight attraction.  Light winds above deck meant the crew were also having an opportunity to recover but as the Skipper pointed out, races can be won or lost in light winds so we were all busy watching for clouds, ripples on the water, fine tuning on the trim and using any method we could just to keep the boat moving.

Saturday was pretty much more of the same although having had a good debate in the pub the previous evening about the best method of recovery for a casualty in the water we repeated the 'man overboard' exercise.  This time Jules volunteered as a real life casualty and Peter donned an imersion suit to lead the recovery.  Once on deck, Jules was moved into the recover position before being stretchered below and checked for injury and hypothermia.  The afternoon involved yet another deep clean of the boat before we adjourned for an introduction to "Part–E" training over the water at Gunwharf sharing the ferry across with Captain Hook, Little Red Riding Hood and numerous other costumes that I could not identify but were presumably (hopefully) on their way to a great party!.  

All in all it was a fantastic week which turned us from novice sailors into a quite competent crew brimming with confidence.  The reality of it all is starting to sink in now.  The skipper reminded us that Part C training will take place next June, by which time we will know which boat, crew and skipper we will be sailing with and we will have just 10 weeks to the start of the race.  In the meantime, there are numerous delivery trips to help me gain experience and classroom training on communications, navigation and meteorology 

August 25th 2008:  Part B Training - Baptism of Fire

Having suffered force 8 and force 7 winds on my first two Clipper trips, I was looking forward to this 'summer' training session.  In the event, Part B training proved to be an excellent week with mixed weather and lots of new experiences.  The crew that I sailed with were all first class and it was a pleasure to meet up again with Ricky (Skipper), Gordon (First Mate from Part A), Peter (Part A), Barbara (Sea Survival) as well as John and Jeremy who I met in Liverpool.  Also crewing were Jules, Scott, Katharine, Derek, Stephen, Guido and Frank. 

On arrival, and after introductions, Ricky explained that the plan was to sail towards Lands End and then do a lot of spinnaker work coming back - something he saw as a key skill for competing in the Round the World Race.  Towards the end of the week he expected very light winds.  This is where races are won of lost so it is important that we all know how to deal with them.  The downside of all this was that strong winds were expected on Monday so we would leave a little later in the day so as to avoid the worst conditions.

After a good nights rest Monday morning was spent stocking and rigging the boat ready for the trip and practising, in the safety of the dock, how to rig spinnaker poles.  We left around 3pm into some pretty strong winds.  It seemed to take forever to battle against both the tide and the wind and head out of the Solent, past The Needles and on towards Christchurch Bay.  By 6pm we had still not passed The Needles and after dinner my watch stayed on deck.  Not only were some 10 or 12 tacks required between Yarmouth and Hurst Castle but each time we tacked we went as close to the shore as the keel would allow.  Believe me - that was sometimes very close indeed but the skipper was at the helm and he knows these waters very well..

All this time the boat was heeling at around 35 degrees and Barbara and I were on the staysail winches.  With tacks every few minutes we did not have time to consider the rough conditions although as the boat 'slammed' down from one wave, we were completely soaked and amused to note that the snake pit next to us was completely filled with water!  Fatigue was starting to kick in by 10pm and I jammed myself in between the coffee grinder and the lower edge of the deck so that I could even shut my eyes before the next tack.  One or two were obviously feeling the effects of sea sickness but I confidently went off watch for a good 3 hours sleep around 11pm. 

I think I had actually fallen asleep when one particular tack threw me from one side of my bunk to the other (I was well forward and movement is accentuated towards the bow) and I succumbed to sea sickness.  I never made my 2am watch and drifted in and out of sleep throughout the night listening to the boat going very quiet - fooling me into thinking we had entered calmer waters - before slamming hard down into the water with a jaw shuddering thud.  Basically what was happening, as Gordon later told me, was that we were sailing as close to the wind as possible and the 'quiet' - which lasted 1 or 2 seconds was the bow of the boat climbing each wave and then entering the 'void' the other side.  Of course what goes up has to come down and gravity meant the bow then 'slammed' hard into the trough of the wave the other side.  Although the wave height was not that huge, it was rough enough to cause over half of the crew to suffer varying degrees of sea sickness.  At one point we recorded true wind speeds of 42 knots which puts it just into force 9 (strong gale).  One crew member got up half way through the night and described the scene as akin to that of a war movie with bodies lying in bunks, on the floor and across the saloon seating; the common factor was that none of us could move!

By dawn we had passed Portland Bill but the boat was in a bit of a mess and Ricky took the sensible decision of diverting to Weymouth.  In the race we would not have such a luxury and we would simply have to work through the sea sickness.  Since we were not learning much in our bunks the decision was a sensible one and by supper time we were all recovered sufficiently to enjoy fish and chips on Weymouth Quay.  A report of how we fared after Weymouth will follow later in the week.

August 17th 2008:  Part B Begins

On arrival at Gosport for part B training I discovered that plans had changed.  My boat for the week is Durban, the boat I helped crew back from Liverpool, along with its skipper Ricky Chalmers.  We will be heading for Dartmouth and the focus for this week will spinnaker work.  Check the blog for progress reports.

August 2nd 2008:  The Baton is Passed

Bringing the boats back from Liverpool last month was a watershed in many ways for both 07-08 crews and prospective 09-10 crew members.  We met round the world sailors who needed to say their own goodbyes to a boat that had been their home and friend for the best part of ten and a half months.  We also met a few 'leggers' who had clearly missed the camaraderie of Clipper racing since completing their tour of duty and were returning for one last burst of ocean sailing - a bit like meeting up with an old friend one last time.

For us 09-10 students the trip was a golden opportunity to hear first hand the good, the bad and the ugly of racing around the world. We heard stories that pretty much confirmed what we already knew - that conditions are hostile, that the raw energy of nature is something to be feared and respected and that there is a real challenge being stuck in a 68 foot plastic fibre box with 18 people you do not know very well (at least to start with!).  This information means so much more coming to you first hand rather than reading it in a book.  We hung on every word, sharing the experiences as they were re-told and making mental notes on the tips offered (the ocean sleeping bag has definately gone to the top of my shopping list!). 

As the trip progressed the mood noticeably changed and the fond memories of 07-08 were slowly but surely replaced by the hopes and aspirations for 09-10.  Which boat would we be on?  Who will be our skipper?  Will Hawaii be a stopover?  Where will we stop in South Africa since it seems Durban is focusing on soccer in 2010 rather than sailing?  The 07-08 crew seemed as excited about it as we were and it struck me many of them would sign up again in a heartbeat just to be part of this incredible adventure.

When the race starts in Hull next year, you can be sure the pontoons will be filled not just by 09-10 crews but 07-08 crews, probably a few 05-06 crews (and earlier) and a handful of 11-12 crews who will by then have already signed up.  The baton has definitely been passed and the clock is now ticking!

July 21st 2008:  Sea Survival Reflections

The one day course at Gosport on Sea Survival came highly recommended and it is clear to see why.  We were taken through a classroom style presentation in the morning with some sound advice based extensively on the experience gained from the infamous 1979 Fastnet Race when  15 people lost their lives in a force 11 storm – 6 because safety lines broke.   306 yachts started the race but 69 did not finish.  23 of those were lost or abandoned.  As with every tragedy of this magnitude, there are lessons that can be learnt and the one that was drilled home to us is that several of the yachts ‘abandoned’ never actually sank.  You naturally hope and pray that such a decision will never be required in the Clipper Round the World Race but the decision to abandon boat will only be made if it is clear that the yacht is about to sink.  The Clipper fleet are all fitted with watertight doors separating three compartments so it is highly unlikely that a sinking will occur.

The best part of the course though was in the swimming pool where we rigorously practised the procedure for abandoning boat and entering an ‘uncooperative’ life raft.  We learnt how to swim most effectively in an inflated jacket, using the face screen to protect us in rough seas.  We learnt how to link with casualties and practised different techniques to gauge which was effective in different sea conditions.  Lastly we learnt how to take control of the situation in the life raft and which procedures would be most effective to prolonging the life of crew members whilst a rescue was underway.

The benefits were two fold.  The procedures, priorities and rules on survival are now very clear.  More importantly, I feel really confident that I would be able to keep calm in such a situation which will give me the best possible chance of survival.  At the end of the day, being a good swimmer is not going to help you survive in those circumstances.  Common sense and confidence is.

July 16th 2008:  Sea Survival Training

Just 6 days after sailing 550 miles from Liverpool I return to Gosport this weekend for sea survival training.  This one day course is intended to prepare me for a variety of rare emergency situations such as being washed overboard or evacuating the boat to a life raft.  With a practical session in a swimming pool I will gain first hand experience of the problems of entering or assisting colleagues on to an inflated and uncooperative life raft whilst fully kitted out.  We will also be acquainted with various types of safety equipment.

July 13th 2008:  The Delivery Trip

As Val headed south in the car I went down to join Clipper Durban 2010 and Beyond to help crew the boat back to Gosport where she will be used in Part B & C training courses.  It was a wonderful opportunity for me to gain a little more experience at sea ahead of my own Part B training in August and my first opportunity to sail on one of the boats that will take part in the 09-10 race.

