Foiling Boat Adventures

Bringing back the glory days of aviation

2012-01-20T16:11:00.001-08:00

So, ticket in hand I make my way to the departure gait for the long haul to Miami. I spy my plane waiting for me on the tarmac, but hang on something isn’t right, now I am no plane expert but even I can tell that that is no Airbus. Not to worry, once I settle in with the touch screen movie selection the journey will just fly by. Stepping on board I am transported back to the glory days of aviation, when business class meant brown leatherette and TVs had 2 inches of glass for screens, now where did I put my flying goggles? So, no movies, what did we do for entertainment in the days before television? Looks like I will just have to rely on the old fashioned art of conversation, that and my e-reader and my iPad. Fortunately for me the chap next to me was quite chatty, 7hours of me talking, I wonder where today featured in the top 10 of his best days ever? I know what you are wondering, 7hrs on a plane with a stranger with nothing else to while away the time, some would say it was inevitable but did I or didn’t I? Fear not fair listener... of course I showed him a picture of Carbon Footprint.

Miami Baby

2012-01-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

After spending November attending to the physiotherapy needs of the Swedish Sailing Team at the ISAF Worlds in Perth I decided it was time to give Carbon Footprint some attention. There was just one problem, after the glorious sun kissed beaches of Freemantle, mid-winter Weymouth was not looking quite as enticing. As I sat in my sitting room with the wind hurling the freezing rain at the window there was nothing to do but surf the web and dream of sunshine. Then I saw it, the US Moth fleet Miami Layline winter series... Carbon Footprint get yourself into that RS:X bag and try to look like a windsurfer; we’re going to Miami baby!!!

Pimp my ride

2011-11-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

To make amends for the countless times she has been left behind whilst I have swanned of on adventures to foreign shores with the Mach 2, I have promised Carbon Footprint a little road trip over the winter. She is looking a bit tired, so if she is to go on a trip, I decided she needs some pimping. What could be racier (and not involve and fiddly, messy epoxy) than the Union Jack-and-surname sticker combo? I found some stick on carbon stuff on e-bay, much cheaper and with less need for resin than the real thing... wonder if you can make whole boats out of it? Maybe I will develop the first origami Moth...

The following photo was taken partly for the purposes of showing off my cutting and sticking skills, and partly to ensure I had in fact spelt my name correctly. One would think I should be capable of such a simple task, however consider if you will the fact that a Brad Pitt film had happened to come on the TV whist cutting out the letters, (for happened you could read 'was inserted into the DVD player', your choice). Either way you can forgive a girl for the odd lapse in concentration, if not being rendered overcome and incapable of remembering her own name. The whole process was actually a bit fiddly... it would be so much easier if I had a shorter surname... come to think of it Pitt hasn't got many letters...

Weymouth Speed Week 2011

2011-11-26T11:53:00.001-08:00

Carbon Footprint once again joined the other home made boats in the unique pocket of eccentricity that is Weymouth Speed Week. Weird and wonderful craft appeared from all over the world to speed, drift or simply try and stay afloat along the infamous Weymouth Speed Sailing course.

So heralded a spectacle is this, that the Dorset Echo even took up the story:

Check the complete article and more pictures out at: http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9316923.Homemade_boat_to_compete_in_Weymouth_Speed_Week/

Thanks to Carbon Footprint, and a day joining the windsurfers at their own game I managed to get on the podium not once but twice, bonus.

The best boats... The best sailors...

2011-09-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

What an exciting weekend for the world of sailing! Along with many others I decided to brave the elements and show my support to the best sailors in the world. I was not disappointed, the spectacle was breathtaking, the best sailors in the world competing nation against nation in extreme wind conditions in the most technologically advanced boats in the world... It was awesome, the atmosphere was electric, people were watching and cheering from every available vantage point, the athletes were giving it their all on the water... What could have brought the excitement of sailing to the masses in such style? No, it wasn’t the AC45s... this spectacle of world class performance was in fact the it's-too-windy-to-sail-improvised-International-14-raft-building-World-Championships - awesome!

