mattacme's January 23, 2012 blog

mattacme Blogs once every so often and does not mind PMs

I’m private

MAIN

Monday blog

JANUARY 23, 2012 @ 09:46 PM

On the evening of November 18th last year I arrived in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, a Spanish island off the coast of West Africa. I had traveled from California to Boston, where I met a friend I have known since grade school, Ron, and the two of us boarded a flight to Las Palmas with a layover in Madrid. The purpose of our trip was to meet up with another grade school friend, Blake, and his brother Tony aboard his 83 foot yacht in order to serve as crew during the 2011 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC). The ARC has been running annually for over 20 years from Las Palmas to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia and has proven very popular, as such events go. There were over 210 entries this year. As with most sail races there are classes for each general type of vessel. Our ship, Mustang, fit into the open category. At 65 tons and 83 feet we were by no means the largest and fastest boat in the open class and Mustang's only previous attempt, in 2006 (different owner and crew) resulted in her dismasting half way across. Despite some very stiff competition we prepared to make the best showing possible while enjoying a true gentleman's race, which is sailed entirely with the wind.

I will spare you the minutiae and post pictures with little descriptions of what is pictured, if needed. Otherwise, enjoy.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Me, Ron and Richard in Mustang's cockpit, 11/19.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Mustang from across the marina.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Our neighbor in Las Palmas to port.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

The Captain had a local artist paint this on the wall aft at the Marina.

Under way...

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Me getting the ships cannon ready for firing as we cross the line.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Dolphins, and these are little ones. About mid way across during a watch on an overcast night we heard a splash and whoosh to port and knew that it was dolphins coming up for a breath and a look at us. Intensely curious, dolphins are always checking out boats. This night we were treated to a phosphorescence light show. I went forward to the bow pulpit and hung out over the water as perhaps a dozen large dolphins swam left and right and among each other just under and ahead of the bow, with an occasional silhouette of one of them breaching the surface, followed by the abundant phosphorescence caused by their re-entry into the water. Pure magic and one of the most incredibly beautiful things I have ever seen.

Back to the passage. A sail arrangement you probably have never seen...

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Wing on wing on wing, The main, an inner fore sail and the outer fore sail, all flying at the same time, one spilling into the next spilling into the last. Very efficient and much safer than flying a purely downwind sail (spinnaker, tri-radial, etc.).

General shots...

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

We arrived in St. Lucia on December 5th at 07:30 local time, 13 days and 23 hours after leaving Las Palmas, a very respectable time. Our finish place was 4th in the open class and 24th overall, a fine finish. No one who came in ahead of us belonged behind us and many who came after us ought to have finished ahead.
This is White Knight, a fast Swan sailed by two really cool young Italian gentlemen who were great fun to hang out with.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

I'll end this with a shot of yours truly at the starboard main winch and Mustang at rest on the west coast of St. Lucia.

PAGE:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

kas

Sacramento, CA

July 2004

JAN 23, 2012 10:34 PM

looks amazing!

Volkov

San Antonio, TX

OLD SKOOL

JAN 23, 2012 10:40 PM

damn, sir. that looks like a great adventure. The ocean has always both piqued my curiosity and scared the hell out of me.
Congratulations on a damn fine run and having a good time at it as well.

Mr_Matt_

Pompano Beach, FL

July 2005

JAN 24, 2012 04:03 AM

I'm so glad for you. What an excellent trip. A few notes:

First picture: Use coasters on that wood!

The ship's cannon is a great touch.

That sail configuration is intriguing. I would love to learn to sail a yacht like that.

You gotta love dolphins. They are like the happy dogs of the sea. There's a ton of them around Florida, and I get to cruise with them quite often.

And I'm 90% sure I've seen the White Knight in Fort Lauderdale. I have a habit of constantly looking at boat names, since I never know when I'll be hunting said boat. She's also a beaut.

Congrats again.

StCyr

Louisville, KY

March 2007

JAN 24, 2012 05:14 AM

looks like a magnificent time
& congratulations on the fine finish.

bete_noir

Lesotho

April 2007

JAN 24, 2012 05:22 AM

Damn...... I want to be you when I grow up!
What an exceptional thing to do...... and great finish..... (I'd have capsized in the bath tub before leaving home!)

SourSkittles

HOPEFUL

Nephi, UT

JAN 24, 2012 09:54 AM

That looks simply amazing! Capitvating! Fun!

IDGAS

Jackson Heights, NY

March 2004

JAN 24, 2012 01:25 PM

Very very cool. Very jealous. Very very jealous!

Was that a tuna in the fellow's hand?

rcrx

Washington, DC

October 2009

JAN 24, 2012 03:36 PM

I cannot begin to express how envious I am. Well done on the finish too! Now to check my gear in preparation for frostbiting the dinghies (FJs) this weekend.

velvet_petal

I'm lost

November 2006

JAN 24, 2012 04:33 PM

Look at the big boys with their big toys! Pretty damned nice. Thanks for sharing the adventure. Your cannon may be tiny but it has a big bang.

Major jet lag and brain death here on my end.

Greaser

New Orleans, LA

July 2006

JAN 24, 2012 08:58 PM

That looks like such an amazing adventure! I'm jealous. I've always wanted to learn to sail, but all my experience on the water so far is only with power boats.

Sivart

Saskatoon, SK

June 2004

JAN 25, 2012 08:00 AM

makes me wish i'd actually figured sailing out. i tried once-upon-a-time, but never stuck with it.

ferkixllL

USA

June 2008

JAN 25, 2012 05:06 PM

Need less to say a great time was had by All.
When the tack is right those wings must pour on some speed.
Thank you for posting.the race.

lectorvyal

Australia

May 2006

JAN 25, 2012 07:38 PM

half liter bottles are good, but i find cider is so easy to drink they go so fast... especially the hot weather we are having here at the moment, but the price for it is horrific here

BeezaDave

Australia

April 2010

JAN 26, 2012 02:33 AM

Mate that is the best travelogue blog ever!! Thanks for posting it, you have delivered 'in spades'!

velvet_petal

I'm lost

November 2006

JAN 27, 2012 08:24 AM

It was heartening. I've also been enjoying the many hours saved by not having to call agencies to cancel things too.

FEBRUARY 2012

JANUARY 2012

DECEMBER 2011

NOVEMBER 2011