The race boats are 8 foot longer than the Clipper 60 that I sailed on in Part A training.  More importantly, they are considerably wider,  appearing about 35% wider and flatter on the deck making movement easier.

There were 10 crew in all for the return trip.  Jeremy was, like me,a committed RTW for the 09-10 race.  We joined skipper Ricky Chalmers and his wife Maggie, 07-08 RTW crew member Hagen and leggers Anne and Dave (both legs 1,2 and 3) and Lucy (legs 5,6 and 7).  There was also Alan from Durban who is seriously thinking of signing up for some part of 09-10 and Fiona who, having just joined Clipper Ventures for the corporate season, was our first mate.  There were others I recognised or met on other boats including Ali and Gordon who took us on Part A training skippering Uniquely Singapore and Glasgow respectively.

The departure on Monday afternoon was really quite a surprise for me as there were many sightseers around the dock when we moved first to the Canning Half Tide Lock and then into the Mersey and we even had a round of applause as we cast off after Nova Scotia.  The 07-08 crews certainly deserved that send off and I definitely felt like I was joining something quite special.  That feeling continued as we motored down the Mersey with Nova Scotia and Western Australia.

The plan was to motor as far as Anglesey with the wind on the nose and then as we headed south through the Irish Sea we could sail a beam reach which should give us some quite good speeds.  This we did and sailed through the night as the British summer did its best with heavy rain, pretty cool temperatures and winds that slowly but surely built up towards force 7.  Skipper Ricky was keen to make the trip relatively straightforward so we set the sails for the duration with the option to reef the main or drop the sails and motor should conditions demand it. 

The first 24 hours saw some close sailing with the rest of the fleet.  It was fascinating to see boats skew off on a course of their own only to re-appear hours later only a hundred metres or so away!  I found myself looking at other yachts we passed and tried to figure out what was different about the rigging that might explain the difference is speed.  200 miles after leaving Liverpool we still found ourselves exchanging places with Nova Scotia then Uniquely Singapore.

By the next morning when I woke after an off watch the boat was again heading into the wind and we were motoring under a reefed main sail.  The weather was appalling and I was not feeling 100% which heightens the uncomfortable sensation delivered by wet clothing.  The foul weather gear was starting to succumb to the water in several places and I would have to wait till my next off watch to use my sleeping bag to help dry the clothes.

By Wednesday morning we had turned Lands End and were heading up to Weymouth where we moored for the night and enjoyed a shower and a pub meal.  We were triple berthed against two tugs so climbing back onto the boat afterwards was a special challenge! 

Our own Mystic Meg (Anne) had predicted that the rain would disappear on Thursday and we would have sunshine all the way to Southampton so it was no surprise to see black clouds blanketing out the early morning sunshine as left Weymouth!  To be fair though we did have some extraordinary good weather soon after and even managed to sail under spinnaker from Lulworth Cove to Southampton.

At Southampton, we managed to visit the Pitcher and Piano, experience a chocolate fondue at the Banana Bar (thanks Alan!) and see Ricky get a well deserved hero’s welcome at his local yacht club.  Much of the deep clean on the boat was carried out in Southampton which meant we were able to get away from Gosport quite early on Friday morning.

All in all a great experience made all the more enjoyable by a great crew.  Thanks guys!

July 12th 2008:  A Warm Liverpool Welcome for the Clipper Fleet

For those who were fortunate enough to see the finish in Liverpool (and find a hotel!) it was a fantastic weekend and an emotional rollercoaster ride for the crews and their families.  Having finished the overall race at the mouth of the Mersey the crowd were entertained by the fleet in an extra event – The Mersey Dash which was won by Nova Scotia.  At this point I suspect the mobile phone network nearly went into meltdown as crew and families exchanged text messages detailing their precise locations.  The happy re-unions would have to wait just a little longer as the fleet was introduced to the crowd one by one as they entered the Canning Half Tide Lock around 12:30.  It was not  until 3pm that the final parade into the Albert Dock took place.  After that there was another tantalising wait whilst prize giving and preliminaries to disembarkation delayed the final highly emotional reunions in front of the world media.

This was the third time that the race has finished in Liverpool and it has to be said that the city has really got its act together and was the perfect host.  Next year the race start and finish moves across to the east coast.  Hull has seen some impressive inward investment in recent years and is a good location to start the race providing a challenging first leg down through the North Sea and the English Channel.  Having said that, Liverpool is going to be a tough act to follow.

July 11th 2008:  Review of Race 14 - The Final Countdown

As the fleet left Cork, Glasgow was already assured of 3rd place overall but the big battle was between Hull and New York.  Hull would need to beat New York by four clear places to secure the overall win.  New York was in no mood to surrender easily.  In force 3 winds from the South West the fleet made good speed toward Liverpool with as little as 3 miles separating the top half of the  fleet at one stage.   In the end New York crossed the finish line in the early hours of Saturday morning to claim a magnificent victory.  It was a truly memorable win considering that they only secured 4.5 points in 3 of the first 4 races!  Uniquely Singapore took second place some 20 minutes later (7th overall) just 3 minutes ahead of Hull who finished third (2nd overall).  Make no mistake though – in their own way each of the 10 sponsored boats were winners today.

July 4th 2008:  Back to the sea - at last!

After what has seemed an unbearably long wait, I'm back on the sea next week on Clipper Durban.  Sailing from Liverpool on Monday 7th July, it will take us 5 days to travel the 540 nautical miles around Britain to Gosport.  You can keep up to date on progress through the Clipper Blog page.

July 2nd 2008:  Charity Golf Day Raises Funds for Rainbow Centre

All eyes were on the weather forecast as 30 golfers descended on Hamptworth Golf Course for the Rainbow Charity Golf Day.  In the event the rain passed over relatively quickly and the majority of the tournament was played in bright sunshine.  Hamptworth is a challenging course but in one of the finest settings in Hampshire.  Most golfers took close to 5 hours to complete the round but there were broad smiles at the end.  None broader than Chris Barnard of Verwood who recorded the highest stableford score.  Second place went to Nick Tustian from Eastleigh Borough Council and third place went Dan Goodridge of Henderson Green.  There were numerous spot prizes to be won with Peter Dempster taking 'nearest the pin in two' (hole 6), Neil Ferris taking 'nearest the pin' (hole 10) and Peter Searle securing the longest drive (hole 16).  Chris Smith won a bottle of champagne in the putting competition with a ball that could not have been closer to the hole without falling in!

Hamptworth did us proud with an excellent evening meal (despite us changing the serving time several times) during which participants were given a greater insight into the fantastic work performed at the Rainbow Centre.  15 of the 18 holes were sponsored with cash donations or prizes.  With the amazing generosity of participants buying refreshments, raffle tickets and taking part in the putting competition the final total to be paid over to the Rainbow Centre will be £1,820.

In addition to all the golfers, we would like to formally acknowledge the massive contribution of all our sponsors - Draper Tools, Nuffield Wessex Hospital (Chandler’s Ford), Henderson Green, Eastleigh Golf Society, Hiltingbury Community Association, IRRV Wessex Association, VT Shipbuilding, Cunard, Associated British Ports (Southampton), DC Leisure (Fleming Park Leisure Centre), Michael Weakley Associates, Waitrose (Chandler's Ford), British Airport Authority Communities Trust, Grahame Robb Associates, Solent Skill Quest, AutoForum, Clipper Ventures, Sim Racing Limited (Chandler's Ford), Caroline's Beauty Salon and Hamptworth Golf and Country Club.

Special thanks also to Jude and Val without whose help we would not have been able to provide refreshments around the course or to lure players into the putting competition!

July 1st 2008:  Review of Race 13 - New York Win a Corker

Race 13 seemed to have everything.  Fog set the scene at the start of the race but the fleet were soon becalmed in freezing North Atlantic conditions.  Then conditions improved and, apart from a brief spell of lighter winds, the all boats were able to capitalise on some good speeds averaging over 12 knots across the fleet.

Western Australia and Liverpool both took sorties to the South in an attempt to gain a tactical advantage but neither really benefitted from the move.  Jamaica surprised everyone by taking an early lead and breaking free, along with New York and Qingdao, only to lose their mid weight spinnaker and slowly slip down the rankings.  But it did show what great spirit there is on Jamaica despite securing the least points overall.  In the end, it was New York that secured a well deserved victory reflecting both hard work and good tactical decisions.  Hull and Humber remain their only competition as overall winners and came in third so there is everything to play for on the final dash back to Liverpool.  The last race leaves Cork in Ireland this Thursday (3rd July) and is scheduled to arrive in Liverpool around Saturday lunchtime.

June 24th 2008:  Clare Francis

As part of my preparations for the 09-10 Race, I have enjoyed reading a variety of books that provide an insight not only to the basics of sailing but to the ultimate challenges that the crews will face.  Of all the biographical tales, Clare Francis' account of her Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977/8 has been one of the most influential.  Not least for the fact that Clare is more than just a great leader and an incredible sailor; she is also a very talented author.  In her book 'Come Wind or Weather' she describes every aspect of race preparation in great detail (including raising sponsorship) and provides a moving description of the challenges faced en route.  One particular passage, describing a force 10 gale in the Southern Ocean gave me a great insight to the race ahead.

