What a great day we had at the RNLI training pool. It's a very clever facility at their training centre. It has a wave machine, wind machine, rain, strobe lighting to simulate lightning and even a very loud sound system to play in the wind....of course we declined the full effects for the day!!!
In the morning we were working with Ocean Safety filming some of their lifejackets and liferafts. We put the waves on for the liferaft test, now that's quite a poweful thing for a director to be able to command, unlike King Canute I could command the waves!! The team were keen to see how the kit was performing underwater and so we brought along a waterproof minicamera with which we could get up close and get a clear view of what was going on. It's fascinating to see how the bits of the liferaft fall away and the way people float whilst wearing lifejackets.
After that busy morning we spent a few hours filming a new item with the Sea Safety team from the RNLI. Peter Chennel and his team were keen to get in the pool and put themselves in real difficulty by wearing badly fitted lifejackets in order for us to graphically demonstrate what happens. The footage shows really clearly the imprtance of crotch straps. At the end of the day we tried an experiment by turning out the lights and putting 3 volunteers in the water, one with a jacket with a light, one with refelective tape and one person just wearing a wetsuit. The results were startling, as we shone a large torch over the water it was only the jacket with the light that showed us clealry the casualty's position. Frightening, if you imagine yourself overboard at night.
You'll be able to see the results soon.
Steve
This is my first update this year and for that I deserve a telling off. So, apologies for the delay.
2009 has been an interesting year so far, as we have been rushed off our feet. In the present climate that seems strange but there you go. We didn't stop at all during the London Boat Show as we were supplying daily edits for the organiser's website. Since we got back we have been working with lots of different marine companies delivering various types of programming.
The new look website has been getting some great feedback, but do let us know your thoughts. The archive has been a hit, with the sailing skills and pilotage items very popular.
The most exciting thing we have seen recently is so top secret we can't tell you about it until the end of March! That's a bit naughty isn't it, but trust me there is a great new product soon to be available online that will be a must for all of us on the water...watch this space.
Tomorrow we are off to see the lovely Peter Chennell at the RNLI. We will be filming our third item on lifejackets. This time we will be looking at how your lifejacket behaves in waves and rougher conditions. Peter is also keen for us to demonstrate what happens when you go into the water without crotch straps or a badly fitted jacket. it could be that I get another dunking.
Keep your ideas and feedback coming and we'll make sure Yachting TV continues to be the home of quality programming for all boaters.
Steve
It has been a little while since my fingers were set to work describing what we've been up to. I'd like to blame it on the weather but as it's now a beautiful, sunny and windy day that excuse isn't valid. Although I am jealous thinking about those lucky people sailing during the week.
I suppose I should explain the photo, me filming on a boat without a mast? It's not some new design where the sails appear majestically from beneath a secret compartment, it is actually a motor boat and it's a clue to a few new big developments for the website.
We have been working very hard to update the look of Yachting TV, to make it easier to use and incorporate some of the changes that have been suggested to us. One of the major changes is that we will be allowing you to watch again all of our previous content. So, if you missed the item on reefing, lifejackets or a boat show, you'll be able to watch them again online and of course for free.
Hooray, I hear you all cry, but what's that got to do with the motor boat? We are going to be expanding our horizons to include stories and features on motor as well as sail. The great divide between sail and power has been reducing and quite clearly we all have a lot in common for our love of being on the water. We will still be making all our usual features about sailing but simply adding more content.
We'll obviously be making a big noise about the new website when it's ready, so standby for all of us to broaden our boating horizons...
Steve
On the weekend of the 1st and 2nd March I was filming at the RYA Dinghy Sailing Show for the next episode of RYA TV. Another boat show I thought, it seems like they never stop. But this one did stop me, right in my tracks. I got the feeling that every single person who came to the show was a passionate sailor or about to become one.
The title of my last post was "memories are made of this" and the last year has been one of the most memorable for me. We started Yachting TV in January 2007 and from that month onward it feels as though we haven't stopped for a moment. We've sailed some lovely parts of the UK coast with Tom, looked at some great boats under the watchful eye of James, and Tracey has been out and about meeting loads of people working in every sector of the marine industry.
DAY 17 – 11TH December 2007
Position: 14º 14’ N 60º 43’ W
Bearing: 255º
Distance to go: 15 Nm
During the night A watch had done a great job which just left us to head to St Lucia in sunny style. Unfortunately the rain gods that had been “looking after us” most of the way wanted to say goodbye in style. We managed to catch the edge of a revolving tropical storm called Olga. Away went the sunshine, out came the rain and along came 35 knot winds. We battled for four hours to make up the remaining distance to St Lucia.
DAY 16 – 10TH December 2007
Position: 14º 51’ N 57º 33’ W
Bearing: 275º
Distance to go: 207 Nm
At last we had a reason to enjoy the 02.00 to 06.00 watch, the wind has come back to say hello and it’s come back in force. This boat loves to reach and the wind on the port beam is blowing her along beautifully. Perhaps someone on the crew sent a prayer explaining how we wanted to reach dry land sooner rather than later.
STARRY, STARRY NIGHT...
DAY 15 - 9TH December 2007
Position: 15º 23' N 54º 39' W
Bearing: 280º
Distance to go: 372 Nm
Our favourite watch of the day is the 06.00 to 12.00 shift. This morning the sun slowly came up and gently filled our horizon with light. At first orange and then a brighter blue. With not much wind we were able to relax for a while and enjoy the quiet boat while most of the others were still asleep. This is the time of day that I will remember the most. Our immediate seascape feels like we are in a large 360º bubble. It's not a lonely feeling, more of a large private space belonging just to us.
FISH ATTACK!
DAY 14 - 8TH December 2007
Position: 15º 47' N 52º 39' W
Bearing: 280º
Distance to go: 492 Nm
We took over from A watch at 02.00. They had seen a boat approaching for a while which came within 100m before it gybed away. By the time were on deck it was on the distant horizon. The wind was moving all the time and finally we realised we would need to gybe in the dark. And right on cue came the biggest squall so far. Horizontal rain, confused winds and an ever changing sea state made each movement around the deck quite tricky.
WET, WET, WET...
DAY 13 - 7TH December 2007
Position: 15º 52' N 49º 47' W
Bearing: 285º
Distance to go: 655 Nm
We're still chasing the 20 kn trade winds some forecasts had promised, unfortunately they have heard us coming and disappeared. It had been frustrating sailing during the night with a confused swell and light winds. Once again our watch were given a free shower as the last of the night's squalls said goodbye. One hour into our 06.00 -12.00 watch we brought the twin headsails down and put the spinnaker up. It took until the afternoon to get the best out of it when the other watch managed to average over 8 knots.
