Just spent a windy week on Mardy Gras at Dartmouth Royal Regatta, helping a friend celebrate a 'significant birthday' with some former crewmates, under the name "X-Pistols". Through fair weather and foul we managed a creditable 10th out of 19 in the IRC 3 class, even with me scrambling around amongst the winches. Huge thanks for the extremely generous hospitality (Fingals is well worth a visit), patient child-minding and tutelage in all things nautical, including:
While I enjoyed the experience immensely, I confess that it's a bit of a challenge getting this post written with only a keyboard to steady the constant swaying of everything around me.
And it's somewhat of a relief to return to the ordinary usage of 'sheet', 'guy', 'kicker', 'winch', 'car', 'tack', 'gibe', 'kite', 'rail', 'head', 'boom', 'pole', 'header', 'knock', 'tail' and, last but by no means least, 'grind'.
Fortunately, I did not have to learn first hand the alternate meaning of either 'broach' or the dreaded 'Chinese gibe', which I'm assured is far worse than a taunt from a gentleman of the Far East.
And it's somewhat of a relief to return to the ordinary usage of 'sheet', 'guy', 'kicker', 'winch', 'car', 'tack', 'gibe', 'kite', 'rail', 'head', 'boom', 'pole', 'header', 'knock', 'tail' and, last but by no means least, 'grind'.
Fortunately, I did not have to learn first hand the alternate meaning of either 'broach' or the dreaded 'Chinese gibe', which I'm assured is far worse than a taunt from a gentleman of the Far East.
3 comments:
The Chinese gybe came a lot closer than any of us would have liked! Alright for a regular race crew - but could have been hairy for our scratch team of experienced and less experienced hands. Other key learnings - Dartmouth pasties are better than any in London, minimum 1.5 each per day required; make sure you have beer on board for post-racing relaxation; ensure boat charter company does actually provide the spinnaker it contracted to deliver; and be prepared for the 'our problem is now your problem' approach to customer service (i.e. like it or lump it, dear customer).
Fingals a top spot for family relaxation - absolutely charming, eccentric and fun.
Yes, significant birthdays can be overcome in style!
Likewise, just spent a pleasant couple of weeks dealing with jibes and some great tubes coming off the back of hurricane Bill - if only money terminology was as simple! : )
How's the training coming along? My Doom bar capacity certainly has improved - it seemed appropriate having sailed over it.
@Anonymous - I love the 'key learnings', acquiring pasties and beer each morning was no easy feat.
@Bruce - The training took quite a knock from all the said pasties and beer and I'm sickened that the Rower's Revenge is now only a month away. I'm hoping that some hard work this week and next will see me back on track...
Post a Comment