A close start

The ironically named 'Floater'

Threesome

2011-08-10T14:27:00.001-07:00

The Mach 2 had run away to Spain, Carbon Footprint was feeling sad and lonely. She was sitting all by herself in the dinghy park in her pajamas... eating ice cream straight from the tub... playing Gloria Gaynor on repeat... It is into sad moments such as this that bizarre twists of fate have a habit of occurring, and so it was that an offer that she could not refuse miraculously appeared. An offer so exciting that it did not feature in her wildest dreams as surely there is no way it could happen... Her heart skipped a beat, could it be real? Could he really mean her? Did he know how she had been secretly admiring him from afar? What could have set her heart alight like this? Was it the offer of dinner with Brad Pitt? (He is coming to the South West to film some Cornish zombies after all). No, far more exciting, she was going out with not one but two handsome young men.

The Swiss foiling team who, (so narrowly), beat Carbon Footprint in speed week have kept apace with sailing design trends and have put a wing on their foiler, Mirabaud LX. They were bringing it to Cowes week and they had invited yours truly onboard! That is definitely an offer a girl could not refuse.

So it was that I made the trip over to Cowes and found myself sailing with not one but two handsome, if not slightly crazy, Swiss gentleman. For those of you not familiar with Mirabaud LX picture this; 10m of 3 man, spaceframe, wing sailing, foiling awesomeness. It is as though designer Thomas Jundt has taken all the best bits of sailing technology and put them together in one extreme machine and the result is this:

Check out www.mirabaudlx.com for all the technical details.

I climbed onboard in the clothes I had just stepped off the ferry in, there was no time to change and the boys said it was fine, I wouldn’t get wet - really?! JP handed me the mainsheet, it appeared my job was trimming the wing, just like the mainsheet on the Moth apparently. Should I just take this moment to point out that I have now sailed more wing sailed boats than most of the America’s cup sailors - if you want any pointers boys... It was as much fun as I had dreamt and more! You get two gentlemen to help you and Mirabaud LX is surprisingly stable, foiling along the Solent through chop that would have upset many a Moth, without even spilling the beers kindly provided by the sponsors. That said we did manage to capsize, oops. As the boys promised, even a little excursion to the dagger board did not involve getting wet, how very civilised. The press briefing was as much showboating as possible - that is my kind of sailing. Buzzing the Royal Yacht Squadron during Cowes week is definitely showboating that Carbon Footprint would approve of!

It was a great day with the perfect conditions for wing foiling, thanks so much to Thomas, Antoine and Eric for letting me play with their very cool toy and ensuring I kept my hair dry!

Now it’s just the offer of dinner from the lovely Brad that Carbon Footprint has to dream about!

Hey pussy cat

2011-06-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

It seems that sailing is becoming all about the catamarans these days. Check out this AC action for proof:

http://www.anchorfan.com/video/oracle-racing-ac45-crashes-spectacularly-in-test-for-the-americas-cup

Just when I thought I was getting the hang of foiling, looks like I am going to have to learn what to do with two hulls; not to mention how to swing about in the funny hammock/ trapeze thing. Time for some cat training...

As every girl knows it is always important to try on your party outfit before a big do, especially one where you are not quite sure of the fit. So I thought I should give Adam’s trapeze harness a quick try out. I dug it out of the loft and struggled into it. (Girls, be warned - dating a gentleman with a smaller bottom than you is not good for the ego!) 10 minutes later and I had finally got all the buckles and bits of strapping on. I was in the house on my own and the fleeting thought crossed my mind, getting in was quite a struggle, I hope I can get out of this on my own. Suddenly that was the least of my worries. I was trussed up like a Christmas turkey when horror of horrors... the door bell rang... I snuck a look out the window, maybe I could ignore it... it was the delivery man with an important, long awaited parcel, oh no! OK what are the options? 1) Hide, let the postman walk away and go through the hassle of collecting the parcel from the nearest delivery office - probably in Aberdeen. 2) Answer the door in the middle of the day in what most ordinary members of the public would consider to be S&M wear!

What did I do? What every self respecting young lady would do in the circumstances, threw on the trusty oversized Gill Race Team jacket and signed for the parcel “Wearing my coat, yes I was just on my way out, lucky you caught me” ;-)

Tune in next time to find out how my cat experience goes.

Seeing Stars

2011-06-10T06:42:00.001-07:00

It's Sail for Gold and the world's sailing stars have descended on sunny Weymouth for some world cup sailing action. As if galavanting with the Mach 2 wasn't enough, Carbon Footprint has been a bit neglected as I have quite literally had my hands full providing physiotherapy for the Sail for Gold competitors. Eager to repay her for being so understanding, I managed to take advantage of a quick break today whilst everyone was sailing to take the Print out for a spot of spectating, (a word she always seems to translate as showing off, not sure how that happens).

