Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai - Tradition arrives

by Lynn Fitzpatrick on 20 Nov 2010 Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai - Gaining a sense of tradition in Dubai takes time. After a visit to the Dubai museum; the spice, gold and textile souks; the Dubai museum; a wooden taxi boat ride on the Dubai Creek and the arrival of the Dhow boats at the Dubai International Marine Club, it is all coming together.

The first of the brightly varnished Dhow boats rolled into the compound where the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai is being held. They were towed behind SUV’s that have been put to good use in the desert and in launching these lengthy boats.

The teams immediately set themselves to stepping both of their masts and lashing them to their supports with triple braid wrapped around carpet. Stays were of polypropylene and shrouds looked like Dyneema with a nicely woven jacket. Airblocks and cam cleats are essential gear as are a substantial, and rusty, fishing anchor; a cooler; two fire pumps; sand bags, duct tape and … carbon fibre spars. In the spirit of tradition, they are painted to look like wood, but Dhow racing is serious stuff here on the Arabian Gulf.

I haven’t had the opportunity to watch the camel races yet this weekend, but if I were to place a wager on the winning Dhow captain in tomorrow’s fleet race, it would be on Ahmet Jasim Abdulla Hammadi for no other reason than the way he drove his Dhow down the ramp and backed it in near one of BMW Oracle Racing’s carbon fibre masts.

A little duct tape around the free end of an adjustable shroud is a must before leading it through an air block. Dhow boat rigging with one of the spectacular buildings being constructed in Dubai Marina area.

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