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last update 31/7/08
7/2008 - last update 31/7/08
More on the Feeling 55
The Owner of Rum Truffle has made his mind up over which boat to buy. The Feeling 55 came out on top (even though the original test sail did not go as well as originally hoped) and this month I was asked to go with him back to Les Sables d'Olonne (home of the Vendee Globe single handed yacht race around the world) to look at his boat in production (hull No.3), to assist him and his family on hull No.1,( which he was being loaned while all the French took their annual holidays), and to bring the boat up to England for the Southampton Boat Show.
Now that I have had more of a chance to sail the boat, I can give a better verdict on her. I originally complained about the hydraulic streering on the boat, and with more time this did not become such an issue but if you do lose concentration (say, playing with chart plotters), then the boat will wander without any indication from the helm. I am a total advocate of the sail plan on this model (we had fully battened in-boom furling main sail, self tacking Solent jib and a big furling gennaker on the retractable bow sprit) - for cruising it is great - the Solent gives excellent performance to wind and does not disturb the crew when short tacking. Come off the wind more and release the gennaker and she shows her true potential.
In 15ks of wind we were doing 6-7ks through the water at 40' off the wind - come another 20' off the wind with the gennaker and we were making 9-10ks
7/2008
The INTEL Regatta. Hired by Intel to capture the event for those that took part. Rick Tomlinson and I took to the water again. As in the previous year, Intel host this event to bring together an abundance of corporate computer companies to race each other on the high seas (well - southampton water and the Solent). Each company had their own SunSail 37' and the fleet was bigger this year, with 32 boats in total, all competing on the same level even though most had never sailed before
6/2008
Two day charter on the 30' rib for Volvo Cars, acting as press and support boat for the six J80's and the TP52 that they had going around the Isle of Wight on the JP Morgan Round the Island Race. This year had to be one of the most eventful Round the Island races of the last couple of years!
Force 5-6's and wind over tide around St Catherine's point made it very busy for the coast guards and all the competitors, as there were lots of mayday calls and a lot of people helping each other out (if there is one time to fall overboard then do it when there are 1,500 other boats around). We did our bit by removing some guests from a J80 (after a knock down and sea sickness) and helping to relocate someone who had gone overboard from one boat and been picked up by another.
Mark LLoyd (lloydimages.com) was the stills photographer on board for the day and there was also video being shot. Mark ended up with 4/5 shots in the national Sunday papers (Telegraph and the Times), inc. full centre spread in the Daily Mail.
6/2008
Skipper of Azimut 42' for mamarine.com for the start of the Round Britain Power Boat Race that started off Portsmouth. The pic is of the start of the first group to go, we followed them for a bit, but even at 30kts they were soon out of sight. We carried on and let the next wave over take us at the Needles, then in to Yarmouth for a spot of lunch at Saltys restaurant.
6/2008
Skipper 30' rib to pick up guests at Cowes and take them to dinner up the Beaulieu River at the hotel The Master Builders.
6/2008
Skipper for photo shoot of the KUEHNE +NAGEL regatta, Rick as always was behind the lens. 10 Beneteau 40.7's were out on the water for what turned out to be a series of four races that day. Companies likeVirgin Cargo, British Airways Cargo and a host of other freight and shipping companies took to the water to pit their wits against each other.
5/2008
Skipper for Rick Tomlinson on his 30' rib (as seen on my banner). This time we were out for the Sweden Yacht regatta in Cowes I.O.W. Over twenty yachts took to the water and all got snapped! With a presentation that evening (by Rick) they all got Schnapped again!!!
04/2008
Test sail on New Moody 45' with owner of Rum Truffle. Then on to France to test sail the new Feeling 55'. The pictures are in Yachting World. I had the chance to helm both boats and for the type of boats they are, I was very pleased with the performance they both achieved. The only let down for me was the hydraulic steering on the Feeling - there was no feedback and it was not very responsive, but this was hull No.1
03/2008 - Start of new Management on Moody 44' "Rum Truffle".
02/2008 - Skipper of 23 metre Princess from Torquay to Southampton, and then on to a ship for Croatia.
1-2/2008 - Skipper of Princesses 3x P58', P62' and P54' from Plymouth to Southampton, then on to a ship for Croatia.
01/2008 - Crewed on Nordhavn 47' for "Nordhavn UK" from Southampton to Rotterdam
01/2008 - Skipper of Princess V70' Hamble to Southampton docks and then loaded on to a ship for Croatia.
12/2007 - Skipper Princess V58' from Plymouth to Southampton, then on to a ship for Croatia.
09/2007 - Southampton Boat Show for Charles Watson Marine, maintenance and sales of Contest and Wauquiez Yachts.
08/2007 - Skipper Azimut 42' for MA Marine, as private launch for heads of P1, Cowes power boat racing
08/2007 - Skipper Azimut 42' for MA Marine, chase boat for Alfa Romeo on the start of the Fastnet Race.
08/2007 - Skipper Najad 30' rib for Cowes Week media team with Rick Tomlinson.
07/2007 - Skipper Najad 30' rib for INTEL regatta photo shoot with Rick Tomlinson.
06/2007 - Crewed on 23 metre Princess "Phoebe", Southampton to the Med (Best trip I have ever done!! (so far!)).
