Jonathan Crinion Ocean Racing

Jonathan Crinion and one of the world's leading Naval Architecture firms; that of Owen Clark Design LLP have together designed and developed a superb racing machine to the new Class 40 Rule of 2004.

Vessel Name: Friends of the Earth
Vessel Make/Model: Owen Clark Design Open 40
Crew: Jonathan Crinion
20 October 2006 | Pendennis Marina, Falmouth, UK
18 October 2006 | 48,5.57N , 9,13.81W
17 October 2006 | 45,29.51N , 11,19.44W
17 October 2006 | 42,44.86N , 13,40.48W
16 October 2006 | 42,33.68N , 14,3.52W
16 October 2006
13 October 2006
13 October 2006
07 September 2006
14 August 2006
10 August 2006
10 August 2006
07 August 2006
02 August 2006
01 August 2006
24 July 2006
Recent Blog Posts
20 October 2006 | Pendennis Marina, Falmouth, UK

Falmouth

Well that's it, Cape Town to Falmouth. This last bit of the voyage from Madeira has seen some of the worst weather ever - non stop. My wind strategy worked well to go up the centre of the English channel and ships criss crossed all night. The weather grib files have been hopelessly wrong for the past [...]

18 October 2006 | 48,5.57N , 9,13.81W

Knock down

The ocean can be brutal. More to the point the weather can be. Yesterday was sunny but with large swells and I had been hitting 17 knots reaching on and off for most of the afternoon. Speeding off faster and faster, the feeling is exhilarating. With a reef in the main and the Genoa up I was under canvassed [...]

17 October 2006 | 45,29.51N , 11,19.44W

Approaching the channel

All along I've used one nautical chart for the Southern Hemisphere and St Helena and another for the Northern Hemisphere plus one for Madeira. I'm making fast progress at the moment and should be on the 10 degree West Longitude line shortly where I will switch to a detailed chart to take me into La [...]

17 October 2006 | 42,44.86N , 13,40.48W

Contemplation

I'm starting to understand why Bernard Moitessier made the turn and headed towards the Pacific. He was wondering what he would arrive back to if he kept going on to the UK. It's so vast out here and so far away from everything. I have a 360 degree view of the universe. I'm completely self sufficient [...]

16 October 2006 | 42,33.68N , 14,3.52W

Storm Warning

Wisdom says go wide of the Bay of Biscay but my weather files are showing a huge area of no wind to the West of me which forms the centre of a large and very vicious looking low heading this way.

Approaching the channel

17 October 2006 | 45,29.51N , 11,19.44W
15 knots, Course: 34 deg.
All along I've used one nautical chart for the Southern Hemisphere and St Helena and another for the Northern Hemisphere plus one for Madeira. I'm making fast progress at the moment and should be on the 10 degree West Longitude line shortly where I will switch to a detailed chart to take me into La Manche or the English Channel, depending if you are French or English.

All of a sudden I am confronted with the massive complexity of one of the world's busiest shipping channels and it's associated markers. Let's hope I can stay awake!

My choice is to enter in the middle and avoid the turn off the South of the UK to North and South America and the other corner at Brest that takes ships South.

Each corner has three ship lanes. Incoming, outgoing and dangerous goods in the middle of the three. Sailboats should cross at right angles. There are also strong tides that can give you the impression of moving forward but in fact you are moving backwards over the ground.

At the moment I'm surfing across the Bay of Biscay at 14 to 15 knots over ground. So far no wipe outs but close a couple of times. It?? s a fine balance of either going too high into the wind and heading up or too deep and gybing when a large wave picks up the stern and hurls the boat forward.

I think I've outrun the storm but see that 35 knot winds are expected by tomorrow.

All the best, Jonathan
Gallery Error: Unknown Album [1:]:397
Friends of the Earth's Photos -

About & Links

Favorites
No Links Added Yet
SailBlogs Groups
Racing