Prize giving

Prize giving last night on the top deck of the Yacht Club. Enjoying the view of La Trinite, plenty of fine wine and the usual JOG hospitality.

We are now set for the next leg across the Bay of Biscay. Forecast fresh and favourable winds should make this a quick crossing.

Sail fast, sail safe.......

Winner of the "Wooden Bung" Award

I have declared myself the winner of a new award - the "Wooden Bung". Let me explain. As we left Hamble the instruments showed 0.0 knots boat speed. Nothing unusual after a couple of weeks in the marina as weed can build up around the impeller. A routine I have followed many times. Extract the impeller from the hull, and quickly before too much water floods in, insert the blank which is conveniently tied nearby. Clean the impeller and replace. Only this time, as water flooded in the blank was too small to plug the leak! Rather than abandon ship a quick dash to the spare wooden plugs provided a temporary solution whilst cleaning the impeller. But on relocating the impeller it would only sit slightly off centre. As a result, the entire race was done with different boat speeds on opposite tacks, negating the time and effort spent setting up all the systems. Determined to fix the problem in La Trinite I discover my error - the impeller sits inside a large adaptor, and it was the later that I had removed - Doh! Hence I really do think I deserve the "Wooden Bung" Award.

Feeling the pressure?

Since the very start of the race Trevor & I have run a rigid watch system. Starting at 6am we do three watches of four hours and from 6pm four watches of three hours. Designed to strike a balance between time in bed and on deck at night, whilst allowing a longer lie in during daylight hours. It's a routine that seems to be working well. Although I was somewhat confused when, half way through my watch, Trevor pokes his weary face out the hatch declaring that it had gone 10 already. A quick glance at the plotter confirmed that the GPS thought it was only 08:25. A second look at Trevor's watch confirmed that it was indeed 1005, millibars that is. "Feeling the pressure, Trev?"

Rounding Ushant

Hot on the heels of Jbellino, we are the second boat to around Ushant, and therefore first in IRC Class 4. A great surprise and quite motivating. I think it would be fair say we are quite weary after the first 36 hours. With smoother seas and lighter winds we are both now managing to get some sleep. Meal routines have not settled down, but a bucket of flapjack on deck is helping morale, even if it looks like we will be beating all the way to La Trinite!

Radio Silence

Have just spoken to Richard via Satellite phone, he is unable to upload or download any data and is therefore unable to blog or post on Facebook.  They are doing fine, actually they are doing really well, currently 1st overall and 1st in class 4 and the Double-handed race.

Their great rival Jbellino is ahead of them, but has a higher handicap and is leading in Class 3 - hence the crown on the Tracker picture.  Its been a windy night, with a lumpy bumpy sea, but the wind should lessen this evening and the ride should be smoother once they round Ushant.

And they're off!

Photo taken by the other Co-skipper Jeremy Waitt just before the start this afternoon.

You can follow them 'live' on the Tracker at www.jog.org.uk and click on BNY Mellon, launch Tracker.  Jangada-Too is currently lying in second place in Class 4 and also second in IRC Overall.

Keep it up boys!

JOG race to Cascais

On Friday 14th June Trevor & I will be starting a new adventure on Jangada Too, in the BNY Mellon Challenge, a JOG race from Cowes to Cascais.  The first leg over 330nm takes us around Ushant and along the Brittany coast to La Trinite-sur-Mer.  The second leg, starting on 19th June, over 645nm takes us across the Bay of Biscay, around Cape Finisterre and along the spectacular Spanish and Portugese coastline to Cascais.  You will be able to track the race at http://www.jog.org.uk.