Mariquita Book - mk2.5

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Mikaël Créac’h Rival It is difficult, in just a few lines, to summarise these incredible years of regattas with the Mariquita and her crew. It goes well beyond anything I had experienced before – beyond a simple duel on the water. More a combat that took place on land, in order to convey the spirit of a bygone era: those maritime codes of ethics, traditions embodied by classic boats such as Mariquita and Moonbeam IV. Each of us had an equal desire to outgun the other, to pass on the tradition, to demand the best of the crew, so that they could, in turn, also uphold those codes. I have been sailing since my earliest childhood when I started learning the ropes on my father’s fishing boat in Brittany. Obviously, I had no idea of what was going to happen to me so many years in the future – of what I was going to feel. For me, the Mariquita is not only the opponent to beat, I have learned more than I could ever have wished by sailing in such company – vastly beyond the well-known Franco-British maritime rivalry. First of all, the Mariquita became an example for me under the command of Jim Thom. I refined my outlook on the classic races, became more demanding – more aware of the job that had been entrusted to me. Observing, analysing … long periods sitting on the bridge of the Moonbeam IV in the port, watching ‘my neighbour’: the details of the Mariquita, its crew at work, their reactions, their relationships. All these details, details which sometimes altered my way of doing things. I owe a lot to Jim. Without knowing it, he made me look at my own way of running these boats. In particular, I learned how to take the best from how others work, without altering one’s own intrinsic style, but taking from others in order to progress and try to excel. This mix has been beneficial to me and I believe that now, starting on my 10th year on the Moonbeam IV, I have found a good balance as captain, to lead a crew on this type of yacht in the best possible way. And then the crew changed on the Mariquita. It is never easy to take over the command when you are following a sailor who has made history. The torch has been passed on to George, and John and his friends have become the happy owners. This is a challenge for both parties. As for me, I am analysing it all! And I am telling myself that we have an advantage at the present time. It’s the second season for George as boss, even though he knows the boat well, taking over the captaincy of it is not the same story and new owners who are surely going to take some time to understand the boat. History has proved me wrong … Right from the first season, this new pairing has led me a merry dance! Obviously to my great joy … First of all, we have got closer together – something I had not managed to do with Jim. So, I was able to meet the new crew, the men against whom we were going to race. Friendship very quickly prevailed and this new alliance has once again given me the chance to learn and progress. Don’t we get to know our rival better by having a few beers with him? I discovered a new Mariquita … a different competitor. While retaining the ethos of which I spoke earlier, now carried on by George, the Mariquita had changed! I had met the opponent who most resembled me: John … courteous and polite. John … a hard taskmaster, a person who does not let anything pass! An astonishing cocktail which makes for the perfect competitor on the water. These past three years’ sailing with the Mariquita have been incredible, magic … hard, sometimes taking me to the utmost limits. No gifts, no excuses … no mistakes. Once again, I have made progress; it turned out that John was an excellent helmsman, a helmsman who doesn’t break under pressure, who fully commits. So, again, I took my lesson ‘from the other man’. No, no excuses! It’s the best man who wins the day. And these victories have been shared. The Mariquita and Moonbeam IV are the very epitome of all a yachtsman dreams of – to lose or win for the sake of a few seconds, in close touch … always. Without this rapport, there is no regatta! A good example is that of the Panerai in Mahón. Three days of sailing various laps, whilst being less than 100 metres from each other for hours and hours. For me, these images represent a dream come true … actually reliving a King’s Cup! My only wish now would be to encounter the Mariquita in Mediterranean waters again … Not just to have a few beers with George, John and the crew – and to talk about the past! No, not just that. My dream is of tightly tacking combats … of long tacks under a billowing sail … of priorities ripped away. Some words stronger than others, when it gets to the utmost limit. The voice of John yelling out at the first initial sighting of the preliminary start of the regatta: ‘BONJOUR ... MES AMIS FRANÇAIS!’ So, if the cold waters of the north which I know so well are starting to get to you, I will give you a date here and now for a second round in a few years, so that we can check that what I am writing today … is indeed still true! 160
MOONBEAM IV 1914 The fourth and final Moonbeam was designed and built by William Fife III for Charles Plumtree Johnson, the son of Queen Victoria’s physician. Winner of the King’s Cup in 1920 and 1923 she is best described by Uffa Fox, “No matter whether she is underway or at anchor, Moonbeam IV is beautiful to look upon, combining the speed of a racer with the comfort of a cruiser, a vessel any seaman would be proud to own.” Yacht Moonbeam IV Length 35m / 115ft Beam 5.45m / 18ft Year Built 1914 Sail area 8514 square feet Sail No. 8 Designer William Fife Beken 161
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MARIQUITA
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Copyright © 2016 Ben Wood / Island
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Bailey’s Reach Dock Lane Beaulieu
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introduction Being involved with Ma
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Mariquita and Corona, Cowes 1911 Be
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1919 - 1958 THE LONG FAREWELL Mariq
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RACING IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 2013 14
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morning stretches 16
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With no powered winches and old-sty
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ARGENTARIO SAILING WEEK 13 - 16 Jun
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I don’t think you can take on a b
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Tubby controls the power of the boa
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LE VELE D’EPOCA A NAPOLI 27 - 30
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SAILING TO CAPRI
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We were always keen at Classic Boat
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PUIG VELA CLÀSSICA 10 - 13 JULY 20
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MAHÓN X COPA DEL REY DE BARCOS DE
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QUARTER WAKE Technical Note Mariqui
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Having sailed small boats all my li
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MONACO CLASSIC WEEK 11 - 15 SEPTEMB
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I’ve had enormous fun helming the
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Nick Edmiston receiving the trophy
