Team BDA Coach Part Of Record-Breaking Sail
The Head Coach of Bermuda’s entry into the Youth America’s Cup was a key part of a team that smashed the record for a Trans-Atlantic voyage.
Richard Clarke, Head Coach of Team BDA, was a watch captain on board the Comanche that sliced more than 24 hours off the previous set by Mari-Cha IV, which has been held for the last 13 years.
The record comes just after the 100ft maxi racing yacht also broke the Newport to Bermuda record.
“We blasted the record because the boat is one of the first that is fast enough to sail across the Atlantic in the same weather system and we waited for the perfect weather for the boat,” said Richard, who made his fifth Olympic appearance for Canada at the London Games in 2012.
“The big thing for us was we were leading a small storm and the weather in front of us was quite calm so there were hardly any waves to slow us down. We managed to sail almost minimum distance – only 60 miles more than shortest course – in the perfect weather with the perfect boat.”
Comanche made the crossing from New York to the Lizard, off the coast of Cornwall in the UK, in five days, 14 hours, 21 minutes, sailing 2,880 nautical miles at an average speed of 21.44 knots. Icebergs, whales, a bad thunderstorm and wet feet kept him busy during the crossing.
“The only real dramas were hitting a few fish, one whale in particular off Newfoundland almost stopped the boat,” he said. “There was no damage to the boat or whale but it was a great surprise and caused a few anxious moments. We also went through an area of icebergs in dense fog.
“We kept a radar watch for the big burgs but the small growlers would be missed by radar and impossible to see in the fog so there was a little anxiety and a good deal of denial. “
He added: “I almost wiped the boat out navigating a bad thunderstorm line early in the trip. It wasn’t the extreme wind but the contrast between light winds and massive gusts and I got caught with the keel centred in a windy puff.
“My boots also leaked so my feet are still recovering from being wet for six days. My socks got too ripe to hang to dry in my off watch so I tucked them in my wet gear pockets out of courtesy to the crew.”
He said the Transatlantic record was special because it is an older, traditional record. “Boats have been timed across the Atlantic since the days of the tall ships and for many years in the modern era it was still held by an older American Schooner until Mari Cha broke it 13 years ago.
“There have been repeated attempts to break that record over the past 13 years and none have been successful, so although we did it quite easily it shows the quality of the effort and is a testament to boat and crew.
“It is also a record that should last for some time. Comanche is arguably the only boat on the planet that can better the record and we believe another half day faster is possible but these weather systems only occur once or twice a year and the timing and boat/crew preparation has to be perfect, so it’s not easy.
“It also ranks high in my personal highlight reel because I was a very senior member of the crew, not in age but responsibility as we sailed without our normal skipper so myself and the other watch captain worked closely with the navigator making sure the boat was always performing optimally and heading in the correct direction.”
Richard along with Michael Barnes, is helping mould a team of young Bermudians who will represent the Island in home waters next year in the Youth America’s Cup. He will be back on Island next week for another round of training with the Team.
They will race in the Great Sound, using the same boats seen in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series last year.
Jane Savage, chairperson of the Team BDA Youth America’s Cup committee, said: “This shows the calibre of the people we have helping to train some of our young people. Not only is Richard a record-breaker, he has five Olympics to his name.
Go Richie