Daydream believer

It was 0420 and I’d already killed a cat. Two minutes later a rabbit copped it and it seemed at that time of the morning Hampshire was like the Serengeti. Actually I think the cat jumped. It had that “I’ve no regrets” look in its eye. Dignitas seemingly hasn’t reached the feline species yet. The rabbit was stupid. When you make a run for it, keep going! Never turn back. There’s a lesson there.

I was on my way to London’s Gatwick airport for a business meeting in Holland, and forced to think about animals, it occurred to me how astute cows had been. You see if our goal as individuals is to ensure the survival of the species, then they’ve got it cracked. Cunningly they’ve made themselves indispensable to man. In short we eat ‘em, and they are nice! We always will. A great marketing strategy from a misunderstood animal. Except by Indians, who literally worship them.

And you can extend that survival of the species theory to those of us who have children. Well sorry but we are now redundant. “Spent” if you will. If we were Salmon we’d develop a hooked beak, a hunched back, and be swimming up the river of our birth to be caught by a grizzly bear, but failing that, to spend the final hours with our mates drowning in it. Which is exactly how I plan to go.

So a lot of animals must be feeling a little threatened right now. Not because they are going to be eaten, but because they are not. Take your average Tapir for example. Must be shitting it. Neither tasty nor wearable. With a big nose.

Anyway you can tell I was in work mode, I have sales and marketing business with several customer in the marine industry. Mach 2 boats being one of course.

At the airport I fell into line with the usual queue of primer grey passengers who had that the same look in their eye that the cat had. Christ I’m glad I’m not part of that anymore. I was reflecting that now being in charge of my own destiny was really what I’d always wanted when I err.. fell asleep. But 45 minutes later it was time to land and I awoke in the middle of an erotic dream convinced that I’d mumbled “err Sorry” out loud.

It was a nice day, and I write this in the evening sitting in an Amsterdam airport bar where I’ve just identified a Dutch Bogan! He is fat with a beer bottle on his T shirt and a slogan underneath. The actual translation didn’t matter but what it really said was “I haven’t had sex for a year”.

I do think when people get past a certain size we should just simply burn them as energy, but then I once believed in castration at thirty and euthanasia at forty. That’d fuck the masters trophy up eh?

So its time to board the aircraft in a place in time where catching a train is now more exciting that a plane, and where I’ve just finished chatting to a girl on-line who jacked it all in and is now travelling the far east, where stopping and thinking about what you really want to do in life means that sometimes you can get it right. Or to put it anothern way, in a dog eat dog world it really can pay to be a cat… Sometimes.

Sail on the right side, sleep on the left.

Have you ever noticed we go left on the first beat, right on the next two? I can't think of an event in recent times where this hasn't happened. Apart from events at Hayling, where you can't. Otherwise you bash into a neighbouring county. Same with The Gorge if I recall, and that may be good. Odd though isnt it? Especially with all those books written on tactics. Maybe I'm wrong and I'm imagining it, I dont know. Perhaps this is just a slow news day.

And talking of slow..

Slowly I'm getting my Mach 2 together, there's no hurry but I may even sail next weekend, but then I may not. There seems so much other stuff to do these days. I went to see four great bands last night. I'm now deaf, and briefly was covered in piss.

Anyway the Mach 2 will be at the Dinghy Exhibition on the Foiler stand 7th/8th March. Come and see us.

Thank you to Zhik for asking me to join the Zhik team for 09. I cant think of a better clothing partner. I feel very lucky as I think their gear is so good I would have scrimped and saved to buy it anyway.

PS. Deep breath and fingers crossed for John and the boys on the Rag for the final races of the JJ Giltinian (2009 18ft skiff World Championship)

If there's a rocket, strap me to it.

I think every blog should have a "comments" facility. You can always delete the tossers and I think comments show a sense of respect for the people who take the time to read your site.

In the Times newspaper yesterday it listed the top 100 blogs, and nursing a hangover, I went on-line to look. Anyway I'm delighted to see that not only does Paris Hilton have a blog, but even a comments section. I was reading her blog yesterday. She's refreshingly honest without any sense of discretion, reporting she was "bummed after the Cardinal game", which is quite a thing to be told when you've just had your breakfast. Although of course not surprising. That's the thing with blogs, you can say anything. Anyway she had 157 comments. All offers.

