Monthly Archives: July 2017

Adventures at Sea

RORC Channel Race 2017 – Cruising or Racing?

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So, here I am, exhausted after the RORC Channel Race. Soaked through after a 2 day battle against the British summer weather and the English Channel.

I was aboard a sailing yacht, competing in the Open 40 Class. The biggest of the classes, with approx. 40 boats. Our boat is a 38ft Sigma. A classic cruiser/racer, she was luxurious by my standards. I had my own cabin (‘hot bedding’ between watches), running water, a table in the saloon, a toilet which accepts paper and has a seat (!) and various other ‘luxuries’. As soon as I started exploring her, I realised this would be a different kind of racing for me.

Our boat was luxurious by my standards

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Adventures at Sea, Learning and Training, The Clipper Race

Level 4 Clipper Race Training – Exhilarating & Exhausting

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Level 4 Clipper Race Training is the last of the 4 weeks of training that Clipper provide ahead of the biennial Round the World yacht race. And it is known to be incredibly tough. Offshore for 7 days, sailing round the clock in watches, honing ‘drills and skills’, the week also includes a cross channel drag race against the rest of the Clipper Race fleet. I’ve just completed my Level 4 Clipper Race training, and it certainly lived up to its reputation. Here I’m going to blog about one of the most tiring, exhilarating, intense, exciting, and downright exhausting weeks of my life. I’ll warn you now, you may want to grab a cuppa – I hope you enjoy the read.

The team…

Crew mates on-board CV22

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Learning and Training, The Clipper Race

Clipper Training – Level 3 Video

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I’ve already posted about my infamous level 3 Clipper Race training week, which included a few disasters such as a fuel shut off incident in the main Portsmouth Harbour channel, running aground, a crash (resulting in a hole in the hull!), but above anything else, excellent team bonding and team work!

So I thought I’d share a fantastic video which was made by a production company who were on a try out for the RTW (credit: Maeva Bardy). I hope it gives you a flavour of the training side, and uplifting mood that we had on board despite the dramas!

CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE – A TRAINING DAY IN GOSPORT from Maéva BARDY on Vimeo.

If you want to experience the excitement of race start, the Clipper Race is starting on 20th August with a line slipping ceremony at 9.15am, and a starting gun firing at 12.30pm at Albert Dock in Liverpool.