Citius, Altius, Fortius!

[Craic]

Altius et altius:

[Tony]

Altius et altius:

Hi, Claus.
3,000 feet up?  Olympic heights indeed! OoOoO.
Isnt there a lower, slower, less Fortius route to Venice?
How did you get on at the Vogalonga? Is it as good as it looks? I hope you didnt make your poor crew (to whom all respect) row all the way round.

[Craic]

Hi Tony,

I opened this thread as a general register for anyone having done a memorable faster-higher-stronger stunt with his Swallowboat.

BTW, the current height record for a Swallowboat is not just 3.000 ft. but 6,588 ft., that was the second photo taken on the 'Simplon' Pass (2,005 mtrs.).

However, the other pass 'Cento Croci' between Liguria and Parma though it was a lot lower was a lot more challenging, with having dozens and dozens of hair raising hairpin bends and ultra narrow passages through mountain villages. Amazing what one can do with a BayRaider.

Yes, there would have been a lower road to Venice, which would have meant turning left at Genova, but we went on straight there instead, and up into the Ligurian mountains. By the time we realised we were going up and up and things got a bit tight there, there was practically no turning back possible anymore, and we just braved it. We were compensated through finding the exquisite Albergo and Ristorante 'Amici' in practically medieval Varese Ligure, and thought it all well worth the detour.

No, we did not partake in the Vogalonga Rowing Race, we just watched the survivors coming in from our lookout post on Accademia Bridge. Weather was tough that day, some 50 boats swamped or sank in the hearty chop of the open Lagoon.

We partook in the Velalonga Raid instead, and came in second overall, after 'Molly' of the Henley Whalers who had also won the 2008 Raid there.
Poor Molly got dismasted in the Velalonga Race thereafter, but no one injured thank Goodness.

The Velalonga Raid is incredible, it leads through the total solitude and beauty of the huge inner Lagoon where 99% of other boats can never ever go. We sometimes raced shortcuts over stretches with little more than a foot of water, at high tide. Without a problem BTW, due to our kick-up rudder and c'board. Blistering sunshine mostly, winds from none to blow, and great company. We'll be back there next year, and hope to find an even 'altius' pass on the way.

Thanks for your company in the Morbihan, unforgotten.

With kind regards also from Martina, Charlie and Kitty,

Claus

[Tony]

Competitive lot, you Raiders!
Well, I cant beat 6,000 feet up ...but how about a couple of thousand feet UNDERground? The Frejus Tunnel to be precise. Or how about farthest from Cardigan.  I claim 1860 miles to Greece (Gaios, Paxos) Picture below.

I love N.Italy, too. ( Is this the hotel you speak of? http://www.albergoamici.com/ristorante_en.htm)
Some of the best food Ive ever had on the road anywhere was in the Po Valley. Wouldnt mind living there for a while just to confirm my suspicions that the Italians have the secret of how to live!
Those roads are amazing .... but Id rather do them without the trailer, I think!

Sorry to hear about “Molly”. Nice people – we spoke briefly on the Yoles pontoon at Port Blanc. ...but thats twice theyve pipped you to the post, Claus.  Time to remove the antifouling and use Ski wax instead!

Im sorely tempted by the Venice Raid.....I will have a tough decision next year. I want to visit Ireland, W. Scotland and the Baltic (Raid Finland!) but will have to think of the cost.... Also, there is little chance (correct that) NO chance that my wife will give up her  Greek summer.

My regards to your excellent crew....and my thanks for their company in the Morbihan. Hope to see you all before long. Lake Bala, perhaps?

[Craic]

Tony,
I am not sure your photo actually carries enough proof it was taken 1,860 miles away from Cardigan.
But anyway it won't matter, because firstly there is alredy that BayRaider in Oregon, U.S.A., and soon there'll be the first one in Australia, so 1,860 miles from Cardigan won't go very far in the 'furthest' competition, sorry.

Respect, you found our albergo 'degli Amici' in Varese Ligure. Only, it was even nicer than the photos suggest, and the food was just mmmhhhh. Yes, you are right about life in Italy, it is special.

Alas, no Bala Lake for us this year, no time, but Dorestad Raid in September, with the SeaRaider BTW. And Klassieke Schepen in Enkhuizen in November, with a carbon BayRaider I hope.

CU,
C.

[Tony]

"OK, then." says he, rising to the bait.
"If its proof you want try this one for size!"

(Please note Greek flags and the Taverna in the background.)

