SB 2014

Less than ten days before the scheduled start of the SailBook Cup 2014, I received information and a blessing from the yacht owner, an unprecedented name "WANDA". Those who do not know should look at the site www.morka.pl or the Gdansk Marin. Nearly 9 tons of mahogany, oak and tiku on almost twelve meters of deck and less than ten in the waterline are catching the attention of each. Adding to this 1967 year of production makes us a little treat for the lovers of Oldtimers.

 

 

Like a regatta, you have only one goal-win or get the best possible place. And so it was in this race. Almost all the participants were a few of them this year, because as much as 94 at 18-TU! Units, in the soul and heart and some in the blood, sweat and tears and after two days under the armpits or rivalry. I wrote almost, because for me these regatta had a different purpose, although the nature of the same. After many months of meditationsing, screwing up, reading about Remiszewskiej, Puchalskim, Linskim and Tabarlym my little dream could have come true. Lonely start in the long-distance sea regatta I kept in my hands. In addition to the wooden unit from the epoch of my book characters-it added an amazing taste of the whole trip. It's like Maggi in a broth or a fresh piece of cake in the morning with butter and a grandma's jam or cider with ice cream and whipped cream. Such cream and icing on the cake was Wanda and the goal was to make a racing tour. The sport result was secondary.

 

However, to start up I had to prepare a yacht for such a voyage. Wanda is not suitable for single swimming. I started with autopilot. Although the yacht has a classic construction based on Falszkilu, which gives incredible exchange stability, unprecedented in modern irons, it still had such a device. He came to the aid of Krystian Szypka, who lent me this voyage to his Raymarine ST2000. Another issue was the new sails. Here I managed to ubłagać Mr. Stanisław Sawko from the Ocean sails www.oceansails.pl to come, pomierzył and ears of new sails. The case did not look colorful, because we had only 8 days. Have you ever heard that from the measurements to pick up the sail has passed 5 days? Not? Mr. Sawko after 5 days he called me that I could pick them up. Two days before the regatta a moment before 2400 I received the sails, quickly I visited żaglownię and after two hours hung already on you Wanda. We will come back to this again. Waiting for the sails I got from a colleague from a school bench with a handheld GPS and maps-general of the Baltic, Gotlandię and middle Baltic from friends of the Scouts (and one even from General Zaruskiego!). Peter The fighter threw me a set of gadgets: a huge gennaker, beautiful binoculars and a great pneumatic vest. I just mounted a huge radar reflector (unfortunately I had no AIS-a), tighten the rig and throw away all the unnecessary things from the yacht. I was able to do it until the last day. In the evening I was in Marina Sopot. Maciej Makuła from Marineworks threw me the blocks to handle the gennaker and promised to do Zaprowiantowanie the next day. If he didn't, he would probably jadłbym only dry bread. Before the regatta I managed to make two night training cruises.

During the whole period of preparation dopadałaed me to swing the mood-it succeeds or not? Can I prepare everything enough for me to start with a clear conscience? I can't retreat! Top! So at most… I will only do one stage, then I say that I broke something to come out of the face with oppression and go home. The next day everything went very fast. The official launch of the regatta, the promised Zaprowiantowanie by Maciej, the hand of truckers Yellowbrick-is a yellow device, thanks to which my mom and brother can, every 8 minutes, press F5 in the browser and follow the course of the regatta.

Last hour 12.00 and start. Unbearable is this mixture of feelings on the one hand, the excitement of the start, the future voyage, the Regatta, the lonely start and the uncertainty, whether all I have, how will, or give advice, etc. Already at the start was Halsówka in the side of helium and already here it was seen how the society is going. Good Speed abandons the first stage by crash, for helium returns Blagodarnost II with a malfunction of electronics. It was a big surprise and the first stage of the regatta began. For helium I made a breakfast I finally set the course on the southern Rocky coast Gotlandu wytrymowałem new sails and in full Bajdewindzie 3-4 B I did more than 6.5 kn. – Great speed for this mass and the construction of the yacht. Though I had new sails with a beautiful profile then I didn't expect that Wanda would cruise until soon. And soon I was convinced that this is not her word. A lot of time we drove close to 8 kn. and Max. The instantaneous reached 8.2 kn. Revelation!

