This month’s Sail Magazine has a feature on Triple Lindy, including the great photo at the finish.
We crossed the finish line Wednesday morning after 8 to be met on the dock by the amazing support team of Lindy wives. Through the night we worked the boat mile after mile – very windy, wet and rough, but we were in a three way race for the Class win. One of the boats turned back for shelter briefly and as he owed us time on handicap, put us definitely in second, with a Russian boat vying for the top spot. He couldn’t be picked up on our instruments so we had to rely on delayed information from the race to see how we were doing. At the finish he was 9 miles ahead of us, and as long as we finished within 2 hours, the win was ours. The last leg had us reaching with a big chute up in 30 knots and surfing waves – on the edge the whole way. A nerve-wracking drop of the chute was needed, and with all hands on deck now it was pulled off quickly and safely. One gybe took us into Valetta harbor, the finish and an emotional welcome from the girls. With over half the fleet retiring in the conditions it must have been a worrying time for them, but their men came home bruised, battered, very tired, and with a great result for the final Triple-Lindy race in the Swan 44. This boat has proven how good Swan yachts are in thousands of ocean miles – she’ll be missed by a crew who adore her. I’m sure we’ll develop the same relationship with the new Cookson 50, but she’s a lot to live up to.
After nearly all upwind sailing so far, dawn brought us in sight of the Sicily shore. An amazing coastline to sail along – looks well worth a visit.
As we turned the SW corner of Sicily up went the spinnakers. Broke one on a gybe so up went another. As the wind built in squalls we switched to a poles out jib and could head straight for our next island to round. Wind now up to the 30s and we’re humming along.
Should be back to Malta tomorrow.
Crew happy and tired and smelly.
WAVES! Big upwind day for Lindy. Rounded the volcano Stromboli in the middle of the night and then headed toward north shore of Sicily passing through small islands on the way. The strength of Swan yachts was evident as we fell off a 30 ft wave in free fall- no damage to the boat after that huge crash, interior looked like the remnants of a student party, and crew have bumps and bruises.
Plenty of boats near us for the start of this leg but we slowly pulled clear of all but one. Seems we are both well placed in our class so a race is definitely on.
Great start! Off the line with the leaders as the gun boomed from the ramparts above. A pretty impressive harbour to set off from. A short spinnaker run outside the breakwater, then a turn to starboard and point to Sicily where we arrived in the late evening. Now struggling along in very light winds, but our efforts are being rewarded by passing other boats.
Crew happy, full of stew, and for once warm.
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