Header image: Henri Lloyd in St Katharine Docks before the race start

Level 2

“Don’t waste your time” August 5 2013"Don't waste your time"

Well, the last day of my level 2 course in June came, it was hot, we were already berthed and we had the deep-clean to look forward to. Truth is no-one particularly looks forward to it, exactly, but it is, a bit like emptying the bilges, necessary. The entire boat is emptied and every surface ...

How to not empty the bilges! August 3 2013How to not empty the bilges!

When we arrived our skipper allocated us into two watches of five people each – during the race the 20 of us will be divided into two watches in a similar way. Then the jobs that needed to be done during each day were divided up into a rota so that we all got a turn ...

Racing Without Wind August 1 2013Racing Without Wind

After our offshore period, for our last day at sea our training skippers had it in mind that we could do some racing against each other. They didn’t let the mere fact that the day dawned without any wind put them off that idea. We motored out of Portland Marina then spent the morning doing some ...

Going overboard July 26 2013Going overboard

“Man overboard!” – that’s a phrase you really don’t want to hear, much less be the person in the water! Though I guess if you are the person in the water you would be quite glad to hear it – at least it means that the crew has seen you and the boat will be ...

Is that still Start Point? No, again! July 16 2013Is that still Start Point?  No, again!

We’d spent the first few days of the course day sailing. This allowed us to consolidate what we’d learned on our Level 1 courses, which for some were the previous week and others several months previously. It also accommodated the sea survival course that the rest of the crew members needed to do. ...

Sometimes it’s good not to be strong enough July 10 2013Sometimes it's good not to be strong enough

Each of us sleeps in a bunk. It has a mattress and enough space for you and your sleeping bag. And in port or under engine power, it’s horizontal. But we will be sailing. When under sail, the boat and therefore your bunk will be at an angle. So it has a “leecloth” which can, ...

Watching the Sunrise July 8 2013Watching the Sunrise

We spent one night at anchor, in Studland Bay just outside Poole. While at anchor someone has to be up on watch, mainly to make sure that we don’t crash into anything – yes it’s possible if the anchor has stopped holding the boat to the seabed for any reason. At random, our skipper allocated ...

Level 2 Training – Take 2 June 17 2013Level 2 Training - Take 2

Looking forward to my second week of Level 2 training, starting on 22 June. This was recommended as beneficial for me by my skipper Juan after my first experience of it in March. Found out today that I will have a different skipper this time, on Qingdao. Hope it turns out to be a ...

Man Overboard in the Head May 22 2013Man Overboard in the Head

We practise a man overboard drill constantly, but what no one tells you is this. What you should do if the shout goes up, and you’ve just spent twenty minutes getting out of all your layers, all so that you can answer the call of nature. So you’ve got your knickers (sorry boys), thermals, mid-layer and ...

Level 2 Training March 22 2013Level 2 Training

My Level 2 course, or as it turned out, my first Level 2 course, took place at the end of March. I was hoping it would be a little warmer than the Level 1 course at the end of February. It wasn’t. There was one day when I could shed a light ...

ANITA SAILS AGAIN