I could handle the skipper position. I'd do a better
job than Gary Jobson. All my crew would come back
alive. The question is would I want to. Probably not.
I would be a good team leader because I've done much
of this sort of work as a sailing instructor. I know how
to motivate people.

I don't want to denigrate the whole thing, but it is
obviously an event for inexperienced amateurs. I'm
sure the participants get a lot out of it--not necessarily
sailing skills.

This "race" is designed as "make work" for the crew,
while extracting the maximum amount of money out
of them for a phony race.

The race is phony because the crews are all novices,
and they don't win anything. It is more like an Outward
Bound experience. Even the losers win because they
have accomplished a circumnavigation! That is the
big carrot that Blythe offers his clients. If I was a
skipper, my goal would not be to win, but to complete
the event, without casualties, while making it extraordinary
for the clients.

I saw a TV special on this race. I looked it up online
and researched it a bit. I even posted on this subject
several years ago. The TV program was clear the
crew were not very experienced. Some had no
experience at all until they started prepping for the event.
Many had only very basic sailing skills on typically one
type of small boat.

I interviewed a Brit for that Valiant 37 delivery three years
ago. He had one of these "Legs" on his sailing resume. I
questioned him in detail about it. The rest of his resume
was pitiful. He was a nice guy, but his skills were weak.
He was not good at taking advantage of opportunities--he
bailed on the delivery. Contrast him with some other sailors
I know, like my friend Patty, that work double shifts to save
up time off for an ocean passage.

Why sedated? For the boring hours below while
pounding UPWIND for God's sake!

Bart


OzOne wrote
On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 "Bart Senior" wrote:

The boats are very nice. I might consider being a skippper
depending on the pay. All you have to do is figure out how
to keep the crew busy, or sedated...


First you wouldn't qualify.
What is this crap about sedation and keeping busy?
This is a racing crew on an around the world race...they're busy
enough with running the yacht, navigating and weather routing.