 

 

The evening at sunset was passed by me container ship Maersk Line, who suggested that it will change the course – a miracle! This is probably the first confirmed case of a course change by more than 300 meter container ship in favor of a small sailboat. Approaching night, I made a small dinner at dusk and soon I could see if my system naps to check. I decided not to reorder the organism and use the most important hours. Depending on the fatigue level I started with a 19 minute nap from 02.00 to 05.00 then an hour or two on board, a small meal and another 2-3 hours of Dziewiętnastek. Generally, the system was tested with a larger or lesser amendment to the conditions and the possibility of leaving the yacht alone. Alarm Clock from Andrew of resume, made of gas sensor was in the signs after every Dziewiętnastej minute. To not miss/sleep any of the on-board inspection between the snoozes, I saved which is a nap and which control the deck. Pretty well checked my system. Amazingly well and smoothly I fell asleep the first night, probably the best of all spent at sea. The first step in this respect was very good. On the second, I was very anxious and I could have a good rest. In addition, every day after sunset I took the expected shower. Oh, and at the very beginning of the trip I started that I will not sleep in the cockpit, well, unless the German… Hymm no nowadays it is rather in the event of Ruthenian;) so if anyway decided to sleep only in the mess.

The wind was constantly standing with smaller dokrętkami, but still with the right HALSU. When the yacht went very well with good speed and steadily holding the course I realized that the secondary goal, which was the sports result subconsciously became synonymous with taking the route. Very easy for me to work on board, have added a lot of motivation and above all the fun and joy of sailing and participation in the regatta. On the starboard side wydeptałem the path to the beak, because from the cockpit you can not see how the Genoa works. In addition, beautiful views and scenes directeded by the nature, sunsets and sunrise, which I tried to always watch and be using them; Gotland coast with tall cliffs and sharp rocks dopełniały of happiness. It is beautifully thought! 🙂

Reaching the edges of the Gotland after thirty hours, it turned out that a lot of the overchased. VHF places did red on the number of conversations, but the information and complaints about the participants of the flagged wind. Like the spirit of rivalry owładnął each captain and crew, however, it asked each other for the positions of yachts, morale and in general how it goes and do everything in order. Such matey support. I wanted to go close to the shores, hoping for a night breeze and partially managed it, though before the breeze, just like the other participants, I had to stand up. Although I was extremely cheered the fact that for a moment I was fourth in the general classification. Whoever went further into the sea was without wind, though not for long, because the night brought fresh breaths. Near the islands in the middle of Gotland Przekombinowałem. I wanted to go between the mainland and the first island, hoping for a small draught, but in fact the wind was spinning and the DTF was no longer diminishing as quickly. Adding to this late hour, fatigue and proximity to the mainland did not feel the best. After three or four uncontrollable phrases I decided to forgive a little bit, to go full, but safer, quieter, a little bit faster to be able to sleep, though 2 – 3 hours. The fight was fierce until the very end in the company of Rapids, endorphins, Four Windsa who passed away, every half a mile on halsówce. Incredible tip of the first stage, so many miles and hours behind us, early in the morning with Tężejącyming wind, the ferries passed us no one of the players did not forgive for a moment. He felt this rivalry, oh it felt!

 

After entering the port surprised me the engine/a rather the battery/and rather the current in it/or rather its lack. I could not fire kataryny, because it ran out of power. Somewhere there once I read a few pages of the book about the maneuvers on the sails, so rozeznałem where moored our, I rolled the circle, dropped gienię and I managed not to damage the endorphin, to which Zacumowałem Long Side, so as not to look at the approach was Book;). I ate a quick breakfast with Simon Kuczyńskim, who visited me and Wandzię. Opowiadaliśmy with great impressions about the first stage, what we met and what was not, about our yachts and the course of the regatta, and then agreed to explore the city. After a walk I went to bed and in the evening I woke up Polish day. I was wondering how it looks and what it's all about. Still well I did not saw a and so the great atmosphere was felt even with a far berth yacht. The front of the fun organized at the end of the Kei at General Zaruskim. There were no neck, sausages, skewers or vegetables served from Zaruskiego. The feast hulałaed all the way until late at night, when another yachts were still coming.

After a day, or rather Polish night came a day for a quick tour. As planned together with Simon and our crews, we went to explore the city. What is interesting? Probably the most eye-dropping architecture and people. Architecture because the cottages are small, neat, cozy, blend well with the landscape and people, because they are nice, nice, everyone smiles and speaks good day or as it is there to speak in ichnym language. Even a lady who collect coins on the street smiled to ask for a donation. The quick reconnaissance behind the poppy seed, which is wifirifi, a few email, the weather – yes, Fejs was also proven – and we went around the walls to explore. Purity is thrown into the eye despite the lack at every step of the garbage, in planting this lack of garbage in general. Concrete road barriers, made in the pattern of animals gotlandzkich, that is, sheep and rams, and it is probably all. Aha, and still confounded me a lot of brands Porsche, Ferrari or lamb.

