RI13 – One team’s story

[Paul Glatzel]

Lovely weather off Fastnet!

[Daibheid]

Originally Posted by Paul Glatzel

Lovely weather off Fastnet!

Now that's a Live update!

[rocknrolla]

Originally Posted by Paul Glatzel

Lovely weather off Fastnet!

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I take my hat of to u Looey well done

[ShinyShoe]

SOOOOO jealous.

[Paul Glatzel]

Ooops - double post

[Paul Glatzel]

Day ???: Dingle to Crosshaven

We left Dingle at last! Whilst Dingle is perfectly charming and there are no shortage of food outlets and pubs we are not here to sit in pubs and just want to get on so a good forecast was what was needed. A confusing picture was what we got though.

One of the most frustrating things about this trip aside from the actual weather over a few days has been the difficulty of getting good weather information. Take this trip. The forecast from the coastguard is 4 – 6 with S or SW winds and a small craft warning. XCweather (which is very popular amongst most teams) is showing 2-3. As an organizer Hugo is placed in a really difficult position especially after the fleet got split and the issues some teams had running into Fenit. Our gut feel is that XC is right so we go. Dingle bay is choppy and we head out towards the magnificent Skelligs which are about 20 miles away.

We arrive and they are covered in a blanket of clag (whether that is a real word or not I am unsure but it seems to describe aptly the effect of low mist/rain and overcast skies. Up cloe though we see more and they are truly awe inspiring. From the Skelligs we head to a large rock known as the Bull.

Wow – running right through this rock is a deepwater tunnel. With my heart in my hands (and the hope my insurers don’t read this thread) we run Top Hat through the Island – magnificent!! (and far more room than it first looked). All the boats take turns to run through and we marvel at the buildings built into the side of the cliff face. It is remote enough just visiting here let alone the idea of being left here.

From the we run back inshore to pass under the cable car behind Dursey Island then round Mizen Head and towards the Fastnet Rock.

The Fastnet is a truly iconic boating location known of course for its eponymous race and sadly for the 15 fatalities suffered during the 79 race. The rock is just fabulous and Paul Lemmer hops off to get some photos of the fleet.

Thanks to Paul Lemmer and John Aldis for the best sightseeing day by far that we live in all of our memories til we are too old to remember – or in my case a weeks time by when I have usually forgotten most things.

From the Fastnet we just crack on in smooth but rolling seas towards Crosshaven.

The last time that I entered Crosshaven I was in Andrew’s Scorpion and we were accompanied by a Lifeboat and Andrew headed off to hospital (See the Great British RIB Rally thread) so it was a poignant moment to come alongside the Lifeboat pontoon and then later see some of the station crew.

We moor at Royal Cork Yacht Club and then have a last night dinner and speeches at a local restaurant. A great night but then a weather delay this morning…. We spoke too soon!!


Paul

[digidub]

Paul thank you soooo much for the posts. It gave me a great insight to and event that I would hope to do some day.........

[Paul Glatzel]

Mustering for run into Kilmpre Quay entrance!

[Paul Glatzel]

And so the celebrations begin!

[Daibheid]

A couple of pix of Top Hat- arriving past Roches Point shepherding in the fleet, coming in to Crosshaven, showing the last shall be first in the fuel Q when the biggest, filing an online update from the helm while fuelling and shuffling off in search of a quiet berth with a load of fuel on board.

I think Top Hat should be renamed Top Cover in SAR terminology for a brilliant job of supporting the smaller boats in seriously testing conditions.

[Trevor G]

Originally Posted by Paul Glatzel

And so the celebrations begin!

Well Done Guys - I'm almost sorry I had to miss the Fenit to Dingle and Dingle to Crosshaven legs with you - but then again if I were still in Kilmore Quay now, I'd never have got back to the UK in time to get away on the Family's holiday on Wednesday!

When are you heading back to Neyland?