I asked The Print which class she wanted to see, apparently she has a soft spot for the big strong boys in the Stars, a girl can't turn down a request like that, so out to sea we headed... The course was miles away... I couldn't even see the fleet as I came out of the harbour. 45 minutes of downwind foiling directly out to sea later and we were almost there... In fact I think we were almost in France... should have brought my passport. Thank goodness for Adam's epoxy work, I didn't fancy breaking something vital so far from home.

The racing was game on in a lovely sunny Weymouth bay, should definitely have brought my camera, doh! So, just how long does it take to hike home when you have sailed downwind for 45 mins? Suffice to say a long time! Fortunately I had my Crew Fuel to power my journey home, not quite sure how I would have managed it otherwise.

Holiday romance

2011-05-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

Things were going swimmingly with Carbon Footprint, boat builder extraordinaire Simon Maguire had fitted a new wand control system and The Print was like a new boat. (More on the technical details to follow - well recommended to anyone struggling to rein in their older boat). Carbon Footprint skipped happily around Weymouth Harbour, handling the admittedly small waves admirably and not once threatening to get my pony tail wet. With things going so well, how could I have done it?.....Was it the lure of the sunshine?......The thought of happy evenings sharing a beer with fellow Mothies at Foil Fest?.....Or that after a week of Alan’s intensive coaching at Pro Vela, even I had to be able to sort out gybing. I told myself I was doing it for Carbon Footprint, if I came back a better sailor surely it would be for her benefit... and besides, I’m a big girl, I can handle temptation...

But then I saw him, he caught my eye across the dinghy park, he was more handsome than I remembered in a shiny new chrome and flame embossed outfit. All too soon those old feelings came rushing back. (Actually it wasn’t that soon as it took a whole day to unpack him from his box in the rain and remember how to put him together- many thanks to all the Mach 2 owners club who helped). But my head was in the clouds and full of the joy of our last meeting.

I tried hard to resist but the Mach 2 pulled all his best moves, he strutted for the camera, he flashed his guns at me, he took me behind the island in the long distance race, he even donned his aviators, snuck up behind me in the bar and said “Excuse me, is he bothering you mam? I’ll handle this” before breaking into song. (Ok, ok, so the last bit may have happened in my fantasy Top Gun world but I’m sure you understand). The electricity flowed as we once again frolicked in the sunshine, he knew Carbon Footprint was performing so much better now and he upped his game, not once throwing me violently into the shrouds despite some breezy days and some feisty little waves. What was I going to do, I couldn’t keep it a secret, the evidence was out in Alan’s press releases on Yachts and Yachting, there’s even a You Tube video!

Check out the evidence:

(The lyrics are a bit parental guidance - cover any easily offended ears!)

Changing the face of foiling

2011-05-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's official... Moth sailors do it with their tongues out.

Check out the evidence along with some other foiling induced facial contortions:

I went to Foil Fest and I woke up in a bar in Benidorm

2011-05-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just how does a self respecting girl let that happen? Stay tuned to find out.

Coming up, (once I have downloaded it and achieved a small but notable victory over technology), some fantastic moth photography courtesy of Mr May.... oh and the all important gossip on THAT holiday romance!

Nose reshaping or breast enhancement?

2011-03-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

14 back to back episodes of Desperate Housewives had led me to the realisation that cosmetic surgery was what was called for to mend my ailing relationship with Carbon Footprint. Eager to make things work, I googled cosmetic surgeons - Harley Street. A quick glance at the website and woah there!....... suffice to say there are many procedures available, (some to enhance bits of anatomy not appropriate for mention on this page, google them yourself if you like but don’t expect your girlfriend to believe you that looking at www.breastimplants.com and the like is sailing related research). Among the less unmentionable were buttock implants and fat injections - what in the world would you want to do either of those for? There were only two acceptable options, breast enlargement or nose reshaping. Aside from the obvious benefits, which would best improve my relationship with Carbon Footprint and bring me endless worry free foiling joy? Time to consider the options:

Breast enlargement

In the same way that you can never have too many shoes, no girl can ever have too much righting moment. Being at the small end of the fleet, maybe my problem with Carbon Footprint is that I am just not big enough for her. How could I improve my ability to hold her down in a blow? Option 1 - Grow, hmm... think I’m a bit old for that one. Option 2 - eat lots of cake.... could be tempted, but really it’s weight up top that counts, aha! Option 3 - breast enlargement! As a good Mothie I can not go ahead with any mod without first modeling the predicted performance benefits. I consulted with Adam, guru of all things Moth design, turns out he already has a spreadsheet to do this (!). We’ll talk about that later, but for now here comes the science bit... concentrate...