The same day, rather the evening was Captain's evening. Check-in and several arrangements. A great opportunity to relax from the crews and the crew can eventually rest from these whole captains. We agreed that the start to the second run would be about 12.00 on Wednesday 23.07. Some were worried about the deadline for returning to Poland, scheduled holidays, dating, work, children, wives and mistresses because they were going to be bad with the wind on their return. Ending the evening captain's we welcomed Luke with Good speed, who after the start of the first stage has moved to the port to fix the fault and after its removal sailed to us to start in the second stage and so ended the day. The next morning I went to pay for the marina – 100 zł per day! – and buy bread for the rest of the trip. I did a small inventory of food and a surplus of food I gave Ryśkowi of Konsala. Dolałem the water to have the shower and evenly about 12.00 we started the race.

 

The middle and the lightning resigned from the second stage and after the start Barnabas ripped the head and turned to Poland. The conditions at the start were great, although the wind could blow from a different direction, but at least a little bit of it was. The first hours of the race were crucial for the whole regatta, who caught up and felt the wind went north as the arrow of Zorro:) and the rest borykałaed and this with the direction, and it with the force of the wind. After almost two days from the start, I managed to opłynąć the island Gotska Sandön with small or bigger problems with electrical installation and considerable fatigue-a sharp sun gave signs and tedious vigil on board effectively obniżało morale. I could not do anything, too weak wind to flow forward, bad direction to put gennaker, lack of appetite and willingness to act. The lack of wind, monotony and the realization that the island is the wind and the yachts that were there are moving away very quickly; Is deadly. Only the yacht Kristi keeps the radio company. To date, rather stroniłem from the radio phrasebook, but in this case it was good to talk to someone about everything and about anything. As it was then, Kristi became a relay station between the headlamp and the end of the race at a distance of nearly 100 miles, they had a great working radio. When we finally managed to opłynąć the island we left only to drive down the line. Kristi was fired and I drove once to Genakerze, once genule depending on the conditions. I had a lot of free time to meditate frequently about life and old poles, which fill somehow this time. I got the backlog in writing letters and so it flew. Big surprises Zasypywała me an electrical installation. I have meticulously saved how much time and how many revolutions went engine and autopilot to estimate the degree of battery charge/discharge. I turned off all the zbędę of the device, and the fridge was long gone without tension. For one day in the full sun I have not seen and heard no one, my crew was some sort of hearted and did not want to follow the instructions of eating breakfast or lunch – about preparing anything not to mention. At the end of the evening spokeed Kristi and so began a well-known conversation about the offspring;) In the afternoon the wind quietly to let for 3-4 hours to forgive itself completely. The yacht did not react to anything. Dropped sails would not łopotały unnecessarily and do not wypalały in the sun. I went to Neptune Żubróweczki for better conditions and probably helped, because something was going on at night. Wind stężałed and forced me to change the genes on the Kliwra and Zarefowania the grotto to the second ref. It was a bit too much as the wind was encountered, but I wanted to sleep quietly overnight and did not strain autopilot. Long ago I forgot about the regatta, because I did not have a chance to catch up.

Last day from 05.00 I sat at the helm. I turned off the autopilot I put in the cockpit and once every 10 minutes slightly korygowałemed course Wandzi based on the arm of Tiller. At 13.00 I passed helium and entered the bay, where half way to Sopot Eastern wind blew up about 25-30 knots, that after a short time change into less than 5 kn. The incredible thing, because the greeting came out to me two Immoki Open 60 Energa and Hugo Boss, but still I enjoyed most of the visit Four WINDSA just before the entrance to the Sopot Marina, where was the meta regatta. As agreed to the marina I went on the sails, Zacumowałem and standard situation with the young Bosmanem Marina Sopot, who declared that they have no place and that I have to swim:). At the Kei was waiting for me Szymon Kuczynski. Strong handshakes and not only, sincere congratulations from the lips of such players schlebiałyed me immensely, he came to us Michael from Lightning and Ela with Barnaby and behind them my brother with the family. Triumphant opened the champagne and from that moment on we began to celebrate. Unfortunately, I did not I could shake the hands of other players who went to the home ports a few hours earlier.

 

 

The main thing is completion and so will be in this case, because I would like to thank a few people who motivated me to act. The amazing thing is that even though I've never seen myself with Mr. Zygmunt – the shipowner – he has trusted me and borrowed a yacht for these regattas. With Peter my brother, we prepared a boat together to sail, a lot of namęczył with me and with the yacht. Gentlemen thanks you are great!