Trev

[Paul Glatzel]

Thanks for the kind words Trevor. Apple Attaque in Milford now, group of 5 inc 3 northern boats, searider and Khakish just left. Rest going first thing tomorrow. Paul

[MustRib]

yes Paul...Top job in Top Hat.
Personally very grateful for everything you did.
all the best

Andy

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by MustRib

yes Paul...Top job in Top Hat.
Personally very grateful for everything you did.
all the best

Andy

and the small point of running Top Hat back to Poole....but rather less time pressure for that hopefully.

[Paul Glatzel]

Day ?? (Not sure): Crosshaven to Kilmore Quay

Has it really finished? We are in Kilmore Quay tied up and the teams have started to go their separate ways. Whilst everyone is sad to go for most there is a need to get back to the normal life, catch up with emails, return mountains of calls and sleep in a proper bed.

After finishing writing up the Blog and doing some work late last night about one o’clock I get a rude awakening as the bow thruster kicks in on Top Hat and powers the bow into the pontoon. I jump up but the switch is off – thankfully killing the batteries kill the thruster but it was a lucky escape. Had we not been on board the thruster may have burnt out and even caused a fire – it doesn’t bear thinking about! Thankfully I don’t really need the thruster but I always switch it on before berthing – just in case!

Waking again about 5.30 the wind is howling – not good. A shower and general brush up and 7am brings a call from Hugo to delay the departure. It seems the weather gods constantly conspire against us on this trip – late July early August should be as good as it gets weather wise over Ireland but a low has camped over Ireland throughout our stay and has created difficult and unpredictable weather.

Paul Lemmer and John Aldis volunteer for a recce mission to see what it is like and report back a bit messy but okay. We leave at 9.30am and head out into the harbour where an offshore wind is kicking up loads of small white crested waves. The trip to Kilmore Quay is largely uneventful and it feels strange to dismiss a 75 mile passage as just a few hours bouncing along. We rendezvous with the larger RIBs at the safe water mark on the run in to Kilmore and run in line abreast.

Being back in Kilmore seems strange, so much has happened since last time we were there – after all the last time I arrived we ended up with Andy’s PLB/MOB situation. Once we arrive the exhalation from all is profound – we’ve done it and thankfully it wasn’t just a flat calm run around Ireland. It was a challenge in the real sense of the word.

And the winners – everyone who got to the start line. The effort, cost, commitment and understanding from those at home is immense. Over the coming few days many other participants will tell their stories and I will sum up my thoughts on kit and other issues when there are a few more minutes to spare.

In a post earlier today Digidub thanked me for the posts. The reason I have tried to post nightly is twofold: 1) For me trying to sum up at the end of the event would prove impossible – the days simply merge into each other 2) And mainly – I feel a sort of duty to do so. When I started this thread I referred to the RB4 event and how I was inspired by those guys to try a similar trip. Speaking to one of those original participants – John Aldis – over the last few days he was surprised to hear how it motivated me seeing them do such a thing. In a similar way I hope that maybe one or two RIBnetters will read this thread and try a similar thing themselves. For me the first trip was the Great British RIB Rally with the appeal being running with a friend – Andrew – and running round the entirity of the Wales/Scotland/Ireland and England. Missing Ireland last time was a shame so this event allowed me to complete a lap of the whole of Ireland and the UK mainland.

Would I do it again? At this stage no. I feel that I have satisfied the urge to get round the UK and Ireland. A ‘criticism’ I had of the GBR10 event was that we didn’t see much and the focus was the getting the distance covered – in effect this sort of thing is an enduro event where the focus is not really on seeing much but achieving the goal. I put ‘criticism’ in inverted commas because in reality there is never misrepresentation on the part of the organisers but a failure on the part of those of us attending to appreciate what it is all about. If the weather is good (like yesterday) then there is the time to get it close to the cliffs, to slide through islands, to visit little coves. If the weather kicks off then it is back to being an enduro event.