Hmm. A Bayraider in Oz, eh?  They didnt FLY it out there, by any chance, did they? That would put about 20,000 feet onto your altitude record, Claus!

Here is one record you will let me have.. (shuffles feet and looks embarassed) First person to 180 a CBL...but I dont like to talk about it... Too modest dont you know..Ahem.

Sorry you wont be at Lake Bala (for more Welsh whiskey and lava bread). I had a choice between that and Portsoy. Chose Bala to reduce mileage before the trip back to Greece in July.
Might be able to make Amsterdam in November - Anita very fond of Brown Cafes and Jazz so could be tempted on a city break.
Whoa! Whats that about a CARBON BayRaider?   Tell us more!

[Tony]

Try again!

[Julian Swindell]

When I raced Mirror dinghies (one race, many years ago. I did not like it because everyone seemed to want to win and kept shouting at me to get out of the way) if we did something bad we had to go off to the side and do a 360. But we generally did it horizontally rather than vertically...

[Craic]

... Whoa! Whats that about a CARBON BayRaider?   Tell us more!

Not such a big story. Matt has taken an order from the continent for a carbon hull (330kgs) BR which is first to go on display at the "Klassieke Schepen" in the Netherlands in November. I will give him a hand at the show as it's only 400 kms from here, and boatshows are my hobby anyway. The Dutch are particularly inventive and knowledgeable about fast shallow water boats, it'll be interesting to be there and see their reactions to the BR.

[Tony]

While being emotionally much attached to  wooden boats, the concept of an ultra-light carbon fibre, water ballasted hull makes a great deal of sense for a touring trailer sailor.
More distance traveled per litre of petrol, less wear and tear on vehicles and greater ease of handling on its trailer.
The lighter the better in my opinion.(So long as you can get enough weight where its needed when sailing.)
Is the cost increase still large enough to outweigh the advantages?

Faster, higher, stronger, LIGHTER.   (Shame we cant do CHEAPER, too!)

[Craic]

BTW,
one of the biggest German national Sunday Papers, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, circulation ca. 400.000, published an article about the Velalonga Raid last weekend. If you look closely, you'll find a BayRaider depicted and mentioned.

[Tony]

Hi, Claus.
Thats very good coverage. I doubt it was mentioned at all in the British daily papers. (Maybe in the Hendon Advertiser!) Perhaps we would give sailing more coverage if they made a Celeb reality show out of it - perish the thought! Its amazing how the Island Nation turns its back on the sea. Living in the Midlands I meet people who can tell you all about Spanish beaches but have never been to their own seashore...except Skegness, perhaps, and then just for the Bingo!
   I see you, Kitty and Llafurio got a good plug - crossing the Alps in your VW Camper Van (I must  get one myself with my next Lotto win. Im sick of tents and B&B.)I only picked up a little of the text, Im afraid, as my German is almost non-existant and I couldnt cut and paste the article into Babel Fish!
Cheers!
Tony.

[Craic]

Tony,
just spotted the photo of 'Four Sisters' in front of the greek ferry in WATERCRAFT 76. Now THAT is proof you travel far with your boat. If you have that photo available, why not put it here under the heading 'Citius'?
Hope you are well, in Greece?

C. and all crew

[Tony]

Hi, Claus.
Home from Greece now. Digging out sweaters and water proofs but looking forward to the Southampton Boat Show.
I dont know about "Citius"! The old Anna Hora trundles across from Igoumenitsa to Gaios at a very leisurely pace - your SeaRaider could give her quite a head start, I should think.
The Superfast ferries from Ancona are a different matter. A couple of years ago on our return trip they announced that we were heading into a F8 gale so, like an idiot, I decided to take the SatNav up on deck to check our speed and position. 35knots on the GPS and straight into 40+knots of wind. It was quite a struggle to stand up on deck. Below, in the bar, the beer would not stay in my glass (not that it had much of a life expectancy anyway)and trying to take a shower that night left me with bruises! Next morning we arrived in Ancona dead on time. Gale? What gale!
Pictures (if Ive managed to upload them properly) show Four Sisters posing under the Mont Blanc glacier (we had run out of ice for Anitas G&T), drawing the usual interest while waiting to board Anna Hora, the Flying Dolphin (only vessel with better light airs performance than us) ....and yours truly just before they threw me out of the first class lounge.
 
All the best... and love to your crew. T

[Tony]

Any Swallow boaters planning a long distance trip this season?

I fancy the Baltic myself but I dont think my wife would give up the Ionian for it. (Cant say I blame her really!)