As the final night of the Rolex Fastnet race closed in my mind was freed from the months of turmoil, frustrations and difficulties of what has without a doubt been my hardest offshore season to date. The entire team aboard Quokka hiked through the night with an enthusiasm and desire to win that only four weeks ago would have been hard to believe. The singing, the laughing and atmosphere of high spirits was a stark contrast to the sombre mood that surrounded us on completion of the Morgan cup.
In the days preceding the start of the big race, which everyone had worked so hard for, it was a huge relief as it became more certain that the strong winds that have dominated the 2011 offshore season would not plague the Fastnet Race. Indeed there was only one period throughout the race that would provide us with a short time when the wind would be greater than 20 knots. Apart from that the start would almost certainly be the windiest part of the race.
The atmosphere from the moment the team arrived at Universal Marina to prepare Quokka for the race gave me great encouragement and filled me with a glimmer of confidence. I was certain that the attitude was well placed and the positivity was going to lead us in the right direction in our continued quest for glory.
One of my biggest challenges for the Fastnet race was without a doubt sailing with the owner on board, especially given that the owner is a man with considerable experience and an impeccable record for top results both inshore and offshore. It was not really clear who the boss was, which continually niggled me as I struggled to find a balance and solution. Going into the Fastnet I accepted that there was not one boss onboard, the responsibility was equally shared between us and we would have to work as a team to ensure complete harmony.
Peter Rutter, the owner of Quokka, is a great guy with many similar and compatible philosophies about racing. We share a common ambition and desire to win, with a determination and enthusiasm that is infectious driving and motivating those around us. The only potential issue is that our styles are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Peter's often abrupt and direct approach is a complete contrast to my sensitive, subtle, diplomatic and possibly even manipulative style. What we both have in common though is a complete honesty as we analyse situations, allowing us to give active encouragement in the quest to gain the maximum out of everyone member of the team.
In reality the partnership worked extremely well and toward the end of the Fastnet race Peter found himself reminding me of some of the leadership tools that are my trademark. It is after all easy to forget certain values as tiredness creeps in and exhaustion takes it's toll. The wry smile on Peter's face as he very occasionally put me back in my box always made me chuckle, especially when the suggestion of mild hypocrisy was not totally unfounded. We both learnt a huge amount from each other throughout the season and I believe we complimented each other in a productive way.
That aside, I did find it difficult to exert my authority on all situations and sometimes floundered with tactical calls. This resulted in there being a lack of clarity with the objectives and priorities at certain times during the race. In hindsight I think I was sometimes intimidated by Peter and was not always confident enough to make my opinion heard. The biggest lesson I learnt from the Fastnet Race was that I need to be more dominant and confident in my presentation of the tactics as I see them. My failure to convey the information with precision and confidence certainly lost us valuable miles.
Without a doubt having two tactical brains on board can only be a good thing. When working well together a solid and well informed strategy can be created utilising a greater input of knowledge combined with vital experience. Throughout the Fastnet race we certainly gained more miles than we lost through the partnership as there were times when Peter made a great call and times when I did. On those occasions the other person had probably missed the vital clues, but as a team they were observed and acted upon. On the other hand we both made mistakes that cost us miles and it is this area where our greatest room for improvement lies. Sometimes it was an obvious situation that needed a very simple application of the strategic rules that we either overlooked or failed to communicate but very occasionally it was a joint decision that just did not quite work out.
I am a great believer that the most important component in any offshore campaign is the team. It is the people involved that make or break it and I have long since lived with a strong belief in the adage 'there are no weak teams, just weak leaders.' I speak from bitter experience with this as my offshore campaign in 2007 crumbled around me. At that time in my career I did not have the management tools, the inclination or the leadership expertise to deal with the situation. The end result was not pretty and I failed my team and myself that year.
The winter of 2007 was a difficult time in my life as I take failure personally and struggle to cope with it. I knew that I never wanted to feel that way again and most importantly I never wanted a team to finish a campaign (or not as in that case) with those feelings of despair, frustration, disappointment and resentment. I learnt a huge amount about myself that year as I continually analysed the season and came to the conclusion that whilst I was faced with a difficult dynamic in the team I was the most at fault. Using a careful process of self critique I taught myself many valuable skills that I would use in the future to ensure that I became a better leader with tools that would allow me to deal with difficult situations more effectively. I was adamant that I would never fail a team again, as I have already advocated it is the people that are the most important component for a variety of reasons.