As part of my preparations for the 09-10 Race, I have enjoyed reading a variety of books that provide an insight not only to the basics of sailing but to the ultimate challenges that the crews will face.  Of all the biographical tales, Clare Francis' account of her Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977/8 has been one of the most influential.  Not least for the fact that Clare is more than just a great leader and an incredible sailor; she is also a very talented author.  In her book 'Come Wind or Weather' she describes every aspect of race preparation in great detail (including raising sponsorship) and provides a moving description of the challenges faced en route.  One particular passage, describing a force 10 gale in the Southern Ocean gave me a great insight to the race ahead.

"Already the boat was taking a lot of punishment, the heavy beam seas rearing up and hitting her hard on the side so that she rolled and yawed in a mass of spray.  As we worked to reduce the sail area, water would shoot over the deck, sweeping us all off our feet.  After a large wave had hit, we would automatically look around the deck to make sure everyone else was still there.  The water was so cold that our hands froze as they touched the ropes, the winches or the sails and each dribble that seeped down our necks and into our clothing felt like ice.

"At midday the barometer started to rise rapidly.  If the pattern ran to form the wind would, if anything, blow even harder.  Since it was already blowing force 10, I wondered what was on the way.  I watched the large, grey seas with their white, torn crests and listened to the wind howling in the rigging, and thought here at last was the Southern Ocean.  This was what we had come to find and sail through; this beautiful, powerful, magnificent ocean.  As I watched, I felt no fear, only simple admiration."

Sailing is one of the safest leisure time activities there is and compliance with a few basic rules will ensure we traverse the Southern Oceans in safety.   I learnt so much from this one account of someone else's race its difficult to know where to start but it's more than just taking care of one another and keeping yourself attached to the boat.  It's knowing when to play safe and when to push the boat harder.  It's about understanding what the elements are doing around you and how to use the boat to maximum effect. It's about having unequivocal respect for the forces of nature.

June 18th 2008:  End of Race Preparations

It seems to have come around very quickly indeed but the Clipper Round the World Race 07-08 draws to a conclusion in just 18 days time.  The fleet are currently mid Atlantic and heading toward their penultimate destination of Cork.  Race 14 leaves Cork on 3 July and arrives in Liverpool two days later.  For those that are in the area and thinking of seeing the climax to this 35,000 mile journey the details are as follows.

There will be fun race (The Mersey Dash) late on the Saturday morning from the mouth of the Mersey up to the Albert Dock where the boats are scheduled to arrive at 12 noon.  There is plenty of parking within a 15 minute walk of the dock although you are recommended to arrive in good time to see the finish.  

Entrance to the Albert Dock for the boats is by the Canning Half Tide lock and the fleet will start to pass through the first lock around 1pm for final berthing in the Albert Dock around 3pm.  The prizegiving ceremony will see presentations to 1st place in Race 14, 3rd place overall, 2nd place overall and finally the overall winner of the Clipper Round the World Race 07-08.  Unfortunately, for security reasons, there will be no public access to the boats during the weekend.

I will be joining one of the boats on Sunday 6th July in readiness for the trip back to Gosport with an anticipated arrival time of lunchtime on Friday 11th July.  I hope to post regular updates on the journey down through the Irish Sea, round Lands End and up the English Channel.  Watch out for the updates on the ‘Clipper Blog’ page.

June 9th 2008:  Review of Race 12 of 07-08

Close racing, light airs and fog dominated the 500 mile dash from New York to Nova Scotia.  Often the boats were less than a mile and half apart and still could not see each other.  For WesternAustralia.com the conditions were particularly hairy as their radar was out of action.  They were not alone in doubling up the crew assigned to look out for other vessels as they made their way northward in quite cold conditions.  In the event a tactical decision by WesternAustralia.com who had started at the back of the fleet paid huge dividends.  They headed north east in anticipation of the weather to come and this helped secure a win and their first podium position since the dismasting in mid Pacific.  A great morale boost for the hardworking crew but it was a risky decision as their clever route took them directly across the notoriously shallow George Shoals whilst the rest of the fleet took the 'safe' option around.  Second and third place went to Glasgow and Qingdao respectively.

With Hull collecting 7 points from this race and New York only 5 New York's lead has been reduced to just 1.5 points over Hull.  It's all building up for a fantastic finish in Liverpool next month although my money is still on New York!

June 6th 2008:  New York, New York - Review of Race 11 of 07-08

Having described race 10 as a close race with the fleet often only 12 miles apart, this race gave a new meaning to racing at 'close quarters'.  With four or five boats often in sight of one another, the whole fleet moved as a pack toward New York, initially with light winds and then with strengthening weather fronts permitting a variety of different points of sail.  Only when the light winds returned, threatening a delay in their arrival in New York was the race called early to allow the boats to motor the remaining miles to North Cove Marina in the heart of the Big Apple.

New York became only the second boat in the history of the Clipper Round the World Race to celebrate a victory into their home port.  The Canadian boat, Clipper Victoria being the only other after an horrendous crossing of the North Pacific in the 05-06 event.  The other podium places went to Western Australia, who seem to have got back firmly into their stride after the dismasting in the pacific, and Liverpool.  With Hull finishing 8th, New York now hold the overall lead setting up a titanic battle over the last 3 races.

May 25th 2008:  Hull Named as Start Venue for 09-10 Race

With just 6 weeks left of the 07-08 Round the World Race, preparations continue to be made for the 09-10 event that I will be competing in.  The start is being moved from Liverpool to Hull and we sail on Race 1 to La Rochelle on Sunday 13th September 2009.  The route down through the North Sea, along the Channel through the busiest shipping lane in the world and then down through the infamous Bay of Biscay will surely be a strong test for the novice crews.  It is also the perfect opportunity to settle into the challenges of ocean sailing and provide the perfect opportunity to test and refine the two years of training that has preceded the race.  Pictured is the Kingston Upon Hull Maritime Museum on the banks of the River Humber.

May 25th 2008:  Review of Race 10 of 07-08

Race 10 is one of the shortest of the 07-08 event covering just under 600 miles from the Panama Canal to Port Antonio in Jamaica and started in ‘Le Mans’ style with all boats lined up and having to raise the main sail at the gun before setting off.  What made this race a bit special was the fact that with the fleet entering the Atlantic Ocean you suddenly realise they will be back in Liverpool in just 6 weeks.  This was a particularly close race with the fleet tightly bunched and racing hard, often with as little as 12 miles separating most of the fleet.  Only Nova Scotia and Western Australia were separated after being caught in a wind hole.  There was no room for error and overall leaders Hull and New York fought out an epic battle with Hull clinching the honours on the line.  This result extended Hulls overall lead in the 07-08 race despite the four penalty points they received for sail damage.

Race 11 started on 24 May and their arrival in New York is expected on or around 1 June.

May 12th 2008:  Half Way for the Rainbow Golf Day

With just under two months to go until our Rainbow Golf day, over half of the holes have been sold for sponsorship and over 20 golfers have signed up to play on the day.  Whilst we originally intended to cap the day at 40 golfers, we are currently negotiating to increase this to 48 but places are limited so if you want to join us – and we hope you will - we would love to hear from you.  In addition to the 18 holes of spectacular golf there is a bacon roll on arrival and a two course dinner afterwards.  There will be a putting competition for those waiting to tee off, a raffle and an auction.  To reserve your place, email me today.  All profits go the Rainbow Centre so as well as a great day out, you will be supporting a fantastic charity.

May 11th 2008:  Review of Race 9 of 07-08

If race 6 into Qingdao was the toughest race so far race 9 was undoubtedly the most frustrating.  This is traditionally one the most enjoyable legs with fast downwind sailing down the west cost of America,  With light winds haunting the fleet throughout the leg, the race was eventually brought to a conclusion early so that the fleet could motor on to the Panama Canal and traverse the locks together.  In the event Hull & Humber won the race with Qingdao and New York taking the other podium places.

In reality nearly all boats were in with a shout at some point during the race but tactical gambles and wind holes eventually decided the race in favour of the British crew.  Most of the boats followed relatively close to the coastline (150 miles or so) with Durban and Western Australia going closer than most (down to 30 miles on occasions).  It may have been for this reason that they finished 9th and 10th respectively but was probably also due to both crews continuing to adjust to the new masts they received in Hawaii.  Liverpool broke the pattern by sailing some 300 miles further than any boat as they headed out into the Pacific Ocean in search of stronger winds.  Had it paid off, there is no doubt that they would have placed themselves in a strong position to win the race but in the event they fared no better for wind than the rest of the fleet.  As they approached the new gate marking the end of the race, many of the boats were in sight of each other but the varied finish times illustrates well how frustrating progress had been.  Well, at least they had a bit of time for some bird spotting....

