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Landlocked! Ocean
Planet/USA 05 Update from Bruce Schwab: While the world's top Open 60's pound their way towards Brazil, here I sit at the computer ordering parts and planning our work strategy on our own boat. Next week the real fun begins (at least the laborious part, the expensive stuff will have to wait), when I return to Portland, Maine where she patiently awaits. It is hard for me to focus all day with the distraction of the Transat Jacques-Vabre underway...(check it out: www.jacques-vabre.com/). I keep daydreaming about my Vendée competitors that are now getting so much practice and honing while I sit here thinking about power tools, sandpaper, and epoxy..... ggrrrrr.....
Okay, I'm better now...I just had to do 60 pushups to calm down... My
first visit to France was in 1999 to see the start of this race (it takes
place every two years), and to study the boats. I can't believe that was
FOUR YEARS ago!! That trip left a big impression on me and what an experience
to see so many IMOCA Open 60's and ORMA 60 trimarans in one place, the
race village, and the exciting starts. I was a kid in a candy store and
it was the beginning of a big education about these crazy crafts. It was
also my first chance to meet some of the great sailors that make up the
sport of solo ocean racing! This trip was the catalyst that kicked Ocean
Planet off of the drawing board and into reality and eventually around
the world. Check out my update from then as it was one of the first that
I ever wrote, and I re-read it myself now and then to flashback on how
all this got started..... But no amount of my own inspiration would have gotten us this far. Thanks again for following and for the support that makes such dreams possible! Especially to these contibutors over the last couple weeks: Frank
LaHaye Thanks to all of you, and also to those who have been ordering Ocean Planet gear and the "Music for Sail" CD's! Bruce
Schwab, Skipper, |
