ARC 2010

Well, at long last the day of departure is near.  We hope to depart Lymington on Wednesday 18^th weather permitting.  The adventure has been a long time in the planning and preparation.  The boat, a Moody S38, has had many presents during the last few months but the odd thing is that you are not aware of most of them!  New rigging, sails, a watermaker, hydrovane (aka ‘Harry Vane’), resiting of autopilot (aka George Pilot), servicing all equipment, new ocean liferaft, solar panels, leecloths, bimini, satellite phone, SSB radio, new seacocks, and endless chandlery. 

The crew will be brother Anthony the whole way.  Anthony opened his mouth on two occasions when commenting on my efforts to get ready.  The first time resulted in his appointment as Radio Shack in charge of all communications.  The second time resulted in his appointment as Galley Chief.  I am quite happy never to go to either of those places!  Anthony has not spoken since but I am sure will carry out his Midshipman duties par excellence and we may even allow him on deck on Sundays.  Joining us for the first leg to La Coruna will be Robert Scriven.  MD of his own business he is a self confessed expert on navigation and medical matters.   Robert has prepared the passage plan so we are running a competition to guess where we end up!  The fourth member of the crew on our first leg is cool young dude, Tom.  He is about to join the Army and is going to Sandhurst in September.  Mr Muscledude will be our foredeck man.  We will allow him back to the cockpit for watering and feed.

The plan is to sail to the Canaries at this time of the year when allegedly The Bay of Biscay suffers the fewest gales!  We head for La Coruna first where Robert and Tom jump ship, if they have not already done so, and son Mark and neighbour Simon join us for the second leg to Lagos on the Algarve.  More about them later when we see the cut of their jibs.  In Lagos Mark and Simon’s passes run out and they head for home and Co-Director James joins us then for the trip to Las Palmas.  With only three crew James will have a lot to do bringing skipper his G & T’s on the sundeck.

Harry Vane and George Pilot make up the crew to six.  Harry and George do not eat, drink or whinge and they are available 24/7.  Perfect.

Once in Las Palmas we all return home and new crew return in November to prepare for the Race to St Lucia starting on November 21^st.

Next posting will be after we have left Lymington, hopefully on Wednesday.