clipper 13-14 race | Clipper 15-16 Race Crew

24/09/2013

Playing Catch Up

Unlike my fellow crew mates currently working hard to drive the Derry-go-round to Rio (as we have affectionately nicknamed the good ship Derry~Londonderry~Doire), I have fallen behind in posting on the site in recent months. If you attend a Clipper Crew Recruitment Presentation, you receive fair warning that if you sign up for the race, it takes over your life for the duration. Whilst all of us in the room heard the message, I’m not sure that any of us fully comprehended what this actually means.

As well as the obligatory 3 weeks of Clipper race training which pretty much uses up all annual leave, there is the maintenance and theory course, crew allocation, building team websites, official team building weekend, unofficial crew get-togethers, boat preparation week (AKA ‘build a boat’ for this years’ crew), boat delivery trip to race start, race start weekend, then following the race via the race tracker to check on the position of the boat, crew blogs, skippers blogs, organising insurance and gear and preparing to leave your daily life behind for however long you have signed up to race on the boat (6 months for me). Throw into this mix the usual stresses and strains of work, trying to keep up with family and friends, the obligatory pre-Clipper wobble (think we all have one) and other aspects of daily life and things get pretty hectic.

Not that I am complaining, I did after all put pen to paper and sign up for this challenge willingly and with the fullest comprehension of what I was doing. But it does mean that something get put on the back burner, which I have to admit has happened to this blog.

Anyway – I plan to play catch up in the next week or so; until then, a few photos will have to suffice!

Clipper 13-14 Crew Allocation Picture

Crew Allocation (Spot me to the left of Sir RKJ’s right hand).

clipper 13-14 race, clipper 70, clipper crew training Helming a OneDLL CV20 in the sunshine during Level 3 training

Team Sean's Round the World Bar

The first of many outing for Team Sean’s Round the World Bar at team building

Parade of Sail Dress Rehearsal

Dress rehearsal for the Race Start parade of sail – and the first time all 12 Clipper 70’s were on the water together. DLD Boat Naming The boat naming ceremony for Derry~Londonderry~Doire prior to race start

20/09/2013

Friday Photo XXIX

Which way are we going? That way!

(Great to see Michelle is still trimming the asymmetric sail whilst having her photo taken!)

Clipper Race – Crew Diary – Race 2 – Day 11

14/09/2013

Derry~Londonderry~Doire The Leader Of The Pack

Clipper Race – Race 2 Day 6: Derry~Londonderry~Doire The Leader Of The Pack.

Guess what song is going around in my head now!

Looks like my fellow LePrixSeans on board the good ship Derry~Londonderry~Doire are working hard day and night to keep the boat moving fast towards Rio and have taken over the lead from Henri Lloyd. However, with the boats so close to each other and the Doldrums yet to be crossed, I am sure that leadership of the race will change hands a few more times before the fleets arrival in Brazil.

Race 2 Day 6 Skipper Sean’s report has also be posted.

09/09/2013

From Brest To Rio – Race 2

Derry~Londonderry~Doire @LegenDerry_Crew clears the windward mark first as Race 2 starts from France

— The Clipper Race (@ClipperRace) September 9, 2013

And they are off! Race 2 of the Clipper Race started today, with all 12 yachts embarking on their first ocean crossing. Derry~Londonderry~Doire have had a great start, first to the windward mark and then have been leading the pack… but it’s still early days.

Skipper Sean McCarter said in his report

The Bay of Biscay is looking like it will be a bit hairy, it is a pretty notorious area for bad seas.

“It will be interesting to see who goes into Stealth mode around the Canary Islands to disguise their position and hide their tactics. Where people cross the Equator will also be a big discussion point so there is plenty to think about.”