Mike Golding Yacht Racing

12:00am; Thursday October 27, 2011.

End of the day.  A long day, lots of standing, walking, carrying was done today.  More than I ever expected to prepare a boat for launch across the Atlantic (although I really had no idea).  The crew tells me that the busy part begins in two days from now….

I did learn how to chart a route on a weather map today.  Grew up understanding weather was bad and good for different reasons.  Too much rain means erosion, too little rain means drought.  Rain on the water on the other hand does not really mean much, but the wind that commonly joins it…is big news. I spent some time with Mike the skipper and he showed me how he downloads weather data points to decide how to set his sails and pass around or through a storm.  And, the actual weather data reviewed is putting some caution in the sails of the Gamesa team and others, as a weather system could delay the start of the race.

Also, being a novice to sailing I would have guessed there were 3 or 4 sails, all similar to each other and only used in the event one rips, or is damaged.  Wrong.  I believe he said 9 different sail configurations are possible, all with specific wind parameters to get the boat moving.  Quite like the variable pitch of our wind turbines I guess; low wind, maximum blade/sail angle; high wind, minimum blade/sail angle.  And, considering the weather we reviewed, the crew did a double check of the storm sail…just to be safe.

I am surprised every day how this sailboat is technologically similar to a wind turbine.  Although sailing has a few hundred years experience on wind turbine technology like Gamesa has, its oddly simple…use the wind to move the boat.

11:30pm 28/10/2011.

Today….well….began with a quick lesson on what it feels like to do 50 miles per hour in a RIB support vessel.  Tim, one of the MGYR crew members needed some help in offloading the small boat into the harbor, and then invited us for a ride into the English Channel.  The point of the ride was much more than what I thought…it was the physical experience of what it will be like for Mike and Bruno to travel across the open ocean at about the same speed on a boat that is much bigger, and at the mercy of the wind.  It was thrilling.  We have been helping the crew pack food, check sails, check ropes, hoists, and more….this quick ride showed me a glimpse of the expertise these team members must have to help their skippers succeed safely.

I also found a bit of reading material….something called The Skippers guide to onboard emergencies if I recall right.  Of course, It covered first aid, CPR, hypothermia…all the things we see on TV.  But, I had no clue that such importance would be placed on what I thought would be a minor issues.  An example: Skipper Depression.  I never thought that on a long journey, one of the most difficult things to deal with is one’s mental state from being away from every day things, a sleep rotation of 18 average minutes, and nothing but water for miles.  The solution on board Gamesa for Mike….simple, chocolate.  Lots of different types.  I completely agree with his solution by the way.

Last thought of the day, I do not how I would feel, if I was unable to eat fresh food for 18 days.  Vegetables, fruit, and breads….the things we all love and cherish.  Yet, on Sunday, Mike and Bruno estimate 18 days for this race.  In perspective, 18 days without fresh food is essentially pre-season practice, as the around the world race Mike Golding is entered in next year will last up to 90 days.