Picture puzzle: what boat?

This isn't Buff either

It's a bear on a stand up kayak of course!

What'd you mean, you've never seen one?

One rather wet bear to be honest, having just fallen in - probably thought it saw a salmon or something.

Hostage

I'm sure there were many people saying "great you could be here" at the 2012 London Boat Show, but there were two people for whom that meant a lot more than just politeness.

Above are Paul and Rachel Chandler signing copies of their book Hostage, finally free from their terrible ordeal and safe back in blighty.

I had a brief chat with Rachel about their capture by Somali pirates and the motivation behind the re-arrangements of the VOR leg to Abu Dhabi. It must have been really awful - one of my greatest fears when travelling to Pakistan was kidnapping.

They are already planning their next voyage - to South America. I asked about Venezuela, having had a great time there, but it too has a bit of a piracy problem.

Its truly great that they are free and able to come to the Boat Show and I'm looking forward to reading my copy of their book.

Crash

Nope, this isn't JP after a night on the tiles, this is the crash dummy on board Yachting Monthly's Crash Test Boat that was on display at the 2012 London Boat Show.

Looked a right old mess, but not surprising given what its been through.

There were dancing girls

So there were some for the opening, but if they were around later I didn't see them.

Though I suspect I was hanging around the wrong bits of the show i.e. not the Princess and Sunseeker stands.

Friggin' in the riggin'

One of things to do at the 2012 London Boat Show was an opportunity to get a feel for the high life - or to be more accurate, to climb the rigging.

And they didn't have any old square rigger but the actual foretopmast of HMS Victory herself.

I had one of those "must get round to doing that" moments and then moved on, never to return. Nelson would not approve, being a great believer in seizing the day.

Though to be honest it wasn't that dramatic given the mast wasn't moving, there wasn't a breath of wind, nor rain or spray. 

I think doing it for real would be much more interesting.

Sherlock and the Boat Show

I was going to follow up my brief post on the boat show with another (short frequent postings being the thing nowadays) but the final episode of Sherlock started, and that demanded don't blink levels of attention.

And a cracker it was too. I won't spoil it if you haven't yet seen it (enjoy) but my suspicions were that if Moriarty could [deleted] then he surely could also [deleted]. And as for the ending, well the internet rumour mill is on overdrive but I agreed that Sherlock could have [deleted], [deleted] and then [deleted]: [deleted] is clearly key.

Anyhow less cryptically, the great Holmes is famous for noticing the dog that didn't bark and one of the interesting things about the boat show was who wasn't there this time who were in the past. Quite a lot of no-shows and the halls felt a lot emptier of stands and people.

For example there was no On Deck Sailing for the annual wouldn't it be great to do Antigua Week conversation. They probably got fed up with time wasters who each year would come up and say "wouldn't it be great to do Antigua Week", drink a glass of bubbly and then disappear.

So no free bubbly and no dancing girls.

But what was there? Well to answer that question would make this post long, and as we all know, frequent short posts are the thing now a days.

Later, guys!

The London Boat Show connection

Yesterday's mystery picture was a display of the wares from the Mayfair Gallery. What, I asked, is the connection between the Mayfair Gallery and sailing?

It was in a way a trick question, because my honest answer was that I didn't know. Hence my surprise when I saw it at the London Boat Show, which I went to yesterday.

But obviously someone thinks there is a connection. If a gazzilionaire turns up to buy a $$ million Princess or Sunseeker they might want to decorate it with some vases or something. Or indeed a Rolls as in the pic above (taken with an iPhone so alas not a great photo).

To be honest I can't see your typical member of the 0.01% joining the masses at Excel in Docklands, but apparently the super yacht segment of the market is booming.

Unlike much of the rest of the show that felt rather anaemic, as will post on shortly.

Buff's Official Apology

Today we are joined by a (rather scary) representative from Leech, Vam, Pire & Partners lawyers who is to make an official statement.