Simply plug in the weight of a standard implant, ah, how much do those things weigh? Back to trusty google... Turns out there is a technical way to calculate implant size, it involves filling tights with rice and putting them in you sports bra!!! Said test even has a formal name - The Rice Test. I didn’t check if it has been formally validated for reliability and repeatability, although if you were thinking of volunteering to crunch the numbers, so to speak, I suspect you may have been beaten to it.

The Rice Test

So after much tipping of rice and ruining of tights it turns out that the largest recommended implant weighs in at 0.2kg, or a princely 0.4kg for the pair. Not sure that is going to be much help. Back to the spreadsheet... in with the 0.4kg, my height and weight (never ask a lady remember) and..... here comes the answer, breast enlargements will increase my righting moment from 29.54 kgm to 29.72 kgm - ah, not very much then, and for £5000, I could get new foils for that!

Ok so plan B it is...

Nose reshaping

Committed blog followers will know that Carbon Footprint undergoes a Jekyll and Hyde style transformation from a well mannered foiling superstar in the flat water play pen of Weymouth Harbour to a bucking, rampaging stallion at the slightest suggestion of waves. What was the cause of this? We sat on the couch together as the counsellor probed our childhood experiences. It turns out that the problem stems from a particularly traumatic time in Carbon Footprint’s teens when she was converted from a lowrider and an old, stiff piece of teleflex cable was use as her foil control system. What she needed was a nose job! No cartilaginous re-arrangement or need to walk around with tissue paper inserted in the nostrils; but more an improved wand control and ride height adjustment system. Never mind Harley street, I need a boat builder!!!

Bad Romance

2011-03-21T13:54:00.001-07:00

Hello fair blog readers, sorry to have left you for so long. I did not intend to leave you hanging as though you were waiting for the next series of Lost. Like all good American dramas, (and Glee), lets start with a quick recap..... Your intrepid helm had embarked on a whirlwind affair with the racy Mach 2. Carbon Footprint was waiting deciding whether to forgive said intrepid helm and Adam was stirring up controversy in the Moth world with his wing. And that’s what you missed...

So here’s what happened...

Season 2, Episode 1 - Bad Romance

Following the brief fling with the younger model, the oh so dashing Mach 2 had stolen my heart with his slinky foils and silky control, he got back together with his partner and ran away to Spain. Oh well girls, it’s just like they say in Cosmopolitan, ‘never believe them when they say they will leave their partner’.

There is nothing like a moment of ill advised folly to make you realise where your heart truly lies. I returned to the dinghy park in Weymouth, and there she was, pink shiny stars on her foils sparkling in the sunlight, what had I been thinking? Carbon Footprint could only ever be the one for me, (unless Adam happens to be reading this and deciding whether to get me a Mach 2 for my birthday - in which case, please ignore pervious statement and don’t hold back honey!) I needed to let Carbon Footprint know how much she meant to me, that the racy Mach 2 had meant nothing, it was her I was thinking of as I was gybing in his arms... and after all we were on a break.

Carbon Footprint did not take this as well as I had hoped; we went out a few times but things just weren’t the same. That silky smooth control was gone. I tried buying her presents, (ok, so getting a reel of 4mm dyneema is bit like getting socks for Christmas, but her old ones were worn out and 4mm always comes in handy, right?) I treated her nicely, taking her to her favorite spots, (the Weymouth flat-water-pay-pen), and only asking her to go out when the conditions were really nice. Things improved on the surface, it would seem like everything was going fine, (we would manage to foil in a straight line for 500m without any lack or control issues), then suddenly, wham! She would slap me round the face with a massive pop out. What was that for? I had to face up to it, things weren’t going well. Should I just give up? Should I while away my time wistfully dreaming of the Mach 2 coming back, telling me he had made a big mistake and whisking me off into the sunset? No, it’s Carbon Footprint that I love and so there was only one thing for it, I had to work at it. But what should one do to revive an ailing relationship? I needed advice, I needed to put some serious research into the subject. 14 back to back episodes of Desperate Housewives later I had found the answer..... the fail safe way to revive any ailing relationship.... the one and only cure all for any relationship woe ........................... cosmetic surgery.

