Yachting World - July 2018

SUPERSAIL WORLD 33 APRIL-JUNE 2018

possible. Ian Budgen was calling tactics alongside Nacho

Postigo navigating; fellow veteran pros Richard Bicknell and

Jon Gundy were trimming, and Mo Gray was crew boss. Being

slightly late for the start after mistiming our final gybe on the

first day, was perhaps the only small error I could pick up in an

otherwise impressively sailed and crewed race.

We were then quickly up to upwind target speeds, making

10.2-10.5 knots at 40º to the true wind, hunting down the

pirate boat ahead (Danneskjold, with skull and crossbones

sails). Big gains were made short-tacking up the eastern

side of the island, while we rail fodder looked down at the

rocks that seemed perilously close through the clear water

below. Our wily navigator Postigo later told me that Farfalla’s

comparatively shallow draught of 4m allowed him to shave

some corners off the course. Gulp!

The asymmetric was hoisted while rounding the north-

eastern end of the island and we ramped up a gear, making

14 in 18 knots. ‘Hoppy’, a larger than life mate of the owner,

had drilled Sir Clive Woodward’s ‘T-CUP’ (think clearly under

pressure) mantra into the crew during training. It was working.

As we approached the turning mark off St Jean, crew boss Mo

explained the next procedure clearly and concisely. Normally

this would involve a military-like command of "kiwi drop" and

all aboard would be expected to know the routine. But when

you have a mix of pros, regular crew and owner’s guests, it

pays to spell things out: “In five minutes, we’re going to go jib

up, and gybe round the mark. The jib will come across, so stay

low on the foredeck, let the kite come across into the jib then

pull it down making sure to keep it out of the rig.”

In fact, the kite did snag a spreader, but it was dealt with

post-haste while all spare hands were buried under the acres

of nylon. Just four minutes later, we had re-led the tapes,

zipped it up and re-hoisted the A2 for the run down to the

bottom rock/mark.

A mix of intelligent VMG sailing and taking the shortest

course meant that we had gained on all boats in our class,

except Spiip, by the bottom mark. The jib was hoisted, the

asymmetric dropped under the boom – the benefit of a large

guest cockpit – and the chase was on upwind.

This was Bucket racing gold. Spiip, the 34m (111ft) Frers/

Royal Huisman, reigning Bucket champ and the last of our

class left to reel in, was 300m ahead. Could we get them on

the final leg? Everyone was pumped.

Spiip is sailed very well, and with distinguished North

‘ When you have a

mix of crew and

owner’s guests,

it pays to spell

things out’

Cory Silken

Pantaenius - michaelkurtzphoto

Carlo Borlenghi