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Letter sent to the 2013 <strong>Mariquita</strong> crew<br />
<strong>Mariquita</strong>s!<br />
In reading over the letter sent out at the beginning of the year, it was worth pausing a moment to take stock. We<br />
had talked about how much had changed over last winter; new owners, new captain, and through the many<br />
faces of the crew. We laid out our regatta programme, and our hope for success on the water. And most of all,<br />
we wanted each of you to know how much it means to us that, when you could be basking on a beach on<br />
Mallorca, you decided instead to spend your holiday with us getting soaked and sore!<br />
Did we come through on our aims? The signs point to yes. There was learning, a LOT of learning, and<br />
we still have volumes to go. But consider this for a moment: as of the first day of racing in Antibes,<br />
Mariska had 43 training days on the water in 2013.<br />
We had four.<br />
Despite the odds against us, we pulled out a third place in Antibes. So the summer rolled on,<br />
and we found our rhythm. Sail changes got quicker, manoeuvres got slicker, and callouses got<br />
thicker. We even did the unimaginable: we took <strong>Mariquita</strong> on a cruise! We crammed four<br />
regattas into six weeks to finish out the season, and to ice the cake, Jessica Lark Newman<br />
was welcomed into this world as the Cannes Regatta kicked off.<br />
And as each of these events ticked on by, you all were there to make it happen. You<br />
were witness to the small dramas that unfolded between boats, and some of the<br />
friendships that formed out of them. You were patient with us as we messed up,<br />
and we definitely messed up at times. And where you could have exercised your<br />
index finger pushing winch buttons aboard other yachts, instead, you took the<br />
masochistic route and came sailing with us, and helped keep alive the ethos<br />
that is <strong>Mariquita</strong>. For all of this, we want to thank you.<br />
Reading over the letter, it did say that you’d be ‘stepping on board the<br />
same Old Girl’ if you came out with us this year. We realise now that<br />
that statement isn’t entirely true. In hindsight, of course she would<br />
be different! With all that had turned over, how couldn’t she be? At<br />
the time we may have feared that ‘different’ would be taken as<br />
synonymous with either ‘better’ or ‘worse.’ But it’s neither, it’s<br />
just … different! And whatever different may be, we want it<br />
to be something that you want to come back to.<br />
So the winter season has landed upon us here in Cogolin,<br />
the rail and boom have received their last glowing coats<br />
of varnish for the year. There’s plenty of work to do in<br />
the coming months, and when spring rolls around<br />
in 2014, we’ll pick up right where we left off. So<br />
keep in touch here and over the usual channels,<br />
and when the year starts again, we hope you’ll<br />
be there with us.<br />
Sincerely yours,<br />
Matty Oates, December 2013.