Snow on the beach

2010-12-04T11:39:00.001-08:00

Weymouth has joined the rest of the UK under a festive blanket of snow. Quicker than you could say, ‘snow angel’ I had reverted to being a child and the garden was adorned with a heavenly effigy. Never fear, my patients didn't have to miss out on their physio, as I skied to work past the snow covered palm trees. A little surreal but will no doubt form the subject of future, “I remember when.....”, “Winters are not what they used to be....” stories.

Speed week

2010-11-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

"On the podium with the hunky guys", not my words but those of my proud Mum! The Swiss boys kept their edge for the win but I was pretty happy to be standing on the podium next to JP, not sure there are many Moth events were I could manage that.

The press turned up for the last day to snap some pics of the awesome Swiss foiler. Check out the results at www.ianroman.com. If you look closely you might even spot our very own Moth Squadron Leader on the helm...

I feel the need, the need for speed!

2010-10-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Weymouth speed week 2010 and the stage was set for a speed show down between the awesome Swiss skiff style foiler and the Mach 2. Perfect foiling conditions awaited us, at the Sailing Academy, 14kts with a bit of chop to keep things lively.

As I foiled down the harbour at over 20kts, wing bar to wing bar with an unknown foreign foiler (although one couldn’t strictly say enemy, they are Swiss after all), I heard the immortal words of Kelly McGillis or was it Amac run through my head... “That’s not possible, the Mach 2 doesn’t have the trust to weight ratio, it has a problem with its inverted flight tanks, it won’t do a negative G push over. What were you doing there? Fortunately I didn’t picture Amac clad in a tight leather skirt slapping his bottom with his teacher’s cane. We communicated for a while, keeping up foreign relations, you know..... then I hit the brakes and he flew right by.

The breeze held in nicely all day and we sent it down the 500m course. I buzzed the tower (committee boat), the race officer spilt his tea down his freshly washed shirt. I entered the one at a time start area at the same time as a windsurfer and broke the rules of engagement, the course officials yelled “That’s a negative, the pattern is full”, I carried on and went for the kill. The Mach 2 blew away my previous personal best max speed with an eye watering 24.7kts, you don’t have time to think up there, if you think, you’re dead. Mirabaud struggled with the tight angle of the course and proceeded below the hard deck, strike one to the Mach 2. Finally the wind dropped off and the remaining competitors bugged out.

The wait for the results began, who was the best of the best? Who’s name was going on the Top Gun trophy? Was my ego writing cheques my body couldn’t cash? Viper uploaded the results and put us out of our misery...I had a 500m average of 20.09kts, Mirabaud 20.89!!! Back to foiler school for me.

On thing is for certain, Mirabaud can be my wingman anytime.

Sadly I didn’t have my camera to snap a quick polaroid, but I my head it went something like this...

Mach 2 v Mirabaud

2010-10-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

We've flirted, I've marveled at his control, he ever so gently took me round that first gybe... Well now it's time for the Mach 2 to man up and show me what he's made of! Tomorrow we go head to head with Swiss foiling awesomeness Mirabaud in the first day of Weymouth Speed Week.

Will Swiss ingenuity (and lack of need for a hull) win the day or will the Mach 2 rule?

We had a little sail together today and things look set for a close match....

Game on!

It's all about trust

2010-09-14T03:20:00.000-07:00

A number of you may have been worried about how Carbon Footprint was feeling about my exploits with the Mach 2. She was particularly touched by those of you who in fact contacted me to express this concern. Fear not, she has never been far from my mind and will be justly rewarded for her support and trust in my foray into Mach 2 world with a new round of upgrades. A bunch of flowers may not go far enough to make up for working late with the secretary but a new ride height control, better wand system and the promise of a trip to Australia more than make up for a brief fling with a Mach 2!

