Crew Blog

Groundhog Day

11 March 2008

Colin Boyd helming on Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper

Oh my aching arms! What with grinding winches to tighten ropes, heaving sails on deck for hoisting, pulling ropes to hoist them and grabbing flapping sails to pull them down. Even on dry land each sail needs 3-4 people just to lift it. As one of six new crew members to join Glasgow in Qingdao I knew it would be physically tough, particularly as the remaining crew had been at sea for 6 months already. Despite all our winches the power in the end comes from human muscle.

The watch started well at 5.00am with early dawn beyond the bow on the eastern horizon and a strong west wind pushing us on at 10 knots, with one reef in the main, Yankee 2 (Y2) poled out and the staysail all pulling well. Increasing daylight showed a hole in the Y2, it would have to come down for repair, so heave, heave and heave to get Y3 as the replacement up on deck and ready to hoist. Grab, grab and grab, to get Y2 down, tied and below for repair and then pull, pull and pull, to hoist Y3. A flash of lightning from behind from a very black cloud and in minutes the wind increased to 40 knots and the boat slewed across the wind. Shout, shout, and shout from the Skipper and rapid grind, grind and grind, to put in a second reef and to get Y3 off the pole. Glasgow resumed her course at speed. The squall passed but we had damage to the hanks at the front of Y3, so grab, grab and grab, to get it down, then grind, grind and grind to get reef out of mainsail to keep up our speed. By then Y2 had been patched but was not needed so heave, heave and heave to get it back on deck and folded and put away. Y3 quickly fixed and ready to rehoist so pull, pull and pull, to get it raised.

Down below for breakfast; hot porridge, hot tea and bread and jam and then to a dry bunk at 9.30 am for 3 hours sleep. Someone please pass the Deep Heat!

Colin Boyd

1. Jenny Boyd, Colintraive, Argyll 11 March 2008

Maybe should have spent longer on the rowing machine?!? Everybody in village as addicted to the website as I am. Keep heaving and grinding and grab a 2nd place from New York..

2. Tod Baker, Isle of Wight 11 March 2008

Great to hear from you Lisa keep up the good work, it’s looking great so far. Best Wishes to all on board

3. Chris Goodfellow, Burnham 11 March 2008

Fantastic to see you going fastest and up in the overtaking lane! A vital day or so for you to make your gains and then cash them whilst ahead.
Best wishes and a speedytrip to Hawaii
Chris Goodfellow

4. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 12 March 2008

It must seem like torture at times, but you’re going brilliantly. It’s now about 900 miles until you can have a rest (rest is a euphemism for working on the boat when it isn’t moving so much) ...

Still catching New York, still pulling out a little more distance over Qingdao - it’s looking good for a podium place. Sail safe and fast. Go Glasgow!

5. Janet Bradbury, UK 12 March 2008

Hi Colin,
Great to see you, catch the humbers, deep heat on its way !
jxx

6. alan peters, colintraive 12 March 2008

Well done i do admire your skill and courage!

i keep in touch with jenny on a daily basis as well as the internet.

kind regards

Alan

7. alan peters, colintraive 12 March 2008

Well done we admire your skill and courage!

best wishes

Alan Peters

8. Lorna & Jon Darke, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan 12 March 2008

Well the hard work seems to be paying off - the Black Pearl has covered the most distance in the last 2 12 hour reports and closing in on NY! Keep it up not far to go now - do you want some of the winds we’re experiencing here? You’re more than welcome! Now go get ‘em!
Sail very fast and very safe,
Lorna & Jon

9. John & Bubbles, Coleraine,N Ireland 12 March 2008

Great to hear from you. Holding your position well it won’t be much fun into the wind.
looks like you might get in in time to christen your shamrock on Monday. I take it you will be having your own St Patrick’s Day parade Lisa. Great news about Leanna.
Love from Gillespies

10. Katie Graham, San Francisco, CA 12 March 2008

Imagine my surprise to see my brother at the helm, obviously enjoying a lifetime’s dream. Surfing the Pacific is a far cry from Belfast Lough where we grew up sailing Enterprises. Good Luck Glasgow. Keep up the good work, team! Daffodils and spring blossom beckon you to California. Can’t wait to see you all.
Love Katie.