For me in the future I would want to spend more time in less places. My idea is to trail a couple of boats and explore areas around the coast but then leapfrog between locations using land so as to avoid the need for long arduous passages and t spend more time learning about an area and people.

The people of Ireland can be proud. They have shown themselves to be the most hospitable and supportive people you could wish to meet. They live in a stunning location and there is not a person who attended this event who feels any different. Thanks especially to Willk for his hands on assistance and to the other RIBnetters who commented, photographed and said hello!

This event has been really tough but I am 200% glad that we did it and particularly did it as a family plus dog. Providing ‘top cover’ for the fleet was hugely satisfying but by the same token a full on job. The teams have all done hugely well and there are many stories and personal triumphs that will never make their way out, hopefully the majority will.

The ‘girls’ have had a huge amount of publicity and without doubt deserve the compliments coming their way. It was interesting that when it all started there were many (well meaning) offers to drive for them if it got tough but that was to underestimate them and their boat Their ability (both offshore and in marina situations) and resolve shone through and they formed a friendship that will last for life. If they inspire other girls and youngsters to ‘give it a go’ and step outside their comfort zone they should be very proud.

Thank you to Hugo and Michaela and the team at Powerboat and RIB for having the ambition and confidence to undertake an event that was not without risk. Let’s not forget that the event came within a hair’s breadth of probably being cancelled and finishing in tragedy had Andy’s situation ended badly. Indeed during the event after the ‘big day’ where the crews were scattered and a helicopter and lifeboat were launched the ‘interest’ from the Irish CG was considerable and unsettling. It is easy to criticize events or magazines but it is only by such people having the ambition and commitment to create and run events and publications we get to enjoy them and read them.


So what are the final scores on the doors:

Vessels that completed the event

Apple Attaque – 5m Humber
Black Hawk – 7m Osprey
Option 4 – 6m Delta
Top Cat – 7.5m Scorpion
Baby Blue – 4.7m Avon Searider*
Khalish – 7m Humber
Ribquest – 4.9m Ribquest*
Black Panther – 4.8m Highfield
Pink Panther – 4.8m Highfield
Linley Swan – 7m Ribtec*
Mad Tubes – 7m Ribtec
Searider – 5m Avon Searider
Rascal – 6m Ribtec
Nyzod – 6m Zodiac
Seawolf – 10m Humber
Top Hat - 10m Botnia Targa
Freya – 12m Artic Blue**
Skerryvore – 10m Redbay
Hot Lemon – 8.5m Scorpion

* completed one or more legs by trailer due to weather or boat damage
** will run to Neyland and complete the day after the rest of the fleet

Did not finish

Mash II – retired due to injury
Cetus – retired
Taw – damage to boat
Blue J – damage to boat
Styx – crew illness

Plus there were three or four other craft that failed to make the start line


Photos to follow over the next few days

Paul

[whisper]

Originally Posted by Paul Glatzel

Baby Blue – 4.8m Ribcraft*

Dude It was a 1991 Avon Searider 4.7

[willk]

Well done to all who took part! Bit more detail from donegaldan and myself here: Linky

[T 15]

Thanks for a great thread

Looking forward to the pics.

Think Mad Tubes And Linley Swan are Ribeye

[Highfield RIBs]

What a great Challenge it was. Thank you so much to crew of Top Hat for the feeling of security she gave us small boats every day, Thank you to Hugo and the PBR team for organising what became in places a very very challenging trip, thank you to Every boat in the smaller fleet for the company and teamwork that got us all through the harder days, thank you to the Irish, we had never been to Ireland before this. We will be coming back. Friendly and welcoming (even at midnight) wherever we ended up. I reserve the biggest thank you to the Crew of the Pink Panther. Thank you girls for carrying her through what we went through without even a scratch. You were amazing. Not a single mile skipped in a 4.9metre aluminium rib.

We will be back...

[Paul Glatzel]

More photos here

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=fa89395411