Trust is a two way thing and just as Adam trusted me to take his boat to Silvaplana he was also to have to trust me once more. Ok, so not strictly a two way thing, more an everything my way thing, but what is a girl to do? Many of you may be asking yourselves what could require more trust than your girlfriend spending a week in foreign lands with your Mach 2? Had I secured a job oiling up the six packs of Calvin Klein models mid photoshoot? Had the call come in from George Cloony that he needed a partner for the upcoming Oscars ceremony? No, this was going to require trust on a far deeper level...

It had been meticulously designed, slaved over in the workshop, ok so the Boat Yard at Beer did a lot of the work, (saving me from endless sanding, I owe you boys big time!), it is a world first, a milestone in Moth sailing history, sailed only twice before in the capable hands of Adam May. Yes, I was about to become only the second person to go Mothing with a wing sail!!! I was pretty nervous to say the least, breaking it was clearly going to mean more than washing up duty for a month and lets face it a wipeout is never far away when I’m Moth sailing. I least I knew I could trust the Mach 2.

I got on, righted the wing, so far so good. Carbon Footprint had taken Adam out of instruction giving range, I was on my own and I was scared. OK, this can’t be that hard, what do I know about wings? The have them on airplanes, you ‘put the flaps down to take off’. What do I know about foiling? ‘Bear away, shut your eyes and think of England’. I did both these things, and trusted in the Mach 2.... We started slowly at first, would we lift off before the end of the runway? Trust in the laws of physics... The apparent wind generated, we accelerated, the apparent wind generated, we accelerated, the apparent wind generated, you get the picture..... oh my word!!! Before I knew what was happening, or could open my eyes and attend to important matters like steering, we were approaching the psychological 20 kt barrier, and the far more physical barrier of the harbour wall.

Since I am writing this I clearly survived the experience as did Adam’s wing, phase one of destruction testing ‘Let girlfriend loose with it’, well and truly passed. Adam may have a few design upgrades in mind, all I have to say is that it’s going to look so good in pink.

Going all the way

2010-09-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Since the whirlwind Mach 2 romance of Silvaplana I had waited nervously by the phone, pacing up and down and checking my messages at embarrassingly unnecessary intervals, waiting for that call that would mean it was more than just a holiday romance. Then it happened, my heart skipped a beat, ‘Mach 2’ flashed up on my phone..... he’d called!!!

Adam was playing with C Class catamarans in the States, I was at a loose end, the weather was looking good and so we arranged a date in Weymouth.

It was fantastic, all that control we experienced in the Swiss mountains came flooding back, although after Silvaplana even the Weymouth flat-water-play-pen seemed a bit bumpy. We exchanged small talk and messed about enjoying each other’s company. There was no denying it, there was electricity in the air and the unspoken hovered around us, would we go all the way... (round). We had a few trial bearaways and then the moment arrived.... it was a little bit awkward at first, I wasn’t quite sure where to put myself, I bumped my nose on his wingbar... and then the magic finally happened. Ok so it wasn’t quite like I had seen in the movies (it always looks so slick when Simon Payne does it, a bit quicker when the younger guys do it and no one quite knows if Tom Whitcher has actually done it). Never the less I was no longer naive and wondering what it felt like to actually do it... listening to all those more experienced Mothies talking about it in the changing rooms, I had finally done it....

a foiling gybe!!!

(Pretty pic by Sunset and Vine)

Holiday Romance

2010-08-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

Falling in love in the Swiss Mountains

Reeling with the heady excitement of my first date with the Mach 2 we kissed good night with a discreet peck on the cheek and I prepared to pack Carbon Footprint up for the Europeans in Switzerland. I couldn’t concentrate, my head was in the clouds, I kept catching myself gazing wistfully into the middle distance, reliving those magical moments of control in the waves. Then the doubts set in, the initial froth of excitement was replaced by nervous butterflies, did he feel the same way? Would I see him again? And most importantly, is a week in Switzerland a bit forward for a second date?

The stars aligned, the hand of fate worked it’s magic and Team Origin called Adam away on a last minute meeting, meaning he could no longer make the trip to the land or purple cows. The Mach 2 was all dressed up but with no one go with! In a gesture of sweeping romance, (and to make up for having to drive 2000 miles on my own), Adam made the ultimate sacrifice and said I could take his Mach 2 to Silvaplana!

