Just because you are sailing “alone” does not mean there is not a team behind you. Even if it is sailing across the bay…There is the yard, perhaps your S.O., mechanically or electronically inclined mates-we all have our Rolodex of favourite helpers who are “there” for us even if not aboard.
Rob Windsor, left and Hugh Piggin applying the logo for CBL insurance of NZL to Joe Harris’s mainsail.
Witness, Joe Harris, preparing for a non-stop circumnavigation on his Class 40 Gryphon Solo 2-(with an ETD of This Sunday 15 November 0900 at Castle Hill in Newport RI, if you are up for it) gained a new sponsor this week. CBL Insurance New Zealand (where else for sailing of course?) is according to their website, “…… the largest and oldest provider of credit surety and financial risk in New Zealand.”
CBLK insurance NZL logo going onto Joe Harris’s mainsail
Of course this happend “just in time” meaning this week. As with sailing, solo sailing and of course life, one must be ready to expect the unexpected & take advantage of opportunities. So this (Saturday) morning about 0700 I had a call from Hugh Piggin, (on the right) one half of Manuka SEM, the organizers of, amongst other events, the Atlantic Cup for Class 40’s and supporters of Joe’s voyage, looking to get into the Hood Loft in Middletown. He and Rob Windsor, (on the left) the boat manager for Joe needed to lay out the mainsail to get the CBL Insurance logo on the sail.
Last minute Logo layout.
So, inside of 24 hours to go with the boat all buttoned up for a lap of the Blue Marble, we find our two heros at the Newport Shipyard removing the mainsail, lashing it to the racks on the borrowed Shipyard pick-up truck, driving the two miles up to the Hood loft , laying the sail out on the loft floor, sticking the CBL logos on and reversing the process. Good goin’ guys and thanks to the CBL guys on Joe’s behalf.
With logo’s as with sails, measure twice, cut, or in this case, stick, once.
Updates on Gryphon Solo 2’s attempt at beating the present circunmavigation time for a 40 footer of 137 days will be presented here along with my two cents worth of interpretation.
Cheers
C