The final night of the Rolex Fastnet race provides me with one of my fondest memories of offshore racing. I spent the entire night on deck with a team that had suffered adversity and overcome many personal issues throughout the season. Not least the loss of a fellow competitor during one of the qualifying races which hit us all hard. That combined with the rig failure and other damage made the successful outcome of the campaign far from certain.
Throughout the night a dedicated, loyal and determined group of individuals showed that they had the qualities to win. The singing, laughing and enthusiastic chatter was testimony to the commitment of the team onboard Quokka. Winning the Fastnet race with only 14 hours to go was a dream that was quietly slipping away as the distance we needed to pull out on the chase group was becoming an almost impossible challenge. We all knew that we needed some good fortune to win the race, boat speed on it's own would not be sufficient.
When our first break came just before the Lizard we all believed it was possible and there was no questioning the prospect of maximising our chances by working through the night. That night Quokka was alive and we felt at one with her. The trimming was relentless and the energy on board was astonishing, giving us the drive to keep pushing all the way. The constant escort of dolphins was an added bonus as they enchanted me until dawn when Rame Head was appearing through the low grey and dreary cloud, signifying the finish line.
As the wind became fickle with 50 degree winds shifts and guts of 20 knots accompanied by lulls of 3 knots the last three miles where certainly a challenge and a test of our resolve. Peter and my patience with each other was stretched hard and as we crossed the line his first comment was "if there was ever a moment we were going to fall out it was then." I am pleased to say we did not fall out in fact there was hardly an exchange of words! Though Pedro did point out at that moment that we had acted like a married couple for much of the race, giving everyone great cause for amusement!
Crossing the finish line was an emotional experience as the gun, positioned in the lighthouse, was an unexpected welcome to Plymouth that echoed around the Sound and signified the end of an incredible experience. At that moment the enormity of what we, as a team, had achieved became a reality. The gun confirmed that we had taken line honours which was later confirmed as a tenth place overall (out of 300 boats). To be honest though, the result was not what mattered, in the end what really mattered were the smiles on the faces of a team that had given their all and I knew we had reached the summit of the mountain we had been climbing for so long.
For me I was overwhelmed with emotion and a complete satisfaction that at last the demons of 2007 had been laid to rest. The lessons I learnt from that experience equipped me with the ability and leadership capability that has been used and stretched to the limit this season. Without the disastrous year back then I may not have been a good enough leader to get through this campaign with a team that had trusted me and embraced my vision with a shared desire for success. We may not have come first in the race but every single person on board was a winner and without a doubt a better sailor and a more confident competitor, me included. I know that I have learnt many lessons this year which will make me even faster and better next year.
I was touched to read a message from Peter to Tim a couple of days ago which simply read, "I think I learnt more this season than anyone, old dogs and new tricks and all that!" A very humble comment from a man with a certain air of confidence, a pride that does not like to be dented and a pedigree that many envy. This one, possibly slightly ambiguous, quote is now the highlight of my season and an ultimate sign of respect to a team that have craved the praise of a man they hold in such high esteem and with vast respect.
In the days preceding the start of the big race, which everyone had worked so hard for, it was a huge relief as it became more certain that the strong winds that have dominated the 2011 offshore season would not plague the Fastnet Race. Indeed there was only one period throughout the race that would provide us with a short time when the wind would be greater than 20 knots. Apart from that the start would almost certainly be the windiest part of the race.
The atmosphere from the moment the team arrived at Universal Marina to prepare Quokka for the race gave me great encouragement and filled me with a glimmer of confidence. I was certain that the attitude was well placed and the positivity was going to lead us in the right direction in our continued quest for glory.
One of my biggest challenges for the Fastnet race was without a doubt sailing with the owner on board, especially given that the owner is a man with considerable experience and an impeccable record for top results both inshore and offshore. It was not really clear who the boss was, which continually niggled me as I struggled to find a balance and solution. Going into the Fastnet I accepted that there was not one boss onboard, the responsibility was equally shared between us and we would have to work as a team to ensure complete harmony.
In reality the partnership worked extremely well and toward the end of the Fastnet race Peter found himself reminding me of some of the leadership tools that are my trademark. It is after all easy to forget certain values as tiredness creeps in and exhaustion takes it's toll. The wry smile on Peter's face as he very occasionally put me back in my box always made me chuckle, especially when the suggestion of mild hypocrisy was not totally unfounded. We both learnt a huge amount from each other throughout the season and I believe we complimented each other in a productive way.