What a week we had; we frolicked in the snow, although fortunately that cleared up after the first day and the rest of the week was beautifully sunny. We stayed in a fancy hotel, (-3^o at night, the tent I had been sent with was staying firmly in the boot of the car). We did things I had never done before; we overtook other Moths, (and not just capsized ones either), we travelled at over 23kts and I experienced the complete surrendering of control that is cold water induced foil ventilation.

The racing was brilliant, 80+ foilers on a not overly huge lake and a stonking thermal breeze. Now, normally trailing round at the back of the fleet there is not overly much call to know the rules, ‘don’t crash and break someone’s carbonfibre pride and joy’ being the one that is usually foremost in my mind. It was clear that this was not going to cut it here. The Mach 2 was determined to mix it with the rest of the fleet whether I liked it or not despite my valiant efforts to slow it down on the corners. Some bedtime reading of the ISAF racing rules for sailing was called for. Strangely I was unable to find the rule, ‘Any boat experiencing ventilation as indicated by a rooster tail shall have right of way over any other vessel’. Maybe it will be in the 2012 revision.

All to soon the week was over and the winners were crowned, congratulations to you all, especially Simon, National, European and World Champion, we salute you! My whirlwind romance is fast becoming a fading memory, (and some awesome helicopter shots courtesy of the Sunset and Vine team). The Mach 2 and I have exchanged phone numbers and the nervous wait back in the cold reality of Blighty begins; will we meet again? will we foil at 23kts once more? will he be the one who shows me how to gybe?

Where have you been all my life?

2010-08-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

There comes a stage in every relationship, that special turning point when you know you have reached a certain level of commitment... you are ready to share everything.... and he asks that one important question every girl waits her whole life to hear...... ‘Honey, would you like a go in my Mach 2?’

Of course I said yes straight away, at a moment like this it didn’t seem fair to make him wait with bated breath for my answer. For those interested in the details, no he didn’t go down on one knee, although I do believe he asked my father first!

After the ceremonial exchange of rigs, and a bit of jigging about as the kickers didn’t fit, off we went out of the marina, not quite wing-bar to wing-bar as I had a bit of trouble getting in.

So how was it? I think the title says it all. I can see why those already within the holy institute of Mach 2 ownership exchange knowing glances and paternally encourage those more wayward members of the fleet to settle down and enjoys the wonders only a certain special relationship can bring.

On the sailing side, awesome! Ventured out side the flat water playpen and sent it in the waves, showboating in front of... sorry, watching... the olympic classes racing. Only one capsize, when taking, tricky and over rated maneuver anyway. Carbon Footprint was feeling a little jealous and threw Adam out in the waves 7 times, sorry honey! Fortunately he took it like a man

Now, how to persuade him to let me sail it at the Europeans!?!

Sunrise to sunset

2010-05-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

The sunrise to sunset foiling challenge

The challenge had been set to foil 100 miles between sunrise and sunset on the 2nd of May as part of the Windsurf for Cancer Research campaign. The forecast didn't look good, 3kts rising rapidly to 30, not ideal foiling conditions! But the challenge was laid down and many of you had kindly sponsored me so there was not backing out.

4:30 alarm call and down to WPNSA to rig up in the darkness.

Looking back at the moonlit sailing academy as I launched.

Rigging by moonlight.

Raising money for cancer research is what it is all about.

Sailing out in to the dawn, quite a beautiful experience being out on the water in complete solitude, (and a little chilly)

3 hrs in, the wind is holding true to the forecast and gusting 3kts. I have manage to cover 2.7 miles, I feel the 100 may be a little out of reach!

Being completely becalmed, I did what all singlehanded sailors do in the Doldrums and took photographic self portraits and pictures of albatrosses.

The wind soon filled in, and filled in, and filled in some more to a steady 30kts. I managed 15 miles of foiling before the narrow window of foiling opportunity closed. Not wanting to be give up on the challenge I rigged up my windsurf kit and managed a further 20 miles.

35 miles in total, not the 100 I had hoped for but still further than sailing to France so given the conditions I was pretty happy. The 100 miles challenge will have to wait for another day but will not be forgotten!

Last but not least I need to say some big thank yous:

To all of you who generously sponsored me and supported Cancer Research.

(you still can at www.justgiving.org.uk/Katherine-Knight if you would like to help this very worthwhile cause).

To the guys who organised the event and Tris who hosted the day in Weymouth. I am very grateful to them for letting my Moth join in the fun.

