Winsome is ready to start on 26 December 2008

December 24, 2008

Last days everyone arrived. Sunday: Joost, Francois, Pieter and Reima. Tuesday Boj; he just arrived in time to hve Marjolein’s birthday dinner in a funky place in Sydney NSW. Today Marghereta joined Frank.

Today we had our Briefing for the race. Right thereafter we went again out in the Bay to hoist sails, check our running backstays and do some sailmanoeuvres. Though the crew looked somewhat rusty, as they it called it themselves, progress was made and after a couple of hours we went back into our berth.

At the very very last moment we found this morning Alan, thanks to intervention of Doug Sturrock, to repair our refrigerator and freezer on board.

The wind predictions are still wind from the North for the first two days starting with 10-15 knots freshening in the afternoon of Friday to 20-25 knots. Nothing to worry for us except for our result since a backstay wind will not give us a good result in the race. The wind may change to SE when passing Bass Street.

In total the fleet will consist of 100 boats devided in a racing and cruising division. Winsome is sailing in IRC Division 4 with 15 boats amongst them Pinta-M. Lady Courier with Gery Trentesaux with sail in IRC Division 3 so we will see if he will be able to win also on this side of the world?

In short: we are ready for 100% and will have a day off tomorrow when we will have a Christmas Lunch with Robbie’s mother resp. Marjolein’s mother-in-law at Pittwater Bay.

The start will be on Friday 26 December called Boxing day at 1300 EAT or 0200 GMT or 0300 in Amsterdam.

If we will be able to make contact from sea this message service will be continued.

Strangely it is very difficult to get a Christmas feeling here.