11 Aug 2004
So here I am at 23.48 in a computer lab! I am currently playing with operating systems and getting ready for tomorrows exam… the second part of the A+ certification. I took the first exam yesterday after 2 days of intense learning and managed 97% so lets hope I keep up the good work!!!
Not sure why I am writing this as I am going to be bringing this website offline before I leave the UK! Maybe not though actually… I am very busy after all!!! Ahh.. keep your eyes open and if this site vanishes over the next few weeks…. its probably me getting ready to put the new one up!!!
19 Jul 2004
I have just returned from a week in France. It was a good trip on Mystere even though the weather was a bit dull for most of the time. I will try to get some photos online when I have had a chance to sort them out. I will post a link here when completed! I will probably write up a brief travelogue when I have some time aswell. Oh well… back to work!
06 Jul 2004
Mystere now has her new sails. She looks very nice dressed up in her racing best!! I am flying to Brussels tomorrow for one night for work. I am then on holiday for a week! Can’t wait!!
06 Jul 2004
I won a competition on photozo.com with a photo of a person at the top of a mast. I think I will have to start displaying my entries on www.shanemarriott.com!
29 Jun 2004
Short update required. As you can see I have not been up to much lately. What I have done though is purchased a new printer. A new Epson R800 is sitting on my desk so that I will be able to print pictures of a very high quality and have them last 80 years due to the Durabrite, Ultrachrome inks.
22 Jun 2004
I would just like to deal out a good dose of Whuffie to Gringod for helping out with the garden today! Although we dont live in a bitchun society… I am sure the meaning is clear!!
17 Jun 2004
Went for a most intensive sail last night… very tired today… I did not think it possible to tack and gybe a boat that many times in the Russel!!!
Next a gripe… I went to the coffee machine to find it full of decaffeinated… for gods sake…. what is the point????
15 Jun 2004
Here is Dave with one of our Mainsails. I thought this was a great picture as it really shows the size. They just dont seem this big when on the boat! After the Dresdner we have some cleaning up to do but the next 6 weeks are absolutely chock full of races. Lets hope the new sails arrive in time.
Amazingly, we have about 2 important races every week right up into August. The aim in this period is to get us sailing more consistently. We are now getting the boat moving fast enough however we need to become ‘Old Salts’ and learn the tides, marks and tactics that work in our local waters. Unlike our usual selves, we have started to pre-pre-plan for the Dinard race in 3 weeks time. We won this race on Alvine II last year so we would like to try and do well on Mystere!!
Also, for anyone that is interested, I am working on a tour of our boat so that you can have a virtual look around. Keep checking back here as it wont be too long before it is finished.
14 Jun 2004
What a week-end, on Saturday morning at 9.30 we started the ‘Dresdner Channel Island Yacht Race’ with 105 other boats. I was helming, Dave was Spinnaker trimmer, Helen was trimming the spinnaker pole, Aidy was the resident oddjobber/boom sitter and Karen was the squirrel (Person that opens the forehatch to recover sails). Mystere, our 25 foot MG Spring completed the race in 3h 48M 24S, very quick for a 26 mile race. After the hectic start and a single collision with 3 other boats all at once, we stayed well up in the fleet and had no problems allowing us to maintain a consistent speed. We came 11th, a fantastic result and the highest Mystere has ever achieved.
The other benefit of a quick race is the shopping that can be done in the afternoon… Helen made full advantage but did not find the one item she was looking for.
The evening saw us have a great meal in a pasta restaurant Dave had chosen. Next it was to the yacht club for the presentation and a lot of drinks and lots of cheering!! The evening ended with a visit to a nearby nightclub where more alcohol was consumed. I was able to go in wearing shorts and boat shoes… Dave and Aidy had to go back to the boat to get changed… that will teach them not to push in!!
After breakfast on Sunday there was time for relaxing in the sun. The plan was to leave at around 3PM as the tides would be in our favour. The crossing back took a little longer than the race but it was very nice. If the sails hadn’t hidden the sun it would have been even nicer.
Today I am very tired and can barely concentrate enough to write this. As there a number of other big races coming up, the boat needs to be cared for. Some hull polishing is required and the interior needs a spruce up!! No rest for the busy!!
09 Jun 2004
Dave and I had to empty the boat out over the last couple of days as it was weighed for an IRC certificate (Will give the boat a handicap like in golf) last night. We both now have very full cars and a very light boat. In fact, Mystere rose by about 2 inches from the water. We are racing on Thursday evening so we are hoping that she will be quicker. Unfortunately the new sails will not be arriving till next week… this is very unfortunate as it is the ‘Dresdner Channel Island Yacht Race’ on Saturday. This is from Guernsey to Jersey this year and is a highlight of the racing calendar… usually over 100 boats take part and I have to helm as I am entering the ‘Young Helm’ category.
On another note… my website keeps going up and down. This is due to a hardware fault on the webserver. I hope that bargainhost sort this out quickly as it is very frustrating!