To Adam for staying up all night to mend my foil which I broke 2 days before the event and still getting up at 4:30 to help me rig and take the pictures.

Moth adventure for Cancer Research

2010-04-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

100 mile foiling challenge!!!

Carbon Footprint will be joining in with the sunrise to sunset windsurf event in Portland Harbour on 2nd May. Sunrise to sunset, that can't be that long I thought, so I entered full of excitement a the thought of a whole day on the water. Better just check how long a whole day is, oh, 05:37 to 20:33 to be exact, hmm, that's going to be quite a long day!!!

Still I've put some thought into preparation, I have thought a lot about food: "I wonder how much I will need to eat to keep sailing that long" and "I wonder how I am going to carry enough food". I have tried to ignore the issue of the call of nature as the only way to be warm enough swimming out in darkness at 5.30 is going to be to wear a drysuit.

Just to put what I initially thought would be a jolly day out into perspective, that is 15hrs of non-stop sailing, added to which the windsurfers have challenged me to cover at least 100 miles. That's like foiling to France and back..... twice! Or considering my longest day of sailing ever and my normal morning run it's a way bigger step up than the London Marathon would be!

Difficulties and neoprene induced skin irritation aside, there are still two awesome reason to be doing this:

1) To raise loads or money for cancer research, the importance of this cause is brought home to me every day, working in Weldmar Hospice with people suffering for cancer amongst other diseases. If I can manage a fraction of the courage and determination they show I should have no problem.

2) Whatever windsurfers can do, foilers can do to!* **

So please, visit my just giving site: http:/www.justgiving.com/Katherine-Knight and give generously to support a very worthy cause.

Thank you

*If it is really, really windy I reserve the right to take on the windsurfers at their own game!

**Things involving shallow water exempt!

Congratulations BMW Oracle

2010-02-14T12:45:00.001-08:00

They may not technically be foilers, but they do have foils and if being a foiler was judged on all round awesomeness BMW Oracle and Alinghi would be right in there!

Having booked flights to Valencia to see the America's Cup for Adam's Christmas present we headed over in time for the pre-match build up. With the first race being postponed due to light winds my annual leave ran out before we saw any actual racing. Despite this getting to see these amazing racing machines up close was a fantastic experience.

One for the family album. Posing with a picture of Uncle Alan. OK, so he is a slightly more distant relative than uncle, but the cup has been in the family none the less.

British Cultural Representative, Tom Whicher, doing his bit to keep up the morale of the traveling Mothies whilst managing to get mention on the official cup home page. Tom, we salute you.

Foiling oppie: The making of...

2009-12-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

Behind the scenes of the making of the foiling Oppie. The picture diary of her transformation from tender to foiler.

Foiling Oppie

2009-12-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

“Impossible is not a declaration, it’s a dare”

An Oppie… on foils…many people have said it is impossible, (or at least those that saw me launching her into a cold and blustery December morning did). But this is a story of faith and belief.

Despite the doubters, I believed; believed that plugging my Moth hydrofoils into an Oppie would make her fly; believed that once the rowlocks had been removed an old wooden Oppie that was destined for life as a tender would be the vessel to achieve this feat; believed that somehow she would push her aerodynamic bath-tub form through the water to a sufficient speed for take off.

Was my faith misplaced? Well after a faltering start with a few moments of foil assist but not take off, a big gust hit… she accelerated… she started to lift…the bow was out…

the rudder lifted… that was it, she was out of the water…I was foiling!!! In an Oppie!!!...

She popped out… There was lots of spray…

but she’d done it… A foiling Oppie!

I started with a quote on the impossible by John Maxwell, but I think Walt Disney may have captured my feelings more accurately:

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible”

Unfortunately the moment of glory eluded the ties of modern digital imagery and we only got a picture of the landing, but rest assured she flew and with a bit of additional lift on the rudder she will be flying again soon.

Pimp my low rider

2009-11-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

The Carbon Footprint lowrider conversion project and her first flight!

Carbon Footprint's First Foiling

2009-11-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

Carbon Footprint launch day in rare Weymouth snow

She flies!!! (And quite high), my magic star shaped wand doesn't reach the water.

Requesting a flyby, (negative Carbon Footprint the pattern is full)

Cruising Portland harbour with her wingman