Courtesy Editor of
the Day – Catherine Blake
They say that preparation is everything but, for Tom
and Colette, the last few months (and years) of hard labour must have seemed
worth it when the sea trials started on Saturday, 16th July 2006,
under the watchful eye of Jon Williams (sea/navigation guru), Prim Teaze of
Leith left Hamble-le-Rice looking a class apart.
As the sails unfurled in Southampton Water (ain’t
hydraulic winches the biz!), she caught the wind. Every delay and every
minute of waiting for this moment was worth it. We cut effortlessly through the
waves, twisting and turning, (not a helmsman error, but Tom trying her out to
the limits) to the admiring glances of other vessels. She handled
like a dream (I know because I was at the helm for all of 60 minutes and didn’t
crash…not even once). State of the art is an understatement.
With every gadget known on board, Tom has his bedtime reading for the duration
of the journey. But when all is said and done, journeys are nothing
without friends and good company and there is an abundance of that on board.
T&C – safe and happy journeys……..
Catherine xx