06/2007 - Skipper Najad 30' "Truant" for the Round the Island Race, photo and support boat for Volvo UK
Winter/2006 - Mini refit on management boat "Matterhorn", change all inlet and outlet toilet housing, remove rig, new forestay wire, replace diagonals, renew deck chain plates and inner stay deck fitting, remove and have serviced all hydraulic systems.
09/2006 - Southampton Boat Show with Charles Watson Marine, maintenance and sales of Contest and Wauquiez yachts.
08/2006 - Skipper Azimut 42' for MA Marine at the P1 power boat race weekend.
2006 - Management of Contest 48' "Gallo" was started
08/2006 - Skipper Najad 30' rib BMW regatta race, photo shoot with Rick Tomlinson.
06/2006 - Skipper Najad 30' rib for the Round The Island Race for the Isle of Wight school projects, Photo and support boat.
5-6/2006 - Skipper Najad 30' for the British leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, Working for Sony Ericsson inc. in port races and restart.
2005 - Management of Mystic 60' "Matterhorn" was started.
05/2005 - Skipper Najad 30' rib round the Island Race for the Isle of Wight school projects, photo and support boat, with Rick Tomlinson.
05/2004 - Skippered Azimut 42' for IDEC as chase boat for the Round the Island Race (this is the boat that Francis Joyon ran onto the rocks - he then went on to build a 97' trimaran and broke Ellen's record by two weeks sailing around the world in 2008).
2004 - Started to skipper Azimut 42' "Zoe Due" Solent charter boat for MA Marine.com
2003 to 2006 - Skipper/Managed Azimut 46' Solent charter boat "Carouse", set up the boat from new inc. coding to linen.
04/2003 - Skippered a Broom 45' from Lymington to Shepperton London, third time up the Thames, first as skipper.
2002 to 2003 - Worked and raced on two 8 metre classic yachts "Siris" and "Amel Veta"
08/2002 - Skippered BMB 34' "Carouse" from Hamble to Southern Ireland and back again
06/2002 - Shoot Co-ordinator for Rick Tomlinson in Dubai
09/2001 - Skipper Najad 30' rib "Truant" for the start of the Volvo Ocean Race, main press boat and only boat in the cordon area for the start, followed the boat to mid channel with TV and stills photographers on board
08/2001 - Skipper Najad 30' rib "Truant" as photo chase boat for Rolex Fastnet Race, followed from the Solent to Plymouth and then met them on the way back at the Scilly Isles
08/2001 - Skipper Najad 30' rib "Truant" at Cowes Week for United Airlines, support boat and media team
07/2001 - Skipper Najad 30' rib "Truant" for the Classic Jubilee Regatta Cowes. (Photos to come later!)
09/2000 - Skipper Najad 30' rib "Truant" Hamble to Dartmouth for photo shoot with Team Philips (Pete Goss's giant cat that broke up just after this on test sail) for Rick Tomlinson. Was able to go on board this awesome boat!!
08/2000 - Skipper Najad 30' rib "Truant" at Cowes Week for United Airlines, support and chase boat, media team
2000 to 2002 - First Mate on Princess 51' "Geoco" Solent charter boat
1998 to 2000 - Worked for "Northwoods" merchant navy dredging aggregates.
10/1997 - Skipper with owner Princess 48' "Geoco" Kinsale to Plymouth.
1997 - First mate on Princess 48' "Geoco" Solent charter boat
09/1997 - First Mate on "P.K.Boo" 87' Cutter sailing vessel Southampton to Monaco.
Winter /1997 - Refit on P.K.Boo with Roger Pimm Yacht Management
08/1997 - Skippered Nicholson 50' "Navy Blue III" Dartmouth to Hamble.
09/1996 - Skippered Beneteau 45' "Sound Decision" Torquay to Lymington.
08/1996 - Skippered first sailing boat a Westerly 35' "Southern Spirit" Eastbourne to Hamble.
1995 - Gained Day Skippers and Yachtmaster Offshore sailing vessel with commercial endorsement.
1994 - through to 1998 - worked for Roger Pimm Yacht Management.
1993 - Crewed on "Nirvana" 75' Maxi sailing yacht, joined the boat in Newport Rhode Island where she was based in the
summer, with regular trips to Boston. For the winter we delivered the boat to Fort Lauderdale via New York, Chesapeake and Delaware.
1992 - Crewed on "Athena" 80' Maxi sailing boat, ex NCB Ireland round the world yacht, delivered the boat from the UK to Greece. We lost the rig in the bay of Biscay and had to put into La Rochelle to wait for a new one!
1990 - Winter to 1992 - spring worked for Roger Pimm yacht management, looking after a variety of vessels.
1990 - Crewed on "Shere Kahn" 70' sailing boat, summer season.
1990 - Crewed on MY "Ile Fladente" a 130' motor boat (mainly day work in Palma)
1989 - Winter - Crewed on "Maid of Unst II" 44' Swan sailing boat. Transatlantic crossing from Cherbourg to Antigua encountering three force 10 gales on the way!!
1989 - Crewed on MY "Blue Chip Star" a 98' motor boat chartering in the Med for one season (employed by the same owners and the same skipper as Karlmasse).
1988 - Crewed on MY "Karlmasse" a 68' motor boat chartering in the Med for one season.