Speaker - Richard Mansbridge - Atlantic Adventure
Tue, Feb 27th 2018 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Richard Mansbridge gave a fascinating insight into ocean yacht racing in a talk to Kilrymont St Andrews Rotary Club.
Richard, who has sailed in many places throughout the world and has taken part the famous Sydney-Hobart race, described how he undertook a new challenge of ocean racing, participating in the ARC event.
The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers is a race from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, to St Lucia in the Caribbean.
Over 200 boats with 1200 sailors from 70 nations took part in the event starting in November. There are two divisions, one for yachts using engines and the other for vessels using only sail wind power.
Some yachts took a direct route while others could go via the Cape Verde Islands.
Richard highlighted the importance of weather systems in ocean racing by trying to avoid low pressure areas of storms and headwinds and the doldrums calm of the Azores High. By heading south, sailors could catch the favourable east to west trade winds.
Richard showed a video of the gathering at Las Palmas where participants could attend various seminars dealing with safety, inspection and advice. Before setting off there was a parade of participants under their national flags.
Richard said he had taken part in many sailing races and regattas but had never experienced an ocean crossing which required much preparation and planning including the logistics of having enough water and food for a yacht's eight crew for 21 days.
The crew of the yacht Richard was on comprised two Italians, two Britons, one American, two Swedes and one sailor from Barbados.
Richard said the experience was thrilling with the yacht on full spinnaker for nine consecutive days.
Highlights for him were fishing from the yacht and two celebrations, St Andrew's Day and the Italian skipper's birthday.
The lowlights were hitting five low pressure weather systems giving five storms of 40 knot winds with cold, wet, miserable conditions. Two crew also suffered from bad sea sickness in the storms with the US sailor struggling with his medication. However he recovered when they headed south away from the poor weather.
Richard's yacht eventually reached St Lucia on December 9 after 19 days and 2165 nautical miles on the Atlantic.
What did Richard learn? ...patience and tolerance, especially with his bunk mate Pepe, who could be somewhat untidy, a noisy snorer, an invader of space and often late for taking over the watch!
Richard's next challenge may be in March 2019, a 3000-mile race from Los Angeles to the French Polynesian Marquesas islands.
Gordon Mackenzie proposed a vote of thanks for an informative and amusing account of a very challenging event.
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