Popping kites amid bronze winches

Sam Davies reports from on board the green hulled J class yacht

I was fortunate enough to be invited to sail on the J-Class yacht Shamrock V for this week of the America's Cup Jubilee regatta. I was in awe of this beautiful classic before I even stepped on board. Shamrock finished a major refit earlier this year, and it seems to have been extremely successful, both above and below deck.

When John Spengos (the crew boss) informed me that my job for the week was the pit I was somewhat nervous, until I saw the four bronze finished Lewmar winches that I was to work at were all hydraulic!

The last two days have been crew training, and today at 10.40 we started our first race of the regatta. In a fresh SW 20 knots, Shamrock was at the Island end of the long line (which was biased that way) on port tack, with Endeavour, Velsheda and Cambria below us.

It must have been an impressive sight for the thousands of spectators on the green and in powerboats as we took off on our long beat to SW Shingles buoy. I could not believe that so many people had turned up to witness this spectacle on what was a rather miserable English rainy summer's day! It made me feel so proud to be racing on one of the world's most famous boats at a once-in-a-lifetime event.

As we beat out of the Solent, Endeavour slowly ground us down and eventually got past in a wind shift. Shamrock is the smallest of the Js and so our work is cut out to get a good start and stay ahead. At the rounding mark the wind had increased to about 27 knots and all the crews were understandably cautious with their spinnaker hoists. Velsheda was the first to set her 'ladybird' spinnaker, and started catching us as we hoisted. Endeavour seemed to have a few problems and all three Js closed. As Velsheda was alongside us, she collapsed her spinnaker during a gybe and as it hit the topping lift it exploded completely. We shot past as her crew struggled to get the remains of the chute on board.

Endeavour finally hoisted and was away. We were comfortably second, and then disaster - our pole tripped itself, the spinnaker collapsed, and then BANG - exploded, straight across the middle. It is in moments like these when you realise how huge these boats are, as everyone who does not have a sheet or halyard in their hand has to come forward to haul the yards and yards of cloth on board.

The wind continued to build, up to 32 knots at times, and everything became wetter and heavier. At some points, the crew working to leeward were totally submerged! Down to just our MPS (asymmetric) we tried to hoist it on the last run to the finish, but then my winches lost their hydraulics. We tried to haul the chute to the top, but the exhausted crew struggled and it was just taking too long. I cannot imagine how they sailed these yachts all those years ago, when they didn't even have winches at all! I have much respect for those crews.

We finished in second place, a fair way behind Endeavour, but well ahead of Velsheda. Cambria retired with what looked like a problem with their mainsail as they sailed down the Solent under jib alone. Everyone was exhausted and soaked, but there were some huge grins on faces as we headed off to Cowes in the tender! This is only day one of what is going to be a week that will always stay in my memory.

Mini Transat entry and bowman for Shirley Robertson in the Yngling, Sam Davies will be reporting on her exploits on board Shamrock V for the rest of the week.