An Aussie's view of the EDS - pt1

Kingfisher's co-skipper Nick Moloney on Open 60s v Volvo 60s, getting soaked and sailing with Ellen

Kingfisher's Australian co-skipper Nick Moloney is a unique individual. He has made the transition from the rarified world of the Whitbread/Volvo ( Toshiba) and America's Cup ( OneAustralia - yes, the one which snapped in half) to the 'Open' classes. He bought Ellen MacArthur's 21footer Le Poisson and took part in the last Mini Transat. He was a crewman on Steve Fossett's PlayStation during her transatlantic record attempts last year and - briefly - in The Race. And now Nick is running the blue and yellow Open 60 with Ellen in the EDS Atlantic Challenge.

In the first of this three part series, Nick looks at the EDS and the differences and similarities between Volvo boats and Open 60s.


Leg one was not for pussies

This is the first time the EDS Atlantic Challenge has run and understandably it is under close scrutiny. Well, for those doubters, it is quite a yacht race!

Many people got the wrong impression that leg one was easy, but in fact it was a really hard leg and, on Kingfisher at least, there was no shortage of action.

On the first night out from St Malo I was driving, we were reaching in 22 knots with the Code 5 on, smoking along at 16-18 knots when we ploughed into a fishing net. It virtually stopped the boat and the change in apparent breeze on the spinnaker nearly wiped us out. I was balancing the boat on its nose. All the sheets were cleated off and no one was tending them because they were all doing various bits and pieces around the boat. "Errr, guys...."

There were also some really stressful periods; a couple of times when we parked and we even had to kedge while Ecover was pulling out miles on us in the Channel. But when we reached Germany, because we didn't come back with images of spray everywhere and us being thrown around the boat, people assumed it had been easy. Not a bit of it! It was a really challenging leg.

I don't think anyone had any such doubts about leg two. When we got the forecast for leg two I knew we'd be in for some action. Fortunately we've been working hard on Kingfisher preparing for some big blows and we were in good shape: we were all experienced at sailing in those conditions and we just had to believe in ourselves and get on with it. For me, it was a bit of an eye-opener as I wanted to see how these boats go upwind in breeze and particularly in a chop.

continued on page 2...