On behalf of our client, Mr Buff Staysail, we would like to make clear our regret at the incident at the London Boat Show.  Our client is willing to accept without reservation that he is not the "Original Buff" and that he in no way had any hand in the creation of this brand. Furthermore he accepts that his statement that "it was all my idea" was completely without substance.

Mr Buff Staysail regrets grabbing handfuls of the product and throwing them into the watching crowd. Also after closer examination he agrees that the statement "I don't need one I'm not going bald" was factually incorrect. In addition he sincerely regrets trying to demonstrate on the sales woman his theory that the headband could be used to support other parts of the body.

In conclusion he willing agrees with the request to remain at least 50 m from any Buff store and accepts that his behaviour was in part due to a long session in the Boat Show bar.

With this statement we suggest that the incident is hereby considered closed.

Some boat shows pic

Some pics from the boat show. Above and below some of the humongously big plastic things that Italian PM Berlusconi would use to entertain his "friends".

This rather neat display showed cruising shoot hoisting with a bank of fans to create wind and a boat that could be rotated round to simulate gybes etc.

There was also this indoor arena where you could try out standup kayaks, dinghies etc.

Alas Buff didn't behave himself that well and got into trouble......

Geoff Holt at the London Boat Show

One of the highlights of the London Boat Show was hearing Geoff Holt, winner of the 2010 Yachtsman of the Year, talk about his experiences.

He described his love of sailing and how he thought it was to be his life. All was going to plan and he had many thousands of miles under his belt, including several crossings of the Atlantic, when his broke his neck in a hasty dive into the deceptively shallow waters of Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVI.

Geoff is a good speaker, relaxed and fluent, and from many a retelling as a "motivational speaker" tells the story well. It is indeed inspiring to hear how even a quadriplegic can achieve great things like circumnavigate Britain or cross the Atlantic. It reminded me a bit of my encounter with Jamie Andrew last month.

Maybe it was because of this I went up to him afterwards with a question that had come to me after talking about Jamie with a friend: it can it be a bit daunting for those that have mobility issues to hear about those that have been so successful despite their greater problems - what would he say to them?

It wasn't a question he'd expected, and we were distracted by photographers. But he made good points: firstly that everyone's path should be the one that is right for them, and that doesn't mean doing what Geoff or Jamie did. What is important is to gain in confidence and the best way to do that is to feel independent.

For Geoff that meant sailing again, to feel the boat react as he hauled on the main sheet or pushed the tiller over. And he was open about how hard it was, taking a long time to rehab - its now 25 years since his accident.

But there have been good things too: he met his wife in hospital where she was a nurse and they now have a son. Geoff might not have been able to play footie with him, but nothing was going to stop him learning to sail - as in the pic above.

He has also achieved much to help the disabled sail as part of his work for Sailability and last year 25,000 of them went out on the water. Good deeds like those give him a warm feeling, of doing something of value, and recognition too, with an MBE in 2010.

Geoff invited us to look at the names on the Yachtsman of the Year award, and there were many that I recognised, like Eric Hiscock, Francis Chichester, Robin Knox-Johnston, Chay Blyth, Pete Goss, Ellen MacArthur and Samantha Davies.

Those names have something in common, something that hopefully Geoff will have too, for already he is thinking of the next project - to be the first quadriplegic to sail around the world.

I certainly wish him well.

London Boat Show 2011

After seeing the Gauguin at the Tate I went on to the Boat Show. Between the two spent rather a long time walking and had time to come to an important conclusion: people walk too slowly.

I mean really, do you want to spend an hour more than you need to wandering the isles of the cavernous ExCel?

Of course each year have wondered if its worth going at all, but this year thought it might help with the problem of choices, choices posted on earlier.

Many of the options could be ruled out, starting with the shiny new and hence expensive yachts. Indeed I'm not sure that ownership is right for me apart from that gleam in the eye for an inflatable kayak, especially when there are so many sailing schools and holidays.