 May 1st 2008:  Melon Update

Isn’t it amazing what £100 can buy for an orphanage in Kenya.  This picture was recently taken at the Melon Orphanage in Nakuru and shows just how much your donations are appreciated.  Outside the picture are a further 6 sacks of rice and maize meal.  The violence that swept through the region following the elections last December has now subsided with the feuding parties agreeing a framework for talks in February.  The peace was not achieved in time to prevent the 850 deaths that occurred nationally in just 15 days.  Locally, some of the youngsters who reside with guardians, lost their homes in the violence and some were forced to live in temporary camps.

Although the Melon Orphanage is not suitable for overnight accommodation their operation has largely been maintained throughout the crisis and slowly, the quality of life is improving.  As well as securing much needed food, donations are used to purchase classroom materials and repair buildings within the compound.  In the longer term the orphanage hopes to purchase the land so that rental payments can be more usefully employed in the running of the mission.

April 22nd 2008:  Review of Race 8 of 07-08

With the well publicised rigging repairs complete, race 8 finally got underway on 6th April with Nova Scotia stealing a good lead on the starting line.  Durban and WA would take no part in this race but as the mast failures were found to be no fault of the crew, they will still receive points for this race based on their average points award over the first seven races.

In the event the eight remaining boats soon found themselves beating hard into the wind as they headed for Santa Cruz.   Sea sickness was a major factor for most of the crews; an inevitable consequence of the long stopover and this certainly affected progress over the early days by reducing the frequency of sail changes.  As sea legs returned, more thought was given to strategy and once again the question was whether to beat a (more or less) straight line for the US coast or head north in search of the wind.  Nova Scotia and Uniquely Singapore both chose the longer, more northerly route and it paid off handsomely.  With the rest of the fleet caught in a wind hole they both extended their already considerable lead and ended up finishing well ahead of the others.  

The race between these two boats became a story in its own right.  Nova Scotia had a 12 mile lead on Uniquely Singapore but had not gone as far north and that lead slowly but surely disappeared as they neared the coast.  Their only real hope of holding on to first place lay with the unpredictable and shifting winds that are often encountered as you approach the land mass of USA.  But it never materialised and Uniquely Singapore, with a better angle for the finish line crossed in the middle of the night, in very light airs, just one hour ahead of the Canadians.  Quite a nail biting finish after some 2,000 miles of racing!

The third podium place went to New York.  So after 8 races, the overall lead is held narrowly by Hull and Humber (who finished fourth) over Durban and New York.  Durban and WA are expected to finish on Tuesday 22nd April which will enable race 9 to Panama to start on Thursday 24th April

April 18th 2008:  Stretching My Sea Legs

I felt quite comfortable about my Part A training but with the next course not taking place until around September, there is a whole summer waiting for me to gain a little more experience at sea.  One option is to leave my contact details at one of the local yacht clubs to see if anyone wants an extra pair of hands on the crew.  I will certainly be pursuing that as soon as the bruised ribs settle down!  In addition, Clipper Ventures are seeking crews to bring the racing yachts back to Gosport after the finish of the 07-08 event in July and I have put my name forward for that as well.  Not only will it provide an extended period of sailing but it will be my first opportunity to acquaint myself with the actual boats that we will sail around the world in 09-10.

The Clipper Round the World Race 07-08 is scheduled to finish in Liverpool on 5th July and I will be reporting to one of the boats on Sunday 6th July to help with the deep clean and the preparations for the return trip to Gosport.  The crews will be a mixture of 07-08 crews and 09-10 crews so it will be a great opportunity for us novice sailors to pick up a few tips from the seasoned pro’s.  The boats leave Liverpool on Monday 7th July and our estimated arrival time in Gosport is early afternoon on 11th July.  Five days and four nights at sea will be worth many day sailings at the local yacht club and I’m really looking forward to the experience.

April 11th 2008:  Aussies Out Back Racing With Durban

You sort of know that somewhere along the race there’s going to be a major setback.  When the Clipper fleet sailed from Qingdao and Western Australia (WA) wrote in the snow on their boat ‘Hawaii here we come…’.  They were, of course, oblivious to the catalogue of disasters that lay ahead of them.

WA were pressing pretty hard as the fleet turned the southern tip of Japan and they headed further north than the others in an attempt to catch extra wind to propel them on to the Hawaiian Islands.  In the event they were only moving in relatively light winds when the anchor point of the right hand shroud (one of several steel cables supporting the mast) gave way and the mast buckled at about the half way point.  It was fortunate that they were in light winds since the failure immediately raised the question of metal fatigue rather than simply pushing the boat too hard.  When, a few days later, Durban also lost her mast (totally this time) the race organisers sensibly ended that leg of the race and got the boats to Hawaii as quickly as possibly.  One there, the metal fatigue issue was confirmed and new fixings were flown from the UK to be fitted before Race 8 began.  For WA, their mini crisis was still unfolding.  They had used what was left of the mast to set up a jury rig (a temporary mast) but with insufficient sail power and only a small supply of fuel, a diversion to the Midway Islands was the only real option left.

The Midway Islands are famous for the sea battle which became a turning point in the Second World War.  Nowadays it is one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife reserves.  The population on Midway comprises around 30 residents - mainly undertaking scientific research - and around 2 million nesting seabirds. To walk through massive flocks of nesting albatross that had never developed any fear or apprehension of man, lightly brushing them with their sandals, is an experience that only few people on this earth will have shared.

In parallel to all these events a huge logistical operation was underway to deliver the replacement masts to Hawaii.  The fates conspired to make this as challenging as possible.  Whilst Clipper Ventures maintain a sizeable stock of supplies at the stopover masts are not included because of their size and weight.  The factory that manufactures the masts in South Africa was destroyed by fire the week before the dismasting and Clipper had to resource parts from different countries around the globe.  Flying them out to Hawaii was a logistical nightmare requiring a plane that could be loaded from the front or rear.  Getting them to Santa Cruz it seemed was marginally easier than flying the last leg to Hawaii.

Meanwhile, with sufficient stocks of fuel to reach Hawaii, the crew of WA left Midway.  Only a few days later they encountered yet a further set back as a stray line slipped overboard, and caught in the prop damaging the gearbox.  With no spares on board, the crew had no alternative but to return to Midway whilst Clipper Ventures were faced with another logistics exercise transferring spares from their supply at Santa Cruz to Hawaii and then on the weekly supply plane to Midway.

Even when WA eventually arrived in Hawaii  the crews and support team were stretched to the limit installing new masts on Durban and WA.  Race 8 to Santa Cruz was delayed 10 days but only the other 8 boats made the starting line on 5 April.  Durban and WA still had to have their masts lifted into position but finally cast off on the 2,000 mile journey to Santa Cruz on 9 April with some 700 miles to make up on the rest of the fleet.  The whole exercise is a testament to the team spirit not just amongst Clipper crews but to the maintenance team, race organisers and local boatyards who worked against all the odds to pull these repairs off.  Nor should we forget the hospitality shown by the researchers at Midway and the members of the Hawaii Yacht Club.

The Pacific leg has certainly been the most stressful so far.  Ironically, it was the Pacific leg in 05-06 that also challenged the crews with keel failures that laid the fleet up in the Philippines for almost 2 months.

April 2nd 2008:  Reflections on Part A Training

As training finished and the adrenalin started to drain from the body, I had time to reflect on my first week with Clipper.  I was fortunate to escape most of the symptoms of sea sickness but for the first two days back on dry land everything seemed to sway quite uncontrollably.   That aside, Part A training was a truly memorable experience with a great crew who were always there to offer support and advice to the most novice of all novice sailors.  There are literally dozens of ropes and cables that make up the rigging, numerous sail configurations to think about and, of course, set procedures in which sails are raised, trimmed or changed.  There are so many jobs associated with each task you have to wonder how the single handed sailors actually cope; but it did illustrate to me how much the Clipper Race is very much a team sport.   

The highlights had to include the climb up the mast (right) and the man overboard exercises (above) which are rehearsed regularly to ensure we are all familiar with the different roles – one person lies on the sails as they are dropped, one throws out the dan marker bouy, and one is lowered over the side to help retrieve the casualty.  Highlights also include helming which I got to grips with quite quickly sailing into the wind, downwind was a different matter altogether and my lack of sailing experience showed.  I need to practice that endlessly to the point where I am not just watching the compass, but feeling the boat through heavy swells.  One tip that was offered was also to remove the hat so that you get a better sense of what the wind is actually doing.

The lows?  There were hardly any.  I soon got used to the primitive conditions on board and the bunk felt more like home with each passing day.  I have to admit I did not enjoy mother watch as much as I thought I would because you miss so much going on above decks.  But having said that, I appreciate what an important role this is – a well fed boat is a happy boat – so I was determined to throw myself into the task as enthusiastically as I possibly could.  In the event the task also decided to throw me around with equal enthusiasm as my many bruises will testify!

The low point for Val (apart from missing me – hopefully) was to have me wake her on the phone at 7:45 from Dartmouth just to tell her we had risen, cleaned the boat, prepared her for sailing and been shopping to stock for the return leg.  Well I thought she would be interested.... (Footnote from Val – this enthusiasm for early mornings has not been maintained since arriving home).

