Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2009 | Page 56

life

ON THE WATER

Curtain closes on
another hugely
successful Round
the Island

no problem telling stories about his brother, were there any
to tell. “To be honest, we were all very professional in what
we were doing so there were no real tabloid scoops,” he says,
rather luckily for Jules. “Jules was way too busy to be worried
about what I was doing and the whole team had trust in me.
We were all very business-like in our behaviour onboard, but it
might have been nice to have recorded some arguments –had
we had them!”
Having done it, Guy is convinced that recording the race from
onboard is firmly here to stay. “It’s the only way forward and
it was a great success,” he says. He’d like to do the race for a
third time, and even do the same job, although he would rather
be on deck, sailing the boat.
Jules, also on his second lap of the planet, having navigated
Pirates of the Caribbean to second place in the previous race,
says sleep deprivation and stress are the two things that go
hand in hand with his highly responsible job of navigator.
“You are always tired, but you get used to it. The skill is in
making the right decisions and working with your crew when
you are perpetually in this state. You put into it all you can so
a two-day leg is as draining as a 40-day leg. It is important to
pace yourself. If the weather is behaving and going to plan,
then extra time spent going into too much detail is a waste of
effort and there are plenty of times when this is not the case.
Most of the pressure comes from yourself. You want to do a
good job for the team.”
Now, though, the focus for the Jules and Guy is on meeting
up with friends from Cowes, and doing the great things that
the Island has to offer. “Compton Beach, pub lunches, Gurnard
Dinghy Week, cycling the Wight and going to the Bestival are

By: Flavia Bateson

from the lack of wind leaving

Speaking at the prizegiving

the smaller, lower rated

of the JPMorgan Asset

entries to carry off the top

Management Round the

prizes. Tattarat (Folkboat -

Island Race on Sunday 21st

Philip Williams) won the Gold

June, Commodore of the

Roman Bowl by heading the

Island Sailing Club Bill Pimlott

leader board in IRC followed

congratulated competitors and

by sistership Nordic Bear (Brian

race officers alike on a highly

Appleyard) with Scallywag

successful event. £74,907 has

(Quarter tonner - Ali Tyler/

also been raised for charity so

Steve Lawrence) third. In the

far.

ISC Rating System section for

The wind had managed

non-regular racers, Tudor Rose

to play tricks, providing

(Hunter Medina - Richard and

spinnaker-shredding gusts

Ian Cooke) gained a 35 minute

around St Catherine's Point

lead on handicap from Clarissa

before turning through 180

(David Thomas one off - John

degrees and disappearing

Langdon) to take the Silver

completely for some time

Gilt Roman Bowl.

at Bembridge. Despite the

The Raymarine Young Sailor

challenging conditions, 1,566

Trophy went to 16-year

boats completed the course,

old Matt Ponsford from

an increase on 2008. Some,

Chichester. When others were

like the Cornish Shrimper

firmly aground on Ryde Sands,

Nornie and Catalac 8.5 Blithe

cheating the tide that little

Spirits had been at sea well

bit too far, Matt's Beneteau

over 14 hours, in contrast with

First 21.7 Pocket Rocket had

fleet leader Oman Sail Masirah

the advantage of a lifting

(Extreme 40 - Pete Cumming)

keel. Nifty winching assured

which crossed the line in half

just a touch and go. The

the time.

JPMorgan Asset Management

The big boats suffered more

Family Trophy went to the

high on my ‘to do’ list,” says Jules. That should keep them
occupied until 2011 when the next Volvo race starts...
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