A taste of things to come...

This is a great video I got shown when I was away on my Nav and Met course. Its taken from the BT Global Challenge race, which is extremely similar to Clippers except their route took them round Cape Horn. Anyway, enjoy...

I'll put a full update of the course and Crew Allocation on soon....

Pete

Navigation & Meteorology

Only two days now until my Navigation & Meteorology course down in Gosport...

I've spent the week covering as many topics as I can from the Day Skipper Shore based courses, although I only need to know the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea as a pre-requisite.

If it all goes well then we should all end up getting our Yachtmaster shore based certificates which will be great. This, combined with a logged 36000 miles should go along way to completing all my qualifications when I return. Our course will then be finished next Friday, just in time for crew from all over the world to invade Portsmouth for Crew allocation. Looking forward to catching up with some of the people i've already met in my training...

Skippers Announced for the race...

Today the skippers for the Clippers 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race were announced. Really pleased to see that some of the skippers i've done my training with have made it onto the race.

There seems to be an incredibly wide range of experience, from Mini Transat racers to those involved in America's Cup campaigns, and from all over the world too!

Its a little under two weeks now before I find out which boat i'm on, and which of the 10 skippers i'll have. Getting really excited now, can't wait for Crew Allocation, to meet everyone i'll be sailing with and start planning our race...

Whilst i've been enjoying learning about Navigation and Meteorology (I know it'll be incredibly important in determining who wins), i'm just really keen to start relating it all to a course across the great oceans and to see how our strategy plays out. I know we'll probably have a mix of people on board aswell - some will want to really race, where as others might not have this as their sole focus. Starting to balance all these elements from Crew Allocation onwards will be really great fun.

Still really hoping to get selected as a watch leader as well. Watch this space...

Pete

Working with sponsors...

Apart from my Clipper training courses on the South Coast, I am also working with my Corporate Sponsors here in London.

For Leg 3 of the race, I am pleased to welcome Turner & Townsend, a multinational project management and cost management firm, as a corporate sponsor. I was recently able to take them along to visit one of the yachts, Hull and Humber, in St. Katherine's Dock in London. This is the Clipper 68 that I have requested to be on for the race, so it was great to see her with all the new branding finished!

I'll also be doing work with Turner & Townsend by writing articles for Trade publications and doing client events in both South Africa and Australia...

My first blog...

Welcome to the collinsoceanracing blog!

I'm just in the process of setting this up at the moment, but it will mean that you'll have a much more interactive way of following my race. I plan on getting it properly up and running over the next week or so, integrating it into my main website, http://www.collinsoceanracing.com/.

Not long to go now till the race, 118 days in fact. I've got most of the admin stuff sorted now - visas, kit, injections etc.

Just got my Nav & Met course and then my two PART C courses in July before the big race start...

Well, until next time..

Pete