From the Feedback - 21/12/00

We'll be publishing the choicest moments from the stuff you send us - but each contribution may or may not be subjected to a rigorous process of editing for language, taste and imparted wisdom. And of course, as they so famously say at the start of anything like this, the opinions expressed in From the Feedback do not necessarily reflect those of the management, staff or investors of madforsport.com. Instead, and much more importantly, they reflect your views.

From Rainer,
Ellen MacArthur, Absolutely amazing - this woman is really great. I have been up the mast in 30 knots of wind, replaced many broken battens, dropped and hoisted broken mainsails in a storm and know the feeling. But I had 13 other people on the boat to help me. Ellen, this is just amazing.

From Ed Montesi Morgan,
How do they cope alone in the Southern Ocean? Got to give big credits to Ellen, being a small female, small hands, low upper body strength, not that much experience, to cope with and survive a near tragic experience. They've probably thought of all this, but anyway ... Hard to tell if the shakes came from the cold or adrenaline, probably both. Her diet should include direct glucose intake like "Exceed" (and/or intravenous glucose injection) - whereas the power bars and rich chocolates may cause indigestion, where she would be further behind on building energy reserves.

Maybe add more grab rails arranged like steps around the mast and cockpit areas when the deck is vertical to get back in control. Make them of carbon fibre for light weight, fold them flat to not trip feet or break ribs in a fall. The cockpits should be designed for faster drainage. Perhaps a V shape with the point forward. Water would drain down the declined arms faster. This would leave a wide open aft end. Place a matching V shaped box (console) to thwart aft-boarding seas and minimize the cockpit volume. The console would contain life saving, rescue and inflatable self-righting equipment (mandatory, to void weight disadvantage). It would also provide foot hold to keep the crew on the windward side.

From Jorge,
You, Ellen MacArthur, have become my inspiration! I respect and admire what you are doing. I live in Southern California. As a weekend sailor, the trip to Catalina, a nearby island, constitutes 95% of my sailing experience. But I have seen the sea at the southern tip of South America; the wind at 90 miles per hour and the sea full of white caps, like boiling water. My heart stopped at the thought of my boat in these waters. This is beyond my limits ... you are a 24 year old lady - alone, climbing the mast in 40 knot weather! May all your dreams come true.

From Mike Ahrenberg,
What`s your view - should Pete Goss have been out there? People are always so clever on land when it really gets storming on sea. Meaning Pete Goss was (is) the master onboard, he is the one who will evaluate the situation. There cannot be more than one captain on the vessel. Therefore it is his decision, and his alone, that dictates whether they had to abandon ship or not. He says it all when he states that there are seven people now alive and kicking on the shore, instead of risking the unknown and maybe never to see dry land again. As the vessel had to be tested anyway, it was quite okay this accident happened here in home waters, where other ships have the chance to come to the rescue, instead of the lonely Southern Ocean.

From Mike Young,
Are you a speed freak - does the Inter 20 do it for you? No such luck guys! If you want real excitement and speed combined with ease of handling ashore, then it's got to be the Stealth - and with a bigger jib in the pipeline it's going to be even better! You've tried the rest, now try the best!

From Dave Spragg,
From the Feedback I'm most intrigued by Matt Warren's claims to have reached 28 knots in only 12-15 mph wind in his MX Ray. But can he be certain he was really doing 28 knots? I know everyone's prone to exaggeration when telling tales of how fast they've been (sort of like the fish that got away) and it always feels faster than it really is, but please can we keep these claims in the realms of credibility? As someone who spends almost every weekend sailing two of the high performance boats Matt mentions (and which would leave an MX-Ray standing on any point of sail) I can confidently say the only way I've ever done 28 knots in 15 knots of breeze is in a boat with a large engine ...

From P Halliwell,
Was just checking the Pete Goss story when I found the stuff on the MX Ray. Like a Topper upwind, and faster down - but 28 knots? Measured by what? I remember, a long time ago, an all-out downwind leg in 505s in flat water, when we just crept away from the Admiral C in C's barge which would do 15 knots flat out. My 30 footer surfed off St Catherine's Point in a Round the Island race at 16 knots on the speedo, the Open 60s hit high 20s, but an MX Ray? Don't believe it!