I am not normally attracted to racing boats. However, I
could not but help be intrigued by this yacht that is for sale at Burnham Yacht
Harbour. There is no way I could afford her, nor would I want her. My curiosity
was aroused purely because she looks like a flyer with her deep fin keel and
streamlined rudder. Not only is she beyond the depth of my pocket, but she is
far beyond my comfort zone.
There is no way I would want to be her helmsman with half a
dozen crew sitting up to windward while other competitive
yachts are in close proximity, tacking to and fro, engrossed in the deadly,
cutthroat business of winning at all costs. Now and again one hears shouts of
aggression: “Keep clear!” and “Starboard!” and “Water!” – Even unfriendly and
unwelcome expletives. Finally, at the end of the race, if there was any joy,
the protest committee rules you have been disqualified because of some tiny
infringement of the rules of which you were unaware. Deflated, you sheepishly
go home and determine to have another shot at being first – egocentric to the
core.
Maybe when I was younger I would have relished the challenge
of being first. I would have enjoyed making my crew work like hungry slaves,
tweaking here, hauling there, or in calm conditions moving like mice so as to
not disturb the flow of wind over the sails and water around the hull. Now,
things are different. I have acquiesced. I have given up. I’m no longer competitive. There is no desire
to be first, for there are far more important priorities, such as losing self
and being last. This is by far more rewarding, as there’s no competition, no aggression,
no hassle, no nastiness, no jealousy - only love and selflessness. The depth of
my pocket is of no account, and I’m the richer for it.
Philippians 1:5-7 ‘Let
this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of
God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no
reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the lowliness of
men.’
Links
First One
VG Mount Gay 30
VG Mount Gay 30
Building a Mount Gay 30
Dudley Dix Yacht Design Didi MG 30
Green Flash Mount Gay 30
Didi Mount Gay 30 Sailing Video 1 (Lift keel version)
Didi Mount Gay 30 Sailing Video 2 (Lift keel version)
Mount Gay 30 20091003
Mount Gay Around Barbados Race 2015
Mount Gay 30 For Sale
AU Dollars 65,000
1998
Mount Gay 30 For Sale US $65,000 (Fibreglass version)
Bowman Yacht Sales – Mount Gay 30
For Sale: 1996 Whitbread 30 £19,950 (Identical to a Mount
Gay 30)
Mount Gay Rum (The real stuff)
I read this post with interest as I own this boat! I bought her in 2015, and changed her name back to the original 'WILDWOOD', quite fitting for a wooden boat which goes fast...
ReplyDeletePublic perception of raceboats is always an interesting one. I only cruise in her and have no particular ambition to go racing. As a cruising boat, she is fast enough to not necessarily need to passage plan around the tides. Racing boats, by their nature, are efficient sailing machines which more often than not come with good manners. This is particularly true with WILDWOOD, she will happily potter along in excess of 10kts with the autopilot steering in perfect control, freeing up a short-handed crew to cook, navigate, do jobs around the boat or just relax.
I think the thing many people don't consider is that you can always slow a fast boat down, but you can never speed a slow boat up. One day this might be the difference between being able to beat off a lee shore, or make your intended cruising destination before you lose the tide, or access new destinations which would otherwise be impractically far afield.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52HRGE9MDRU&feature=youtu.be
Thank you Simon for your comment and the YouTube clip - that's some way to cruise!!!
ReplyDeleteBill.