Again some like the Fastnet and Clipper require far too much time than work will permit, but that still left many possible alternatives.

But not just sailing: the boat show was combined with two others, the outdoor show and something to do with bikes (push bikes that is), and some of those trekking holidays looked pretty good too.

In the end that's probably the best reason to go to these sorts of shows. Unless you have something specific in mind what is interesting is what you find interesting.

As the ancient Greeks put it: know thyself.

Or at least try to.

London Boat Show 2010

Another year, another London Boat Show, but did this one have something special, the magic X-Factor?

Well in a literal way yes, because one of the "stars" was someone called Olly Murs who I'd never heard of but apparently was runner up in the TV show the X-Factor. He sang something, not sure what as headed off in the opposite direction but I noted a number of young women hurrying towards the stage so maybe he is an acquired taste.

On another stand where they were trying to sell very expensive Italian speed boats there was another show, this time models and lingerie. Why no photos the blokes out there will ask? Well partly it seemed rather sad in the huge aircraft hanger of ExCel but also because the models were just inhumanly skinny. Someone give them all a square meal please.

A more acceptable form of entertainment was on the Princess stand where there was this DJ and saxophone player:

It seemed much quieter than normal. One stand I talked said it had been dead in the first few days blaming (quite understandably) the snow and difficult travel conditions.

I dropped in as I always do to the On Deck stand where I have an annual will I do Antigua week discussion with Simon "oh hello, I recognise you" but this year it was all over as apparently they are already full. BVI is an alternative and in this month's Yachting World as being fab sailing but that would involve getting organised and so to be honest less likely. But they are talking of hot boats for Cowes week so will keep an eye on my inbox (now its working).

Then went off to Neilson and SunSail to ask some questions for my nephew who's got to the age when he's thinking of summer jobs (they grow up so fast) before getting to the book shops and authors doing a meet and greet.

Always like this bit and could say hello to Lisa Copeland again. I met her at the show last year just before went off to Venezuela which she had sailed so had an interesting chat and this year got another of her books, this time Comfortable Cruising.

While I'm sure it will be a wonderful winter escape to warming waters was a bit sorry as felt, in these credit crunch times, unwilling to expand my reading to a second book and so turned down the tempting sounding "Ice Bears & Kotick: Rowing at the top of the World".

This tells the story of how Peter Webb and friend decided to row around Spitzerbergen in a 17 foot classic wooden boat:

Clearly this was an act of insanity, particularly when the local wild life decided to say hello, poking its nose through their tent:

But its on my list and definitely looks like a good read.

Dropped in on the Navionics stand to ask for VMG and proper waypoints and apparently they're in the plan but not considered urgent as the chart app for iPhone is considered a "social tool". Hmm... not my view of what navigations all about but then it does have a facebook feed so maybe I've judged it wrongly.

And that was pretty much it.

I do enjoy a wander round but there was less buzz than many previous years. If however you had money and an idea what to spend it on I'm sure you'd get an absolute bargin from vendors desperate to sale.

Me, I even said no to a second book!

Racing across London

Yesterday went to the London Boat Show (full post to come) as Thursday is late opening so can squeeze a visit into an already busy week.

The problem is that the exhibition centre ExCel is completely the wrong side of London from Putney and on a work night did not want to stay out too late.

But was rather surprised when, having run for trains, jumped on tubes as the doors were closing, managed to do the trip in "just" an hour. It reminded me of that Top Gear cross London race in which the bike won (though that journey was in the opposite direction).

However later measured the distance on Google Earth and calculated that works out as an average speed of 10 miles per hour.

Not sure that is much better than a hundred years ago!

UK Charts on Sale

The chap on the Navionics stand was right - the charts for the UK and Holland are now available for download from iTunes at the discounted rate of £ 37.99. To find them just go to the App store and search for Navionics.

Worth a punt even if they don't seem to have the ability to set way points yet (hopefully that is on its way). Will report on how they look shortly.