11. Chris Goodfellow, Burnham 12 March 2008

Back on the wind and you’re looking good upwind of the lot! Well done.

Chris Goodfellow

12. barbara & Jon, aberaeron 13 March 2008

Well done Glasgow, a podium place awaits!! along with some well deserved R + R,

Thinking of you Dafs, and the rest of the crew, keep safe

Barbara & Jon

13. Andrew Hale, Huddersfield, England 13 March 2008

Good picture Colin though exposures a bit out! Needs an expert for better pics I’ll catch the next plane! Didn’t understand a word of the sailing lingo but glad to see they are keeping you busy. Good Luck and keep going! Now doctor about my lumbago........

14. Brian & Dru Draper, Peterborough 13 March 2008

What an anti-climax - here we were willing you on to at least 2nd place - still everyone is safe and well and that’s all that matters. Hopefully you can look forward to a few extra days in Honolulu to get slept up. Keep safe.

15. Emma, China 14 March 2008

Wow what a race so sorry to hear about WA and Durban it must be so disappointing for the whole fleet, but at least no more injuries!! Well done on 3rd, another penant.
I’m now in southern China, away from the big cities its a beautiful place with really friendly people. The trek through Tiger Leaping Gorge was beautiful stopping to enjoy our Yak snacks and I managed to find my view!! My disc is slowly improving but the horse riding up a mountain didn’t help, 2 weeks left and I will finally rest.
Enjoy your time in Hawaii. Good race news, Durban demasting with the newspaper above “off to a cracking start”.

16. Bruce and Jackie Smith, Glasgow 14 March 2008

What a bummer everyone. However if there is a common latent defect it would be irresponsible to continue using the rigs in case someone got hurt next time one crashed.

Let’s hope the problem can be identified and sorted easily and quickly to let you all get back on with the race on time.

Too bad Glasgow, you were creeping up the line towards second and maybe......?

Just do that in the next legs OK?

17. Lorna & Jon Darke, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan 14 March 2008

Hannah and crew of the Black Pearl, Well - not a lot anyone can say - just pleased that everyone is safe and OK. That’s the last 2 races finishing early and we were sure you were going to get at least a 2nd on this one but sure the Race Committee called it right - safety first and all that. Bet all the skippers will be going over their masts with a fine tooth comb! Hope WA and Durban can get repairs done in time for the next race which will hopefully be all about racing and not damages!
In the meantime enjoy a more relaxed sail to Honolulu and when you get there, rest, relax and be ready to be ‘up and at ‘em’ for the next race.
Best wishes to you all,
Lorna & Jon

18. Chris Goodfellow, Burnham 14 March 2008

The web site has you all finished at 6am yesteday but nothing about stopping the race. Can’t work out how you did the 600 miles or so to Honolulu in one time schedule of 12 hrs at most. Perhaps you should rename as Flying Scots! Hate to think of all the others new names !
Good luck if you are still racing , another place or two now tacking upwind will make a big difference overall.

Regards

Chris G

The race was called at 0600 GMT on 13 March by the Race Committee accroding to the Clipper Sailing Insturctions. Please read the Race News about Durban 2010 and Beyond’s dismasting and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s blog which will give you an explanation.
The Clipper Race Team

19. a/e staff, rothesay 19 March 2008

Hi Colin, this is from all your girls at a/e, rothesay, we are all following your progress.
We like the photo at the helm,very impressive but we are waiting for the ones of you when you arrive in hawaii!!.
dont worry we will get a good stock of deep heat in for your return.
bye for now, keep up the good work, all casualty staff.

Page 1 of 1 pages