the horse's mouth

The Ellen Express Keeps Chugging Along. New Sailing Record Set.

She does it again! Ellen and her team set a new record of 1 day, 3 hours, 23 minutes and 29 seconds from St Nazaire to St Malo, France for the Maxi class.
Ellen MacArthur's sailing machine B&Q as she left St. Nazaire.


The route from St Nazaire to St Malo.


Ellen MacArthur and her crew. Loik Gallon, Charles Darbyshire, and Rudi Steiness.
The guy who took the picture is, photographer, Christian Pollet.


B&Q smashing the record at the end her dash.
Isn't that funny, Do It Yourself dot Com on the sail.

If Ellen doesn't watch out she just might wake and be the best fuc*ing damn sailor around. For crying out loud, do you know any other celeb sailor with more tenacity and guts?
Rah, rah, rah....yeah I know I'm cheerleading again...so what!

Team Ellen.

Photos of B&Q - Image © Jacques Vapillon / DPPI

Super Cat Capsizes.

The Super Fast Cat, Médiatis Région Aquitaine, whose video I showed last week, has capsized west of the Canary Islands.

The capsizing took place during the second attempt at the record for the solo 24-hour distance run after an aborted first attempt in April. The skipper was rescued by a passing Chilean Cargo Ship. The skipper of the hapless cat, Yves Parlier said, "The boat began accelerating by lifting the hull. I had difficulties to slacken the main sail to slow down. I went out on the deck and I managed to slacken but nevertheless, the boat gradually overturned on the edge and I fell towards the opposite hull. 15 minutes later, the boat had returned."

Fear of capsizing is what scares most people off of sailing cats around the world.

Source Sailhead.

Cats are fast! Sailing Video

Click to start video.

Catamaran Médiatis Région Aquitaine at full speed.


Video via Gryphon Solo.

Orange II

Congratulations to Bernard Peyon, his crew and boat, Orange II, on their historic record breaking circumnavigation of the world in 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and four seconds.
This beautiful photo is of Orange II as she left Brest at the beginning of her journey. Photo AFP