_luukleclercq.nl

After the events of this weekend I have to plug these two companies and they definitely deserve to be here in the sailing part of the website and not just the usual blog.

First of the two is Schickler Tagliapietra, a Holland based yacht engineering company. The firm formerly known as SYD-E is involved in yacht design as is currently involved in both racing and cruising designs varying from a mini 650 proto to the America’s Cup Class 90 footer and a 24ft lake sailor to large production cruising yachts. The firm got coverage in all the major magazines over the past year, with recognition from Seahorse Magazine for their ACC-design as the latest that I know of. More can be found at their website: http://www.syd-e.com/

The second is Radical Marine. This company not only takes care of a lot of racing yachts around the Solent such as Sanguma (the Ker 31 I race on regularly these days), but also Formidable 3 (Lutra 56, from Dutch owner Piet Vroon). They not only can take care of the boat but will also look for crew and many other things involved in keep a yacht and possibly racing it. And if that wasn’t enough they also can provide coaching or even help you buy or sell a boat. Other than looking after Sanguma, two of the company also sail with us (and boy do I learn a lot every time I’m out with that boat!). Here their website: http://www.radicalmarine.com/

But the story begins about 24 hours earlier. My Italian friends had invited me to join them for the game against Scotland and even they agreed that the match was boring to watch and the victory was stolen. Not that it bothered them in any way, because they qualified for Euro 2008 and that’s what counted. Than it was time for a Swiss-Italian pasta meal, before going to a house party with just international students. The biggest problem with those parties is the diversity of people and as a result all stereotypes can be thrown out the window… Didn’t make it too late though, I was looking forward to a nice day of sailing on Sunday. So around 1:30 I went home and had about 5 hours of sleep to look forward to.

And that brings me to Sunday: Got up at 6.45 (am that is), was in time at the ferry. We got the lovely Sanguma rigged and ready and we were almost at the usual starting area when we got confirmed there would not be any racing today. The wind wasn’t that bad (occasional above 20 knots of breeze and we have already raced in 30+ this series), but the result still was the same: turn around and do something else…

So when we arrived back in Cowes, we cleaned up the boat (fast, because it was still raining) and went for breakfast at Eegon’s. With the menu challenging us, most of the crew went for Eegon’s Breakfast Bonanza in our search for recognition and a certificate. The biggest plate of English breakfast per person soon occupied the table and the challenge was on! At least I don’t have to have lunch or dinner tonight but I did got this:

(sorry for the quality, don’t have a scanner readily available here)

Anyway, after breakfast it was time to head for home and still in my foul weather gear I did the bike ride back up the hill. It is nice and warm, much more pleasant than outside:

Anyway, I’ll better make good use of the time I’ve got today and do some more work.

Ciao!

(yeah yeah, I know I should get higher quality photos… but everything on this side of the pond is so much more expensive)