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In the far corner of the ExCel vastness, while still half asleep, waiting for the cappuccino to deliver its load to my bloodstream, something odd about a boat stirred a neuron or two. It was small - about 21 foot long - and had a rather odd rig. While a lot of the hull, the winches and keel were familiar the sail was junk - junk rigged that is.
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Waking up a little I noticed a pile of books and a man ready to sign a copy, the owner and skipper of Mingming, Roger Taylor (top).
I said hello and we had a rather unsatisfactory conversation that was really two halfs, as I explained we had gone through the Faroes and he explained he'd gone on up to Jan Mayen island, twice.
Impressed I bought a copy of one of his books "Mingming & the art of minimal ocean sailing" and its an absolute cracking read. I've already gone pass half way so there'll be a full review shortly.
It's just a shame I could have done it in reverse, reading the book first and then asking meaningful questions after. Ah well, there's always email.
Before I sign off to read another chapter or two, have a look at this fuller picture of little Mingming, which has been sailed single handed down to the Azores, up to Iceland, Jan Mayen and further, even to Spitsbergen:
14 comments:
That reminds me. I need to write a post about my dingaling.
The most interesting booth at the last boat show I attended was occupied by Lin and Larry Pardey who were there with Taleisin, the boat they'd built themselves from raw timber and circumnavigated in twice. Taleisin was in the water and you could actually go aboard and poke around.
But what do you say to such folk to make casual conversation? "Ah yes, my Catalina 30 has a mainsheet, too?"
I have listened to some of his podcasts - very interesting. Not your typical cruiser.
Spitsbergen. Duh. Svend Billesbølle sailed around the world singlehanded in an 18 footer. Yes, he wrote a book. Google knows...
I think that if I met Lin and Larry Pardey I would ask them about their philosophy that you don't need an engine on a sailboat. I know that was how they felt when they wrote their first book. Have they changed their mind over the years? Had they ever wished they had an engine on their boat? What techniques did they invent for propelling their boat in situations where other yachties would have turned on their engines?
I think they answered the first question when they built their second boat, Taleisin, and it, too, was engineless, after having done a circumnavigation in their first engineless boat, Seraffyn.
When they started, the decision to go without engine was economic as much as anything - gathering funds for an engine would have delayed their departure. But after learning all of the skills cruising without an engine requires, I think they started to see engineless sailing almost as a religion. There were times when they had to pass up landfalls or harbors that an engine would have allowed them to make, but they looked at all the headaches engines were causing their fellow cruisers and thought they'd chosen the wiser path, on balance.
At this point in their sailing careers, it's somewhat like asking the Pope if he wouldn't have been happier choosing Islam.
Actually I would like to ask the Pope if he wouldn't have been happier choosing the religion of engineless sailing.
Maybe you should request an audience. It's an easier ticket to get than a Top Gear taping.
I don't need to request an audience. My blog already has a large (and growing) audience.
The engine question is a good one.
We were able to go through the Faroes and up the Iceland NW fjords into uncharted waters because we had one: in both cases the wind would have be too light or fluky to be usable. On the other hand Mingming had to go far offshore the Faroes as it had no engine and near the Iceland fjords almost got trapped in a windless hole close inshore.
I personally was glad to have one even and we'd have missed out on lots if we hadn't had it on-board.
Bless you, Tillerman, and may the eternal winds blow upon you a pleasant force four, for evermore, amen.
Top Gear? Now you're talking! How about an O'Docker & Buff trip to see me ol' mates Jezzer and co!
I'd give May a ring (given we're such mates and all) to get some tickets but he seems to be suffering from another attack of leprosy or something.
Noodle - sounds interesting: have you read his book?
It's on my night drawer... I am not sure if it is available in english.
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