March 24th 2008: Training has begun

After what has seemed a long wait my part A training has begun.  See Training Blog for details

March 21st 2008:  The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV)

I am delighted to welcome my fifth partner on board in the form of my own professional institute, the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation.  With the IRRV, I shall be writing regular articles in their monthly magazine Insight reconciling my experience on the Clipper Race with the challenges of day to day management in local government.  As the ultimate leadership and team building course there are many areas that are analogous and other that are so far off beam (no pun intended) that they deserve a special consideration of their own.  I have also offered to deliver papers at their annual conferences in October 2008 & October 2010 to share my experiences on training and on the race itself.

March 18th 2008:  Review of Race 7 of 07-08

In a race dominated by the news of dismastings on Western Australia and Durban it is easy to forget that this was the race that produced the adrenalin rush everyone was looking for on leg 3 from Durban to Fremantle.  So the coldest, fastest and closest racing so far deserves a special mention.

The crews endured some appallingly wet conditions going into Qingdao and thoroughly deserved the hero’s welcome that was put on by their Chinese hosts who were clearly eager to rehearse some of the pyrotechnics they have planned for the Olympics later this year.  Their departure was equally spectacular and Qingdao was unanimously voted the most outstanding host to date.  Unfortunately even they could do nothing about the wind hole that threatened to pull the boats back to China on the first night.  Nor the 2 inches of snow that prompted a highly competitive snowball fight for those boats that had moored close overnight.  But sub zero temperatures have limited appeal on the Clipper boats – particularly where there is no wind so no physical work to help keep you warm.

Fortunately, the wind came – but with a bit of a vengeance – and most of the fleet enjoyed some spectacular downwind surfing.  In amongst that was some very close racing too with Hull & Humber managing some close manoeuvres with Glasgow one night.  Obviously they want a bigger ocean! Qingdao Clipper tipped the scales for fastest run at over 25 knots but then Hull & Humber secured a new course record of over 26 knots.  This should be considered in the context that physics prevents the Clipper yacht from exceeding 30 knots so this is pretty much flat out!

We have already discussed how pushing the boats hard can result in damage so the fastest is not always the winner.  In this case though, the fastest was the winner as Hull & Humber secured maximum points after coming tantalisingly close to a podium position on the last 3 races without success.  They held off a strong challenge from New York (my personal tip to win overall – you heard it here first) but the damage to other boats will take a little longer to repair.  With two replacement masts on their way to Hawaii, the opportunity will be taken to check and replace all shroud fixings before Race 8 to Santa Cruz.

For the first time the Race Committee has also handed out a penalty to Liverpool 08 for sail damage.  Whilst only one set of sails is permitted per team, professional sail repairs are permitted in port but the committee decided that the burden of professional repairs to support Liverpool had been a tad excessive.  Further penalties are expected to be received by other boats before the event is over as some are very close to the limit set by the Race Committee.

March 14th 2008:  Second Dismasting Ends Race 7 of 07-08

With Western Australia already limping toward the Midway Islands with just half a mast standing, we were rocked by the news that Durban 2010 and Beyond lost their whole mast  yesterday.  Once again, we are pleased to report that there were no injuries.  It is neither appropriate nor helpful to speculate the cause of these failures but the Race Committee have responded well by ending this particular race to Hawaii in the interests of safety.  The Western Australia rigging failed because the starboard shroud fixing failed at the point it was secured to the deck.  With no obvious explanation for the failure, the Race Committee assumed it was metal fatigue and had already taken the decision to replace all these parts of the rigging when the fleet arrived at Hawaii.  This second failing - which may or may not be caused by a similar fatigue issue - prompted the safety first approach and points were awarded on the basis of positions as at 06:00 GMT yesterday morning (10 minutes prior to the second dismasting).

So to finish on a positive note - maximum points went to Hull and Humber who held off a challenge from New York.  They now go into the overall lead on the 07-08 event.  Jamaica just overtook Nova Scotia to claim 8th spot. Uniquely Singapore and Qingdao were both diverted to rendezvous with Durban and transfer sufficient fuel for them to motor safely to Hawaii.  As our rendezvous picture from Singapore shows, the Clipper looks a decidedly sad sight although we are pleased to confirm that all the crew are safe and in very good spirits.

March 13th 2008:  Budget Announcement on Gift Aid

The charity sector has warmly welcomed the Budget's deferment of a cut in Gift Aid.  Although the basic rate of tax is being lowered to 20 per cent Gift Aid will continue at 22 per cent until 2011, in what Alistair Darling described as a "transitional rate".  This is good news for us since the Rainbow Centre would otherwise have lost out considerably on donations made after 6 April 2008.

March 8th 2008:  Charity Golf Day Confirmed

We are delighted to confirm that the Clipper Race Golf day will now be held on 2 July 2008 at Hamptworth Golf and Country Club.  All proceeds raised will go to the Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education so we hope you will be able to support us.  The extremely competitive price of £40 per head includes bacon roll and coffee on arrival, 18 holes of golf, teeing off around lunchtime, and a two course dinner in the evening. 

Hamptworth Golf Club is situated on the edge of the New Forest and can be accessed just off the A36 north of Romsey.  It is one of the finest golf clubs in the Wessex area and we are delighted to be able to offer the facilities to our supporters.  The course is a challenging 6,509 yard par 72 course that winds its way through the ancient woodland of the Hamptworth Estate and over the River Blackwater.  For further details (including corporate sponsorship), please follow the link through the Charitable Sponsorship page to Fundraising Events or click here.

March 6th 2008:  Battle to the Midway

Distressing news was received from the Pacific Ocean today as Western Australia reported that their mast collapsed about half way up and they were forced to drop out of Race 7 to Hawaii.  It was the end of a desperate week for the crew who had faced consecutive set backs in their attempt to make ground on the rest of the fleet.

Last week, as the fleet cleared the southern tip of Japan, skippers evaluated the options to Hawaii and some headed slightly north to make the most of the strong westerly winds.  WA were amongst them but whilst achieving some of the highest speeds so far – over 24 knots – they damaged a spinnaker pole and later saw the track rip off the mast.  These things happen when you are pushing the boat hard and WA were not the only boat to suffer damage.    In an attempt to make up lost ground they took a gamble by heading further north.  The gamble did not pay off and by the time they had strong winds to take advantage of they found themselves once again pushing the boat hard.  A broken halyard had to be dealt with but then the starboard shroud supporting the mast failed and the mast itself buckled at about the half way point.  Ironically they had just started to benefit from the strong southerly current that they had headed north in search of.

The loss of the mast is indeed tragic but what is more important is that no one was injured and the boat is still very seaworthy.  The crew have dealt with the situation admirably under extremely testing circumstances and this collective team spirit will undoubtedly serve them well over the days and weeks ahead.   They do not have enough fuel to motor either back to Japan or on to Hawaii.  Their best chance is to head for the former US Naval base, Midway, under Jury Rig (using what is left of the mast) where they can refuel before motoring on to Hawaii.  With luck they will arrive before the start of Race 8 and have enough time for the shore support to replace the mast with new fixtures currently being flown out. 

March 4th 2008:  Beat the Taxman

In the 2007 Budget, the Government announced that the basic rate of income tax would be reduced from 22% to 20% from April 2008.  As Gift Aid is linked to this basic rate, the amount of tax we will be able to reclaim on any eligible donations will also reduce. Instead of the current ratio of 28p in every £1, from 6th April Rainbow will only be able to reclaim 25p in every £1.

So if you want to help the Rainbow Centre even more, please feel free to use the justgiving link before the end of the month.  And thank you so much for your support which is really appreciated.

February 29th 2008:  Cool Running for Jamaica

As Race 7 gets underway to Hawaii we get a perfect illustration of how conditions, tactics and sailing can change quite dramatically in a relatively short space of time.  The fleet left Qingdao in light winds but by the time the sun disappeared so did the wind.  The tide turned and threatened to pull the boats back toward land.  With race organisers declining a request to use engines, the fleet dropped anchor and waited for morning.  Temperatures were already pretty low and by morning all the boats had about 2 inches of snow on the deck.  Later that day, the wind returned with a vengeance and soon the whole fleet was racing along at 20 knots plus with the wind behind them.   The sun came out and as the day time temperatures soared to the low twenties the shorts came out on deck. 

Some of the old advice from Leg 1 came back to haunt one or two boats though as a bit of risk taking resulted in some damage to sails and stays.  What was that advice?  Those that win are generally those that do not take unnecessary risks.  No long term damage sustained but probably a bit of pride.  However, with some of the top speeds seen on the whole race, the experience of those high speeds was undoubtedly exhilarating.  The race viewer certainly shows a good straight run from Qingdao by stark contrast to the tacking as the boats beat their way to Qingdao at the end of Race 6.  The boats are now past the southern tip of Japan and entering the Pacific Ocean.  The now familiar challenge will face skippers.  Do they go the most direct route and risk losing wind or do they head north to catch the strong winds of the North Pacific.  Watch this space.

