Plumb

by John Curnow on 14 Mar 2017 The plumb bow is not new. You can go back to Cook’s own Whitby CAT to see that. The difference now is that the prow is more like a carbon knife, and nowhere near the wooden mallet of yore. Remember those? It is what cabinetmakers and the like used to push the chisel through the timber…

Anyway, in watching the 52 Super Series video, you certainly can see that it was a plumb case of port/starboard. Equally, that plumb bow did slice through the gunwale pretty well, which was sad for such a new boat. Good thing they had the old one around(ish) to continue going racing.



Also handy that it was only helms and the like that got collected in the duck that didn’t really duck, for as plumb as the stem may be, the long prodder is way scarier than facing off with a horse needle! Don’t think the Mortein will take care of that wasp. Daddles is more than appropriate, for they were out for duck all right, not having even made the windward mark for the first time.

Now plumb is also used to denote square, and squaring off directly as part of The Bridge programme in June this year will be MACIF and Sodebo Ultim. François Gabart only recently overtook Thomas Coville’s singlehanded 24-run with a mind shattering 771nm (32.1knots average). News also that after the sailing v cruise liner music and basketball event was that MACIF was to have a crack at the newly installed solo RTW record. Later in the year could be a very interesting time and as much of the world hoes into plumb pudding, there could be another record tumbling.

Elsewhere we have the fourth crew, but unannounced as yet, for this year’s Volvo Ocean Race. They wanted, and got a new boat, which is snappily being prepared right now. That of course leaves a few of the ‘old’ VO65s lying around and looking for new pals. Bet the sales crew at VOR are seriously motivated and have more than one pencil sharpened.

It’s OK to face a couple of balls to get your eye in, and alas it is much more like Test Cricket than a game of 20/20, but you would want to get a wiggle on soon. The One Design nature of the craft does make it a lot easier in one sense than the VO60 and 70 days, but there is still bonding and all that to do, let alone all the pre-event sponsor commitments. You’d hate to be hit plumb in the pads without offering a shot for a clear LBW, when the last event was such a terrific success.

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