There are times when things have to be said and if no one else is prepared to say them, I will and yes I am fully aware that some people are not going to be happy but that just too damn bad. Let me start by saying that I am a fan of the Volvo Ocean Race (even though some would beg to differ). I
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The Dutch yacht Team Brunel has won an exciting and very tense Leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race. They crossed the finish line off Itajaí, Brazil at 14:57 UTC
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| RIP John Fisher |
Earlier this week a sailor in the Volvo Ocean race was lost at sea. The following story has been issued on behalf of Team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag
On March 26, 2018, Team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag lost John Fisher overboard in the Southern Ocean, approximately 1,400 nautical miles west of Cape Horn.
Despite conducting an exhaustive search in gale force conditions, he has not been recovered.
“This is the worst situation you can imagine happening to your team,” said SHK/Scallywag Team Manager Tim Newton, who has spoken with skipper David Witt and navigator Libby Greenhalgh
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I will deal with the pleasantries first then get into the meat of the matter. I wish to extend my condolences to the family and friends of John Fisher, the crewmember who was tragically lost overboard from Team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag in the Volvo Ocean Race. It was first light on board Monday morning as the boat was romping downwind in very fresh conditions ...
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Sometimes it feels as if the world has gone mad and no this time I am not referring to the absurd political machinations going on in the US. I am taking about a much smaller world; the sailing world. I read online that so far it has cost
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I know that I often use my blogs to rant and rail and I get quite a bit of flack for it so today I am going to write something very different. I am going to use this space to bring to your attention an inspiring story and I hope that you will dig into it a little deeper and see what you can
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| The late great Sir Peter Blake |
OK, I am already bracing for the assassins bullet, but this topic has to be broached. I belong to a number of Facebook groups that are all about sailing and living aboard and going cruising; you get the picture. Lately there has been an ongoing thread on many of the sites and they raise what I guess is a
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| Close racing between AkzoNobel and Scallyway as they approach the finish – pic credit Volvo Ocean Race |
Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race was one of snakes and ladders and it all came down to a nail-biting finish in the dead of night in Auckland, New Zealand. Despite the ungodly hour the City of Sails, as Auckland bills itself, was out in force to greet the sailors and to cheer on leg winner AkzoNobel. It’s the first leg win for the Dutch team and well deserved. They fought off not only Team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag ...
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| Suhaili |
I read online that there is a push afoot to raise money to get Fazisi restored and back out sailing after being wrecked in the recent hurricanes, and I fully support that effort. Fazisi was the first, and by happenstance, last entry from the Soviet Union to race in the Whitbread Round the World Race. I think that the old girl is a bit like a cat with nine lives and still has a few left so let’s hope for a good outcome. At the other end of the spectrum is a similar effort to get Suhaili, the
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| Mapfre and Dongfeng drifting |
One might think that Life At The Extreme has become life at the extremely boring as the six yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race claw their way ever so slowly toward New Zealand. While the pace has been a little slow, the racing has actually been quite interesting. There have been plenty of lead changes and one has to wonder if it’s tactical brilliance on the part of the leaders, or just luck of the draw. Having sailed many miles in light conditions myself I think that it’s mostly luck of the draw.
According to experts ...
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