February 19th 2008:  Review of Race 6 of 07-08

As the fleet left Singapore in sweltering heat on 27 January, they must surely have had no idea of the immense challenge that lay ahead of them.  They struggled to find any wind at all to start with but then spent most of the 2,600 mile trip close hauling (beating) into the wind which presented some exceptional challenges for the crew whether they were on deck or trying to rest in the humid conditions below.  The problem is that you cannot sail straight into the wind so if your destination is in the same direction as the wind source the only way to get there is to zig-zag your way in a series of tacking manoeuvres.  This has several disadvantages.  The boat tends to heel over quite dramatically which means everything the crew does (and I mean everything) they have to do at an angle of 30-35%.  Hot bunking comes into play as people are asked to sleep on the high side of the boat; anything you can do to counter the effect of heeling is worth it just to squeeze that extra knot of speed.   

If that were not bad enough, the conditions changed spectacularly during the first week of the race.  The fleet entered what can best be described as ‘confused’ seas where strong winds, currents, tides and deteriorating weather combined to produce some stunningly high swells.   This resulted in the boats taking quite a pounding through the ocean with enormous waves breaking across the length of the boats.  All hatches had to be kept closed to prevent water entering the main cabin and this meant that conditions below became particularly challenging as the humidity rose.  Those that complained about the humidity quickly regretted it as temperatures plummeted from 40 degrees centigrade to below zero.  As China faced one of its worst recorded winters, the fleet endured horrendous conditions on deck.  Watch systems were changed so that apart from when sail changes were required only two people were on deck and then only for 20 minute stints – one to hold the helm and one to take over if they lost the wheel.  By the time they arrived in Qingdao, there were no dry areas anywhere on the boat.  There is no doubt they have earned their rest this time!

And what a reception they got in Qingdao!  Each boat was received with a hero’s welcome by thousands of Chinese locals and the skippers have been taking some friendly ribbing from their crew members because their portraits are displayed on posts throughout the town centre. 

February 15th 2008:  100% Rainbow

With only 36 days to go before my first weeks training at sea it's time to start thinking about charitable sponsorship.  What started out as a personal challenge for me has now been boosted by the desire to raise oodles of dosh for the Rainbow Centre in Fareham.  The Rainbow Centre specialises in providing conductive education for children suffering from cerebral palsy.  Basically this means working with the children, parents and carers from an educational perspective instead of a medical or paramedical one.  Conductive education is aimed at helping the individual master their environment rather than adapt the environment to meet their special needs.

The technique was developed by the Peto Institute in Hungary about 50 years ago.  The amazing thing is that conductive education was only available in Budapest until The Rainbow Centre recruited two conductors to help launch their Centre in 1990.  The rest, as they say, is history.

The Rainbow Centre receives no Government grant and relies solely on fund raising and donations to meet running costs.  It costs £400,000 per year just to keep the doors open.  We believe this is a fantastic charity which is why we have adopted them as our charity for the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10.  We hope you do to and that you will support us in our bid to raise £10,000.  You can make your donation by following the link to www.justgiving.com/andymilner.  Further information on the Rainbow Centre is on our charities page.

February 13th 2008:  BAA Communities Trust & Solent Skill Quest

I am delighted to welcome the third and fourth partners to my Clipper Race, BAA Communities Trust and Solent Skill Quest.  They are helping me to promote the race through local schools and to provide an on line educational resource through which Eastleigh schools can follow the race and provide a wide range of educational programmes for students of both primary and secondary school age.

The project will provide regular updates through this web site during training and the race itself.  Apart from the obvious links to the geography curriculum, it is hoped to explore other issues around climate change, marine life and international economics.  Turning to the boats themselves, we also aim to provide students an opportunity to learn about sailing and demands of the race at the same pace as I do as a novice sailor.  The web site will provide access to articles, photos and videos covering all aspects of sailing including design, sail trimming, winch work, helming, safety, victualling, mechanical repairs and life on board generally.

A special launch of the schools project is being held at Eastleigh Borough Council offices on Thursday 6th March at 2:00pm.

February 9th 2008:  Update on Nakuru

Our second charity, the Melon Orphanage, is situated in Nakuru, Kenya.  You will have read in the press recently that Kenya has been rocked by violence following the elections in December.  Amidst accusations of vote rigging and ethnic tensions, the violence has spread into the Rift Valley region where the Melon Orphans and Destitute Mission is located.  The purpose of this brief update is to provide some reassurance over the safety of the children there.  Further details of the Melon Orphanage can be found from the link on our Charities Page.

We have heard from Bishop Joseph over the last week and he assures us they are all safe and well despite the news that Nakuru has become something of a battleground. In his update he tells us -

“Melon fraternity is protected though the learning has been interrupted but we are feeding the children and the guardians through an organised programme with the help of the well wishers who are seeing what we are doing but with difficulties.  We are hoping all this interruptions will come back to its normal state soon.

“Curfew has been placed by the Government from 7 00 pm to 6 00 am but in the day time note that there are no shops being opened and so the shopkeepers who know me and the role I play, they are opening the back door so we can get what we need, again there no jobs for the guardians and its not easy to feed them all.  Therefore do not be disturbed about us we are alright, and our God is with us.
I will be in touch for any event.  Pass my greetings to your loved ones.”

February 3rd 2008:  Rising to the Challenge

If you have ever wondered what sort of people put themselves forward for the Clipper Race, a quick look at the biographies of 07-08 crew members will tell you that they come from all walks of life.  27 nationalities are represented in the 07-08 fleet and the ages range from 17 to 71 (for 09-10, we already have an 84 year old grandmother signed up!).  With a relative equal split in gender, the backgrounds could not be more varied.  There are several gap year students and many others of retirement age enjoying the experience of a lifetime.  For the rest, there is the challenge of reconciling the demands of the race with the family and work pressures.  There are IT professionals, doctors, teachers, solicitors, farmers, a marine, a paramedic, a joiner and a vet!  So how do all these people put their lives on hold for 30 months to undertake the training and compete in the race?

When I went for my interview in Liverpool last September, I was told that there were two essential requirements – a supportive employer and an understanding partner.  Fortunately I have both.  Eastleigh Borough Council have been fantastic in their support by keeping a job open for me on my return.  That takes a huge weight off my mind.  And Val could not be more supportive; indeed she has been the main inspirations to me taking part in the race.  Neither of us want to be apart for 10 months but the challenge, experience and charitable objectives tend to soften those concerns to the point where they are acceptable.

Financially, there is huge burden to bear.  Not only do you have to raise the berth fee but you have to figure out how you will pay the bills whilst you are away.  It’s not easy, but then if it was, would it be worth it?  Many participants have made huge sacrifices – using redundancy payment, selling their homes and emptying their savings.  Others have worked hard to raise sponsorship.  Personally, it’s been a combination of all these things. 

We were fortunate to have some savings but other sacrifices have to be made like selling my much loved Lexus (80,000 miles – one careful owner – can’t speak for the rest – in case you are interested!) and being without a regular salary for a year.  There are many imaginative ways in which this can be cushioned.  Movie and sports channels went straight away and we changed broadband supplier.  There is always the opportunity to renegotiate or move your mortgage to reduce regular expenditure. 

I am also generating extra income by working with my commercial partners who are listed on the partnership page.  The beauty of all this is that it means 100% of all money raised through sponsorship goes directly to the Rainbow Centre.  It’s now only 7 weeks to training and for me this signals the start of the challenge proper.  Having never sailed before, this will be potentially even more testing than the race itself and also an opportunity to see how we can regularly update the web site from sea!  I shall be sending daily updates to Val who, as webmaster, will seek to ensure there is something new to read on this web site quite regularly.

January 20th 2008:  So Just How Uncomfortable is Uncomfortable?

The Clipper Race will have many highs and lows as we have seen from the blogs being posted by 07-08 crews.  Following the race from the comfort of home I can only read with some envy (and anticipation) about the spectacular racing, the ocean wildlife, the night skies and the incredible sunsets.  There will be many such highs.  However, part of the psychology in preparing for the race is to expect the worst - and prepare for the worst.  Many people have asked me just how uncomfortable it gets.

The southern ocean is probably the toughest leg (Durban to Fremantle) with waves recorded up to 80 feet in height.  On the 07-08 race the experience did not match the reputation and the roaring forties barely raised above a whisper.  The funniest thing about that was how disappointed the crews were about it!   For a more thought provoking summary, I had to delve into Chay Blyth’s story of the British Steel Challenge where a diary entry by David Wallbank on board Pride of Teeside sets the scene –

“The storm we were in was throwing the boat around like a toy.  You could feel her lifting up and up on gigantic waves and hovering weightless for those few breathless seconds before crashing down.  The noise was deafening.

“We couldn’t lie still in our bunks.  There was constant and often violent movement and everything was shaking.  When I climbed into the bunk, which involves a risking life and limb in a desperate jump, I reached into my netting for a clean T-shirt.  They were all damp.  I’d worn the present one for a week and was beginning to smell a little.  No one had washed for two weeks and the best we could manage was a Baby Wipe bed bath.

