Maiden on telly

[mjcoon]

Tracy's friend had just broken her wrist falling down below and it turned out the French woman, who was the most skilled racing skipper at the time, had instructed that the first-aid kit was left ashore with other 'non-essentials' to save weight.

Yes, I was astonished that any sort of safety equipment could be rated 'non-essentials'.

Mike.

[mjcoon]

It was always most upsetting it took a foreign king to recognise what women can achieve. Shame on every British company that rejected them.

Yes, I liked the idea that he could empathise, while she was a charter cook, with boat bums being rootless, per "camels = ships of the desert"!

Mike.

[laika]

and the fact they completed the race at all; which Rucanor Sport didn't, I think are impressive enough feats.

It's been a few months since I saw the doc but...whilst yes I see Rucanor Sport as "DNF" on the wikipedia page wasn't it Bruno Dubois at the end saying about how they'd got in ahead of Maiden but the cheering wasn't for them? Did they miss an earlier leg or do I just have a faulty memory of the documentary?

[bedouin]

It's been a few months since I saw the doc but...whilst yes I see Rucanor Sport as "DNF" on the wikipedia page wasn't it Bruno Dubois at the end saying about how they'd got in ahead of Maiden but the cheering wasn't for them? Did they miss an earlier leg or do I just have a faulty memory of the documentary?

IIRC Rucanor hit a whale on Leg 3 so had to retire from that leg, but rejoined the race later following repairs.

[Tomahawk]

Yes, I was astonished that any sort of safety equipment could be rated 'non-essentials'.

Mike.

French?
Or more daft about weight than one could imagine

[Tomahawk]

It was worth watching but a bit frustrating. It clearly had a strongly feminist agenda and rather over-played that. Seemed to be trying to say that Maiden was the best boat in the fleet and they were unlucky not to win.

But even though it was very pro Edwards it did seem that she wasn't quite up to the job (nothing to do with being a woman btw) and in fact she was a bit lucky to get round in one piece.

You talk about feminist.. Why? Edwards herself said she hates the term. She just wanted to go racing around the world when everyone was saying you can't because you are a girl. Pollocks like that would never survive childbirth yet alone the sleep deprivation to rearing children yet they think women are weak.

[bedouin]

You talk about feminist.. Why? Edwards herself said she hates the term. She just wanted to go racing around the world when everyone was saying you can't because you are a girl. Pollocks like that would never survive childbirth yet alone the sleep deprivation to rearing children yet they think women are weak.

The feminist slant came from the way the filmakers chose to present it. They focused a lot on the chauvanistic attitude of a handful of people - notably members of the press. I don't believe that really came from Edwards at the time - she just wanted to get round as fast as she could.

[Tomahawk]

Maiden was a competitive boat back in her day. But I was struck by how slow she was compared to the modern generation. It took near two months for the first leg. By comparison Pip Hare on an old IMOCA just finished the Transat in a little over 18 days. Even accepting that Salvador is way north of leg 1 of the Whitbread, the speed difference is huge.

Also worth noting there are quite a few women in this years Transat.

[Quandary]

You must have a big problem with the English language - you are attributing statements to me I never made. It is a very nasty habit that belongs more in other areas of the forum.

Why not either comment on what I did say or (preferable) just shut up.

Thanks for the useful advice, I was commenting on what you said in my first sentence, your response confirms what I suspected about you, how arrogant does one need to be to enter a debate requiring anyone who disputes your view to shut up?
Perhaps I will or perhaps I won't but your instruction will have nothing to do with my decision, meanwhile you can free to say whatever you want, I will be able to weigh its usefulness now I know you better.

[scotty123]

French?
Or more daft about weight than one could imagine

There were similar stories around that time, of skippers cutting the handles off crew toothbrushes, to save weight.