That aside, I did find it difficult to exert my authority on all situations and sometimes floundered with tactical calls. This resulted in there being a lack of clarity with the objectives and priorities at certain times during the race. In hindsight I think I was sometimes intimidated by Peter and was not always confident enough to make my opinion heard. The biggest lesson I learnt from the Fastnet Race was that I need to be more dominant and confident in my presentation of the tactics as I see them. My failure to convey the information with precision and confidence certainly lost us valuable miles.
Without a doubt having two tactical brains on board can only be a good thing. When working well together a solid and well informed strategy can be created utilising a greater input of knowledge combined with vital experience. Throughout the Fastnet race we certainly gained more miles than we lost through the partnership as there were times when Peter made a great call and times when I did. On those occasions the other person had probably missed the vital clues, but as a team they were observed and acted upon. On the other hand we both made mistakes that cost us miles and it is this area where our greatest room for improvement lies. Sometimes it was an obvious situation that needed a very simple application of the strategic rules that we either overlooked or failed to communicate but very occasionally it was a joint decision that just did not quite work out.
I am a great believer that the most important component in any offshore campaign is the team. It is the people involved that make or break it and I have long since lived with a strong belief in the adage 'there are no weak teams, just weak leaders.' I speak from bitter experience with this as my offshore campaign in 2007 crumbled around me. At that time in my career I did not have the management tools, the inclination or the leadership expertise to deal with the situation. The end result was not pretty and I failed my team and myself that year.
The winter of 2007 was a difficult time in my life as I take failure personally and struggle to cope with it. I knew that I never wanted to feel that way again and most importantly I never wanted a team to finish a campaign (or not as in that case) with those feelings of despair, frustration, disappointment and resentment. I learnt a huge amount about myself that year as I continually analysed the season and came to the conclusion that whilst I was faced with a difficult dynamic in the team I was the most at fault. Using a careful process of self critique I taught myself many valuable skills that I would use in the future to ensure that I became a better leader with tools that would allow me to deal with difficult situations more effectively. I was adamant that I would never fail a team again, as I have already advocated it is the people that are the most important component for a variety of reasons.
The final night of the Rolex Fastnet race provides me with one of my fondest memories of offshore racing. I spent the entire night on deck with a team that had suffered adversity and overcome many personal issues throughout the season. Not least the loss of a fellow competitor during one of the qualifying races which hit us all hard. That combined with the rig failure and other damage made the successful outcome of the campaign far from certain.
Throughout the night a dedicated, loyal and determined group of individuals showed that they had the qualities to win. The singing, laughing and enthusiastic chatter was testimony to the commitment of the team onboard Quokka. Winning the Fastnet race with only 14 hours to go was a dream that was quietly slipping away as the distance we needed to pull out on the chase group was becoming an almost impossible challenge. We all knew that we needed some good fortune to win the race, boat speed on it's own would not be sufficient.
When our first break came just before the Lizard we all believed it was possible and there was no questioning the prospect of maximising our chances by working through the night. That night Quokka was alive and we felt at one with her. The trimming was relentless and the energy on board was astonishing, giving us the drive to keep pushing all the way. The constant escort of dolphins was an added bonus as they enchanted me until dawn when Rame Head was appearing through the low grey and dreary cloud, signifying the finish line.
As the wind became fickle with 50 degree winds shifts and guts of 20 knots accompanied by lulls of 3 knots the last three miles where certainly a challenge and a test of our resolve. Peter and my patience with each other was stretched hard and as we crossed the line his first comment was "if there was ever a moment we were going to fall out it was then." I am pleased to say we did not fall out in fact there was hardly an exchange of words! Though Pedro did point out at that moment that we had acted like a married couple for much of the race, giving everyone great cause for amusement!
Crossing the finish line was an emotional experience as the gun, positioned in the lighthouse, was an unexpected welcome to Plymouth that echoed around the Sound and signified the end of an incredible experience. At that moment the enormity of what we, as a team, had achieved became a reality. The gun confirmed that we had taken line honours which was later confirmed as a tenth place overall (out of 300 boats). To be honest though, the result was not what mattered, in the end what really mattered were the smiles on the faces of a team that had given their all and I knew we had reached the summit of the mountain we had been climbing for so long.
For me I was overwhelmed with emotion and a complete satisfaction that at last the demons of 2007 had been laid to rest. The lessons I learnt from that experience equipped me with the ability and leadership capability that has been used and stretched to the limit this season. Without the disastrous year back then I may not have been a good enough leader to get through this campaign with a team that had trusted me and embraced my vision with a shared desire for success. We may not have come first in the race but every single person on board was a winner and without a doubt a better sailor and a more confident competitor, me included. I know that I have learnt many lessons this year which will make me even faster and better next year.
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