“So I’d put the T-shirt on and lay for a while trying hard to stop thinking.  It’s difficult, because four hours earlier I was just going on watch and had to be wide awake.  That’s the problem with a watch system, there’s no routine for sleeping.  People tend to be dozy all the time or, like me, have great problems getting enough sleep.  Yet eventually I must have slept, maybe forty-five minutes or so, and now I had to get up again.  It was bitterly cold and the thermals felt hard, almost frozen.  Shivering I put them on and tried to ignore the unpleasant sensations.  Soon, I reasoned, they would defrost.  As we fought to put on our wet oilskins, the watch crew struggled to say hello to each other, but that’s about all we could manage as we jostled for space, or a place to hold on.  The world on the deck was dramatically different.  It was pitch black and the wind was blowing at 35 mph, with higher gusts and rough seas.  The howling wind alone would have made communication difficult, but with our protective gear and hats and balaclavas, it was impossible.”

January 18th 2008:  Review of Race 5 of 07-08

Everyone has their favourite boat and as race 5 of the 07-08 series left Fremantle on New Years day I found myself paying special attention to the Jamaica and New York Clippers.  I wanted them both to do well.  Jamaica simply because she was bottom of the leader board after four races and even a win would probably have not been enough to move them up more than one place.  New York, because after a difficult first leg to Salvador they faced something of a major team rebuild en route to Durban and won the race handsomely.  Their good progress was hampered in race four by a medivac that cost them 500 miles on the rest of the fleet so it was important they took the opportunity to get the momentum back quickly.

In the event, Jamaica could not have got off to a worse start.  With light winds from the off and Jamaica in 9th place there were barely 50 miles between the whole fleet when Jamaica suffered the spinnaker wrap from hell.  It was described by skipper Simon Bradley as the worst he had witnessed in 80,000 miles of sailing and involved the whole crew spending some 20 hours cutting the sail in half before they could get it back on deck for repair.  During this time they were sailing only on the mainsail and as a result lost a lot of ground on the fleet.  In a brave attempt to catch up they headed west hoping to hold on to what little wind there was for a bit longer.  But the tactic did not work; instead they encountered a wind hole which left them and Qingdao battling it out for 9th place.

New York, meanwhile never really lost sight of the leading pack and had an exciting race with Liverpool 08 leading north past Christmas Island and on to the Sunda Straits.   Nova Scotia briefly took the lead over but were later caught becalmed in the channel marking the route whilst four competitors sailed past them to the East. The Liverpool / New York duel went right to the finishing line with New York securing first place by only 17 nautical miles.

Race 5 was fought in light winds which were expected for part of the route but the stronger winds along the west coast of Australia did not materialise due to tropical cyclone Melanie passing through just before the race started.  As a result this was probably the toughest race so far because light winds mean races are won and lost by the crew undertaking frequent sail changes and concentrating hard at the helm.  All this was achieved in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees centigrade and little relief from the sauna like conditions below deck.  The race organisers also recognised the dangers of fishing vessels, oil rigs, floating debris and shallow water in the Java Sea so there was a specific route marked out by way points that the boats had to follow as the raced for the finish line at Batam some 20 miles outside Singapore.

There is a co-ordinated arrival at Keppel Bay, Singapore on Saturday ahead of Race 6 to Qingdao which starts on 27th January.

January 11th 2008: Working With Local Schools

I am currently working with a couple of potential partners to promote the Clipper Race through local schools in the Eastleigh and Southampton area.  Although normally I would hold the details back until negotiations are complete, it is important to offer schools an opportunity to get on board before I embark on Part A training in just a few weeks.

With this in mind all Head Teachers from Eastleigh schools, along with selected schools in the Southampton area, are invited to the launch of our educational resource programme.  This will take place at the offices of Eastleigh Borough Council on Thursday 6th March at 2:00pm and will last approximately 1 hour.  After introductions from the new partners and Keith House, Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, I will be making a short presentation about the race and the on-line educational resource programme.   Delegates will see first hand how this web site will link to a regular diary and enable blog entries throughout training and the race itself. 

It is intended to provide an educational environment related to the Clipper Race and training that targets a specific series of learning sets.  These sets will be broken down into text, photographic, video, audio and interactive modules and will cover a number of different topics including the design of the yacht, life on board, sailing techniques, teamwork and racing as well as the ocean and its wildlife.  In effect it is intended to share the experience of learning to sail and race around the world with as many young people as possible in the hope that it will inspire them to acquire new skills and abilities and learn to explore the world around them.

This will provide an independent and sustainable source of material for local schools and colleges but, where possible, I will be supporting it with personal visits between training sessions and after the race itself.  It is also hoped that some of the schools taking part will adopt the Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education as their own charity for the duration of the project.

If you are a Head Teacher in the Eastleigh Borough Council area and you would like to attend the presentation, please contact me at Eastleigh on 023 8068 8438 to reserve your place.

December 24 2007: Review of Leg 3

The race from Durban to Fremantle traditionally provides the most challenging and invigorating sailing of the whole circumnavigation.  Very few boats sail the plumb line between the two ports, preferring instead to sail steadily south until they cross the infamous 40 degree line that marks the ‘roaring forties’.  The name is derived not just from their geographical latitude but from the fact that the southern oceans have incredibly strong westerly winds.  There is no land to temper these strong winds that build up and as a consequence, not only will the boats experience some exhilarating ‘surfing’ on their way to Australia, but they will encounter waves approaching 27 metres in height!

Unlike earlier legs, the 07-08 fleet did not really split up that much although New York was forced to return to Durban to medivac an injured crew member.  As a result, they all arrived (bar New York) within a day of one another with New York making an admirable attempt to recover the 500 miles they lost on the medivac.  They finished 4 days after the lead boat but still in time to enjoy a good two week break over Christmas.  The break before leg 4 is longer so that crews can enjoy a good Christmas with their friends and families and the boats can be lifted out of the water for their mid race clean and repaint of the hulls.  It seems strange to think that in 2 years time, I will be meeting up with Val for a barbeque on the beach to celebrate Christmas! 

So what did we learn from this race?  Firstly, we learnt that even the roaring forties can be a let down sometimes.  The strong winds that everyone expected never really materialised and crews spent the majority of the trip living at a 35 degree angle whilst the boats followed a broad reach for most of the journey.  Most of the crews approached this legs with a little apprehension but in reality I think most were disappointed not to have experienced the full force of the expected winds.  It seems highly unlikely to me that this will happen two races in a row so I’m fully expecting this to be the toughest leg of the 09-10 race.  Whilst it will be tough it will also be some of the very best racing that I will ever experience.

The second lesson has to be around safety.  This is drilled into the crews at an early stage of training and it paid off on this leg as several potentially dangerous incidents were turned around with good team work and strong leadership.  I’ve already covered these in some detail in a previous article (see below) so I won’t dwell on them again.  Suffice it to say that most occurred within 3 days of leaving Durban where huge swells were experienced perhaps slightly sooner than anyone really expected.  It just goes to show how important it is to keep a focus at all times and to follow the golden rule of ‘one hand for you; one for the boat’.  Every crew member is secured to the boat by a safety line and in the Southern Oceans many boats opted to deploy double safety lines to provide added protection whilst moving about.

Spare a thought as well to the crew member who joined Clipper Jamaica for this leg but never recovered from sea sickness for the duration.  Indeed her condition became so severe with dehydration, Jamaica had to receive medical supplies form Uniquely Singapore to tackle a minor kidney infection.  We wish her, and the other casualties of this leg, a speedy recovery and all the crews and supporters a Very Merry Christmas.

1 December 2007: Man Overboard!

When my training starts in March there are three very clear phases that I will be taken through.  First - and most importantly - I will be taught how to be safe on the boat.  Only then will I be taught how to sail and, finally, how to race.  This is going to be a fantastic experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life but let's not forget it is no picnic and there are real risks.  The departure from Durban illustrated this better than any article I could write.

Hull & Humber was already a man down at the start line as a crew member with a knee injury was forced to undergo minor surgery to address the problem.  He will hopefully rejoin the boat in Fremantle.  Then a new crew member joining the New York crew was washed across the deck by an enormous wave and sustained a broken nose and serious head injuries which resulted in the boat turning back to Durban.  Two attempts to medivac the injured crew member were foiled by high seas and they could not actually get him off the boat until they were virtually back in Durban harbour.

Another crew member, this time on board Liverpool, affecting repairs up the mast sustained a head injury requiring stitches as the boat heeled; but the most serious incident happened on the third night.

Glasgow was storming along in high seas, force 6 winds and undergoing numerous sail changes.  The bowman, was getting the usual soaking up front but a freak wave caught him off guard and he was dragged off the boat.  The umbilical cord securing him to the boat did not hold him and he drifted off to sea.  It usually takes about 12 minutes to turn a sailing boat around and retreive a crew member and it is an exercise that is regularly practised in training both during the day and at night.  Admittedly not normally in seas as high as those presented by the Southern Ocean.  Amazingly, the crew member was located and recovered in under 10 minutes and as he recovers from shock and mild hypothermia, he will have every right to consider himself the luckiest man alive this weekend.  But what a tremendous achievement for the crew of Glasgow - not to mention Hull & Humber and Nova Scotia - who also stopped racing to assist with the search.