Mike Golding Happy Now

Poor old Mike Golding has had a bad couple of months. Having worked hard to be ready for the Vendee Globe, battle thousands of miles keeping in the leading pack, finally grabbing the lead, only to have his mast break, that must be tough.

But here he is at the boat show standing next to the model and presenter Kelly Brook, and now he's smiling - for some reason.....

New Ocean Rower

Didn't get to see any rowers at the London Boat Show but apparently some of the Ocean Angels were there somewhere and there was apparently some interesting discussions going on....

Impressions from the London Boat Show

First impressions from yesterday at the London Boat Show.

Noticeably quieter than previous years with some notable faces missing. No rowing girls (more on them later), no one from Blue Spirit Yachting (old chums there), and no one from the Corinthian Sailing club. There were fewer sailing clubs and schools in general - actually there were probably fewer of everything.

But of course Guinness was still flowing and the Princesses were as humongous as always. Nice Bond theme (above) in the big boat hall, but rather than a full band there was simply a DJ.

I went along on Thursday evening which has a nice feel to it. There aren't the crowds of Saturday and there's often drinks on offer if you know where to go.

My nice glass of bubbly came from Simon from On Deck Sailing with whom I went on the Volvo 60 Pindar at last year's Cowes week. He says he's working on something even bigger and better this time round but we'll have to wait and see. There was the usual "what's it looking like for Antigua week" discussion to which there was no conclusion apart from how cool would that be but there's the whole money and time problem.

Another perenial wouldn't that be cool if it wasn't for time and money was the Clipper Round the World yacht race stand which know people who have done and it looks like a great adventure. Another time alas.

Had a certain amount of fun asking the various yacht charter and sailing holiday companies if they have anything in country Y, which am planning visiting on business soon (you'll have to stay tuned to find out where that is). Most went "where?" or "huh?" and then said "no" but one handed me a business card with an email address of someone that might, so not a complete waste.

One person who wasn't phased to be asked about country Y was Liza Copeland of "Just Cruising", and she knew all about it and could tell me which islands are safe and which dangerous (oops, giving you some clues there). It was really useful stuff and bought her book "Europe to Australia" which covers that country amongst many others (so not much of a clue in that). She went sailing round the world with her husband Andy and three children ages 2, 6, and 9 - sounds like a great adventure.

More from Earls Court

Apart from the ocean rowers, my attention wasn't caught by much else at the Earls Court show last weekend.

However I was intrigued by the triangular sail for the kayak (above). It reminded me a bit of Arab dhows or the small boats used to cross the Pacific.

There were also a couple of authors there to sign copies of their works, but tend not to buy books this close to Christmas - just in case someone gets it for me!

I was more tempted by the beautiful photos on display at the Kos stand. Imagine the picture below blown up huge with a lovely frame......

Alas it was as expensive as it was attention grabbing!

More examples from their web site here.

More Hardy Girls

Sometimes its amazing what people make themselves do.

One of the few highlights at the Earls Court Boats-and-some-other-stuff Show was meeting some of the hardy girls who row oceans.

Above is Fiona who as well as being really nice aims to be one of the crew of the first female-crewed boat to row the Indian Ocean. As you can read on their Ocean Angels web site the plan is to row all the way from Western Australia to Mauritius, a distance of 3,100 nautical miles.

The other objective, apart from the record books, is to raise money for Breast Cancer Care. And you can support them via their web site and in return get your picture on the side of their little (under 10m) boat and feel that in a way you too joined them on their crossing.

And as according to that trusted source, The Sun, they will be making at least part of the journey naked, that might be something worth thinking about - and donating to this worthy cause.

The boat they plan to use has a history of female crews, as she was rowed across the Atlantic by Sally of "Sally's Odd at Sea" fame who I met at the last Excel show.

Sally was at the show too, plugging her book and it was great to catch up and hear the latest news (recently married, so all go aaahhh! apart from pirates who can go arrrrr!)