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RIVALRY REBORN Mikaël Créac’h i
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We had really fresh winds. We were
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When you’re calling the tactics y
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LES VOILES DE SAINT-TROPEZ 28 - 6 O
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Helming Mariquita, on a broad reach
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People often ask what is it like to
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Mariquita in the lead after roundin
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We can put these beautiful yachts w
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Page 111 and 112: OWNERS & CREW 2013 ANGELA MATHESON
Page 113 and 114: THE YEAR IN NUMBERS 320 WRAPS 116 C
Page 116 and 117: THE PANERAI TROPHY 2014 We set abou
Page 118 and 119: Secondly, in all my years of racing
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Page 122 and 123: KING JAMIE! 120
Page 124 and 125: For me the contact with my enemy is
Page 126 and 127: SALTY NOTES BY A SALTY SEA DOG At A
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Page 139 and 140: I’ve seen similar situations, but
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Page 143 and 144: DIARY ENTRY When all three yachts w
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Page 147 and 148: 145 Nico Martinez
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Page 151 and 152: Photography Note Along with the bea
Page 153 and 154: MOONBEAM IV CREW They show up in po
Page 155 and 156: JAMIE MATHESON Owner & Helmsman SAI
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Page 159 and 160: Guido Cantini
Page 161: Nico Martinez LEAVES ON THE DECK! 1
Page 165 and 166: If Mik could have put us right on t
Page 167 and 168: Guido Cantini
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Page 172 and 173: We have our own private America’s
Page 174 and 175: DIARY ENTRY September is the home s
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Page 184 and 185: In the heat of battle you start pus
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Page 188: RÉGATES ROYALES CANNES 23 - 27 SEP
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Page 193 and 194: DIARY ENTRY Argentario was the firs
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Page 199 and 200: THE VICTORS Even more important tha
Page 201 and 202: The Saturday night changed everythi
Page 205 and 206: DIARY ENTRY Les Voiles de Saint-Tro
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Page 209 and 210: 207 James Robinson Taylor
Page 211 and 212: James Robinson Taylor Mariquita duc
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Photography Note This photograph is
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DIARY ENTRY The world of yachting i
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OWNERS & CREW 2014 ADAM NORRIS PIPP
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THE YEAR IN NUMBERS 178 TENDER RUNS
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1-25 APRIL 2015 DOLPHINS NEAR PORTI
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UK PRE-SEASON 25 APRIL 2015 DIARY E
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GEORGE NEWMAN Skipper We’ve broug
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I have to say that on all the boats
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1815 2015
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Beken of Cowes PRE-WAR MARIQUITA Ma
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Mariquita and John Caulcutt’s oth
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DIARY ENTRY We’ve taken part in m
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We had the extraordinary privilege
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Here was this majestic racing machi
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As an island nation we have salt wa
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FLEET REVIEW, COWES 2 - 6 June 2015
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Putting up the wrong sail can compl
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Over-canvassed Peter Mumford ~ Beke
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THURSDAY 4 JUNE 2015 250
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THE FLEET REVIEW, FRIDAY 5 JUNE 201
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Having Mariquita participate in thi
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SATURDAY 6 JUNE 2015 258
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We found ourselves in a tacking bat
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WESTWARD CUP 14 - 16 JUNE 2015, COW
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MARIQUITA & ELEONORA For the first
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I know Mariquita had been sailed in
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CHRIS TIBBS Navigator My involvemen
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ROUND THE ISLAND 27 JUNE 2015 I did
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XII IX VIII 21 VII XII 23 22 20 19
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PANERAI BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK 18 - 2
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Once the spinnaker is set there is
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1911 2015 We’ve seen Ben Ainslie
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The way these classic boats are sai
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Photography Note Photographing the
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The feeling that people get when th
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There were some magnificent classic
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THE RACE AROUND THE ISLE OF WIGHT W
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DIARY ENTRY Wednesday was to be our
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It’s not about the crew. The crew
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Photography Note The back of the Wi
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LEADING THE J’S HOME Although we
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Jonathan Hoare Jonathan Hoare 329
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Photography Note One of the most fr
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DIARY ENTRY The throat halyard was
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We had a tough incident, but it’s
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MARIQUITA’S CREW RYS BICENTENNIAL
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DIARY ENTRY With the cocktail shake
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OWNERS & CREW 2015 TUBBY BROOK DAN
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THE YEAR IN NUMBERS MARIQUITA 17,42
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OVERWINTERING IN LYMINGTON Mariquit
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Notes on the Photography Following
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STEPHEN HEMSLEY, OWNER with a year
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A THANK YOU To all those who have b
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Mariquita Book - mk2.5

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