Two things are worth mentioning.  Firstly, from my diving days I know how difficult it is for a person to be located in high swells.  I often surfaced and failed to locate a boat 15 foot away because of seas swells.  In the southern oceans even two yachts are invisible at relatively short distances.  This illustrates the magnitude of their achievement in recovering the man overboard.

Secondly, it is a testament to the training and safety procedures set up by Clipper Ventures.  If anyone goes overboard, a button is hit which immediately uses GPS to mark the point - that then becomes the focus of the search.  The whole fleet is notified and those closest will often join in the search as Hull & Humber and Nova Scotia did on this occasion.  In this instance, as shown in the picture, Glasgow were also able to rendezvous with Hull & Humber to transfer oxygen required to assist the recovery of the crew member.  The crew member was back on watch within 24 hours and the medivaced crew member also hopes to rejoin his boat in Fremantle at Christmas.  Nailbiting stuff but all with positive outcomes.  The important message is that we learn from the these events.

23 November 2007:  Review of Leg 2

Is it just me or does this 07-08 race get more exciting by the day?  If Leg 1 was an opportunity to get used to ocean sailing, leg 2 started to make real sailors from the novice crews. 

When they left Salvador, the race started to develop around traditional tactics.  Where was the wind going to be?  How would they avoid the windholes - the centre of high pressures where you just wallow in calm waters; often as likely to move backward as forward.  The fleet soon split with Jamaica and Nova Scotia (one of the successful tacticians from leg 1) heading south.  They identified a number of high pressures way down south that they believed would catapult them through the rest of the fleet.  Qingdao stormed into a lead by following the shortest route and the rest chose varying standpoints in between.  Hull and Humber suffered an early set back with a medivac for a crew member with a grumbling appendix.  After a rendezvous with a Brazilian naval vessel the transfer was successfully completed but Hull and Humber opted to accept a penalty and go straight for Durban rather than return to the precise point they stopped racing.  It was a legitimate use of their discretion but the 4 hour penalty would ultimately prove costly.

In different ways, the rest of the fleet followed Jamaica and Nova Scotia south but as it turned out those who led the initiative hit calm waters on the way and although they ultimately did catapult eastward, they had already lost too much ground to overtake the fleet.
These southern oceans provided a real taste of things to come in the roaring forties on leg 3.  With the wind behind them and high swells, the yachts effectively 'surf' down with each wave at speeds of up to 20 knots.  Helming is a particular challenge and the risks include accidental gybe (where the boat unexpectedly turns with the wind behind it causing the boom to swing rapidly across the boat deck) and broaches (sudden instability).  When they first encountered these conditions, only the skippers were confident enough to keep things moving.  As a result they were often surviving on as little as 90 minutes sleep per day.  Two days later, other members of the crew had acquired the skill and confidence to lend support and by the time they reached Durban, most had successfully helmed in what can only be described as the most challenging of conditions. 

The other fascinating aspect of leg 2 was that after 3,500 miles of sailing across the South Atlantic, the fleet quickly closed up as they rounded Cape Agulhas (the southernmost point of South Africa) and crawled up through varying winds and currents to Durban.  In the end the whole fleet finished within 2 days of each other giving everyone a decent time to rest, deep clean the boats and re-stock for the next race.  Hull and Humber crossed the finish line first but the 4 hour penalty meant they did not even get on the podium.  Those places went to New York (pictured with a delighted new skipper), Liverpool and Glasgow who gained the overall lead in the race so far.

20 November 2007:  Grahame Robb Associates

I am delighted to welcome Grahame Robb Associates Ltd (GRA) as my second Corporate Partner for the 09-10 race.  GRA are a market leader in the design and delivery of innovative, experiential and personalised staff development programmes. 

GRA are different; really different.  Above all else, they are a company that truly inspires and motivates individuals to discover, develop and release their true potential and achieve tangible personal and organisational benefits.

They certainly inspired me.  It was whilst attending their seminar last year on 'Crucial Conversations' that I met Will Carnegie and Babs Powell (of Pans People for those young enough to remember) who both competed in the now defunct BT Global Challenge.  Without a doubt, they were the ones that motivated me to research ocean racing so it is only fitting that GRA and I share the highs and lows of the next 30 months as partners.

7 November 2007:  Rainbow Centre Announced as Main Charity

It's serious business selecting the right charity for an event like this.  We had a number of charities that we wanted to get round to see and we wanted to make sure that the one we selected was chosen for all the right reasons.  We knew that primarily we wanted to support a charity that needed the money; one that was unable to access funds through the usual sources.  Above all we wanted to support a charity that genuinely made a difference to the quality of people's lives. 

The Rainbow Centre does just that by producing small miracles every day with children suffering from cerebral palsy.   They achieve this through conductive education, working in partnership with carers and parents to approach motor disability from an educational perspective rather than a medical or paramedical one.  Development is encouraged in an attempt to help individuals master their environment rather than adapt the environment to meet their needs.  Conductive Education in its fullest form is a unified system of rehabilitation for people with neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerosis and those recovering from strokes or head injuries. 

Further details can be found on our charitable sponsorship page (along with details of the Melon Orphans and Destitute Mission in Nakuru, Kenya) or on the Rainbow Centre web site.

31st October 2007:  Chasing The Wind

Leg 2 to Durban is easily providing the most exciting racing to date with the 10 boats fanning out across the South Atlantic in search of wind to help them on their way.

Very early on we saw Nova Scotia and Jamaica peel off South in search of some major wind to catapult them on to Durban.  Further south, they are expecting a series of large depressions coming towards them from the east.  If they can get into the bottom half of that depression they should get winds as strong as 40 knots to help them along.  Although the deviation has seen some painfully slow speeds - down to 2 or 3 knots on occasions - they could easily make that up over the weekend.  Some of the other crews seem to think they have got it right because having started a direct route, we see Western Australia, Durban, Glasgow and Uniquely Singapore following their lead.  Qingdao are following the direct route (illustrated by the white line) and getting some decent speeds so far so its definitely worth checking out Clipper's race site viewer which has updates approximately every 6 hours.

One of the best performances to date is from Hull and Humber who had to divert 100 miles or so to medivac a crew member with a suspected grumbling appendix.  Despite that delay, they have worked their way back to fourth and will be hoping to avoid any wind holes.

25th October 2007:  Review of Race 1

The race started badly for the Jamaica Clipper as one of their crew suffered some fairly nasty back and neck injuries as a result of an accidental gybe (where the boat unexpectedly turns with the wind behind it causing the boom to swing rapidly across the boat deck).  Fortunately, the crew member recovered sufficiently to walk off the boat when they moored in Cornwall and he is very keen to rejoin the boat on a later leg.  Jamaica may have come in last and the incident will no doubt have shaken the whole crew but the experience they gained will hold them in good stead later in the race.

Durban were first into Salvador and this could well have been influenced by two significant factors.  Firstly, they did not take unnecessary risks with the sails and as a result possibly encountered less damage than any other boat in the fleet.  Each boat only gets one set of sails and they have to last all 14 legs to stay in the race.  Statistically, the boat that is well maintained and suffers least damage will always be in or near the podium positions.  Secondly, Durban was prepared to take tactical risks based on sound weather data.  The fleet split as it approached the Canaries with Durban and Nova Scotia peeling west to avoid the 'wind shadows' of the volcanic islands.  The route was longer but in the end proved far more reliable for wind.  As most of the fleet drifted around in the doldrums, Durban followed Nova Scotia with a good burst of speed, it was sail damage to Nova Scotia that finally enabled them to pass and hold on to first place.

The decision is ultimately the skippers but as good leaders they will undoubtedly have consulted their watch leaders on the pro's and cons of each route.  Team spirit is so important on these boats.  Whilst there will undoubtedly be times when frustration and sleep deprivation can fray the tempers, the overall feeling of achievement will undoubtedly carry the crew through as a well bonded unit.  It's also worth noting that friendships develop across different boats.  At sea there are 10 teams with around 17 crew in each.  In port there is one team of close to 200 sailors and shore support crew.

17th October 2007:  Welcome To The New Site

OK, this is it. After nearly 12 months of careful thought, research and planning, I've finally applied (and been accepted!) to crew in the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10. On Sunday 16 September we were fortunate to witness the start of the 07-08 Clipper Race. 10 identical Dubois 68 foot racing yachts painted in the colours of their sponsoring cities left Liverpool for the start of a 35,000 mile adventure. It was a fantastic sight and an emotional farewell for all the crews as well as the families and friends left behind.

There were thousands of other enthusiastic spectators including some of us who had already signed up for the 09-10 race. This diary aims to document the highs and lows of the next 32 months when I shall be training for a 10 month race around the world and ending in the UK sometime around July 2010.

For those of you unfamiliar with the race, it is the brainchild of Robin Knox-Johnston who completed the first solo non stop circumnavigation of the world and wanted to make ocean racing accessible to everyone irrespective of their background or sailing skills.  So each yacht is skippered by a professional sailor but the rest of the 17 crew are all novices.  Some (like me) have never even stepped on a racing yacht before.