Mariquita Book - mk2.5

GEORGE NEWMAN
Skipper
We’ve brought Mariquita up to the UK
three times over the years with Jim Thom.
But he’s sailed around the world a few
times so he has a bit more experience than
me! The last two times we brought the boat
up with Jim, in 2010 and 2012, we got
absolutely pounded. He said on the last
trip that he’d never bring her up again. You
have to remember that she’s a day boat,
albeit a magnificent one. So I had that in
the back of my mind when the syndicate
decided to bring Mariquita up to Cowes
for the RYS Bicentennial. Leaving Cogolin
on the 1st April was one month earlier
than we had previously set sail so there was
plenty of apprehension.
Thankfully the weather gods were shining
on us and with excellent forecasting from
Chris Tibbs the whole trip took 21 days,
so 10 days faster than in the past. We were
very fortunate – the weather was just always
behind us. However, with one night to go
off northern France, Chris forecast thick
fog for the English Channel so I slept in the
lazarette that final night as we approached
the shipping lanes. With some fine work
from the crew we ghosted through and as
dawn broke we saw the welcome sight of
St. Catherine’s lighthouse, off the southern
tip of the Isle of Wight. It was a great
moment for all of us onboard.
The crew dynamic shrinking to a smaller
number of personnel for 2015 was a
massive head scratch. I had my doubts,
but to be fair it was the best thing we’ve
ever done. In previous years there was
always a split between the crew – between
the shore siders and the live aboards. But
with everyone on board this year it was
all harmony – one of the best crews we’ve
ever had on Mariquita. Many people are
surprised when they’re told that in a full
season Mariquita may race only 25 to 30
days. The rest of the time is spent training,
working on the yacht, transporting her
around and maintaining the varnish! That’s
the heart of classic yachting. Obviously the
racing is when all that hard work comes to
fruition but for me the teamwork and the
camaraderie throughout the year is the key.
People often ask what it’s like to skipper
Mariquita? I can’t get away from the fact
that I’m one of a long line of captains:
Edward Sycamore, Robert Wringe and my
old boss Jim Thom. I’m not sure I’d put
myself in their class but we’re two years
in now and when you look at the photos
from the last couple of seasons and you
look at the yacht, she looks good, just like
she would have done in 1911. That’s what
I’m most proud of … to be a part of that
history even for a few years is pretty special.
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