June SITREP
Racing and Transition to USMC Reserves
After finally arriving on 24 May, June was my first full month in France. If you have been following the daily updates on Facebook, Instagram (@pgnoceanracing), or the media section of my website then you probably know how busy the month of June was for this campaign. After returning from delivering the boat to and from the host cities and my first two races, I finally have a moment to capture June in this blog post.
June began with the installation of a new mast, boom, and bow sprit. These new aluminum spars are class legal and made specifically for the RG 650 Classe Mini. There were several steps required to successfully complete the installation of the new mast. This included switching out the old mast step for a new one, finding a way to bolt the mast step to the boat, lashing the deck area around the mast to the new mast (to prevent the deck from buckling under high loads where the halyard blocks are located), tuning the rig, and running new halyards provided by New England Ropes.
Stepping away from the boat for 3 days, I participated in a World Sailing Survival Course in Les Sables-d'Olonne. This safety course is required for most offshore races. While I had participated in an online version of the course back in the states in April, no hands-on classes were available in the US prior to my departure. So I jumped in head first to the French version of their Safety at Sea course. Luckily the information is mostly standardized by World Sailing, sailing terms are similar enough, and the class was really supportive helping translate through more difficult sections.
The hands-on portion of this survival course included some great training which consisted of my first time aboard an IMOCA 60! The IMOCA was used for the course participants to climb through its escape hatch with a survival suit on, then jump off its bow sprit, into the water to climb into a life raft.
Arnaud Boissières finished the most recent around the world solo Vendée Globe race on this boat (LA MIE CÂLINE - ARTISANS ARTIPÔLE) and he was an excellent instructor along with Gale! Certainly. This course was an experience I’ll never forget.
By 17 June it was finally time to splash Terminal Leave for the first time in France! That same day I took her out for the first sail here in La Trinité-sur-Mer and it was incredible. My first time sailing here and we were surrounded by incredible racing boats such as massive around the world racing trimarans and new Class 40s practicing. The boat performed well and it was a worthwhile shake down to work out little details and update the post sailing to do list.
The next few days included a ton of final preparations to sail offshore safely. I also completed one of the final racing requirements, the Marine Radio Short Range certification. This was an online course and half day test at a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) testing center in Vannes, the next city east of La Trinité.
On the morning of 23 June we departed the marina for a double handed 110 nautical mile delivery to Douarnenez. I used this opportunity to also count this as the 24 hour practice sail required by the Classe Mini organization ahead of a level C race (under 300 mile race). The passage went well and we were certainly tested at times. Sailing through the Raz de Sein (worth a google search) at night with about 6 knots of current results in steep and choppy waters. It can be a very dangerous place and timing the currents correctly is crucial. It was a wild hour of sailing in the choppy waters and then suddenly, flat calm waters in the bay.
After a quick clean and reset (not much time to recover) it was time for the boat’s first safety inspection ahead of the upcoming race. A lot of preparation and work went into getting the boat ready for the safety inspection and thankfully after a couple hours, we passed. This inspection is very detailed from paperwork of vessel documentation and radio certificates to safety equipment and emergency supplies. Few boats ever pass on the first try. This would not have been possible without the incredible amount of safety equipment provided by Fawcett and Switlik, to which I am very grateful!!!
On 27 June, Mini Calvados Cup Race 1 started. This was 256 nautical miles double handed from Douarnenez to Deauville on the Normandy coast. A slow sail due to light winds, but it deserves its own blog post breaking down the race, which I will be working on this week and hope to have up soon. The start to the second leg of the race was delayed due to the fleet taking longer than planned to complete the first leg of the race. I will include the recap of the second leg of the race in that blog post as well.
June also marked my last month of terminal leave and active duty in the Marine Corps! On 1 July at 2400 I reached my End of Active Service (EAS) date and the following day I was directly affiliated in the reserves with a reserve commission. 10 years, 1 month, 4 days on Active Duty completed.
Even though this date passed by quickly while I was on the boat it is certainly an important milestone for any service member. It is that date and the greater transition from military to civilian life which is why I am here representing U.S. Patriot Sailing. Not everyone’s transition out of the military is smooth and I know the hardest part is still ahead of me. Luckily having a team in support throughout every step of the way both on and off the water is incredible, that is what U.S. Patriot Sailing is all about for every teammate. Thank you to all of the team members who have been there for me these past few years, this transition would not be the same without you.
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Your continued support to this campaign is critical to my success, thank you!