You see the Sunday Times says blogging is a spontanaous expression of instant thought and should be taken as thus. And that shows sometimes.

Anyway it's warmer here now, but there's no denying that this country has been a miserable place. If an alien came and landed they'd think the place was inhabited by traffic cones and its just stopped raining/snowing for the first time this year. And we'll still be on a hose pipe ban by March.

Long live Geelong with its down on its luck, fading star of a silent movie looks and its glamour seafront, where you may well be run over by a cyclist but that's better than a snow plough, and where Bogans show off in huge numbers.

Yesterday I watched 3 intrepid Moth sailors launch at Hayling. It reminded me of the other side of mothing, people demanding no more than an a bit of breeze, some time alone to sail and practice. No fuss.

It's a Mach 2 adventure

It's the fastest thing on the block, but it's an adaptable and useful little companion too. In the UK where the temperature is around zero, and the place is covered with snow... Well who else has a carbon fibre coffee table?



In Melbourne, where the temperature has been in the 40's, it's happy to be a pool noodle..

And at the end of the day? We'll its your teddy too..

Mach 2 Moth in the UK

A new Mach 2 will be delivered to me tomorrow, snow willing. I know a lot of people are keen to see the boat so do feel free to come to my house. I live in Emsworth, Hampshire. This is not the boat I used at the Australian Nationals in Geelong but one shipped directly from China.

Shoot me an email at sales@mach2boats.com if you are interested.

And finally...

One day I would like to board an airliner and, as I walk in, turn left for a change.

The trip back from Aus was particularly long and despite flying up and down a lot I moved towards the UK with all the speed of a tectonic plate.

To pass the time I tried to taste every type of wine they had on board and I achieved this by telling the waiter it was my intention to do so, and he gladly oblidged,

Largely because he thought I was gay.

I know this because when it came to filling out the landing card for Aukland where I had a seven hour lay over, he gave me his own silver pen and asked me to send it back to him at the attached address. I wrote him a letter. What the fuck, it passed the time for while.

I then thought I'd be the first person to do a handstand in a 747, but fell side ways into that thing your not supposed to sit on, but looks like a seat near the back door. I got told off for that.

We had a great result in Geelong and I want to say a public thank you to Lex Bertrand and Brett Cannon for the long hours and support, to Bora Gulari for his invaluable help in Melbourne, to the guys and girls at McConaghy's for all the hard working in helping to produce a great boat. To the McDougall family for putting me up, or putting up with me, which ever way you look at it.
But most of all to Amac, designer, world class sailor, mentor and mate who taught me more about making a Moth go fast in two weeks than I've ever learned in all those years. His leadership, vision, shere determination and ability have made this project possible.

Thank you.

National Velvet

I was standing on Geelong seafront reflecting on how lucky I was. Here was me, racing some of the best guys in the world, in fact this probably was a mock worlds, in a beautiful new boat, with one of the best race committee's I've sailed under.

Life was good. I'd just won four heats and it was nice to be at the front again.

I was thinking all of this when I stood in a camel turd. That was on Saturday. That day didnt get any better.

Nathan deserved to win. He wasn't flawless but he is a polished act. A professional racer. It's great to have him in the class and I hope he can make it to Cascade Locks.

Dave Lister is so big he probably has to buy clothes at "High and Mighty" but jeez he's fast downwind. Where the rest of us are Microsoft he is Apple Mac and does his own thing. If he can make it, he is a contender for the Worlds in windy Cascade Locks too.

The rest of the results were a bit surprising, John Harris is a big regatta guy and will always perform when it matters, but he was a bit slow upwind actually.

Scotty was consistent but never got the best start, the best first beat..

Bora showed brilliance but also flaws, he was there at the windward mark but just well.. thought to much about things..

Anyway for me it was great to be running up at the front. I had only raced twice since the June Worlds in the UK and it showed a bit.

Every now and again.