The mystery box could be anything, it could even be a boat!

[Ray Smoodiver]

Time we had a boating / nautical thread in hurrr. Post pics of cool boats, stories of your boating adventures, and if you're pro crew, stories about what guests get up to

I'll start:

Noumea to Auckland in 5 days on an 84ft racing ketch:











How to rebuild a boat after it turns turtle in the Fastnet race:







(Work is that 58m white thing in the background)

Sending it in a Volvo 60 at St Barts Bucket last year:



An unpleasant watch in the middle of the Atlantic on the same boat, about 450nm out of the Azores (being watch leadrer, I get to play with the GoPro)



This is what happens when a designer of an 80ft race yacht tries to make the boat too light and the builder asks for a no indemnity clause because they can see from a mile out what is going to happen:





Hanuman, prior to heading out fo the J-Class racing in Palma, Spain:

[Farbin Kaiber]

In for guest stories.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Rainy days in Antigua:



Champagne sailing, absolutely sending the VOR60 across the pond:



Antigua sailing week, chasing our sister yacht, The Lithuanian Sailing Federation:



Don't fucking paint your yacht like this:



We've been parked next to this bad boy for the last 5 months:

[hendrixvodu]

family guy

[Ray Smoodiver]

The J-Class: as far as I'm concerned, but absolute pinnacle of big boat sailing / crewing. I will captain one of these before I'm 40, I've no doubt.

[ajhostetter]

While my stories will in no way be as good, I'll get the shots from my great capsize during the Aspen Open Regatta last year...more to come.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Heading up to Bermuda from Antigua in the VOR60, (very) Shorthanded with only three of us onboard. I was on watch alone doing the 0400-0700 watch. I had Tame Impala on the stereo (we had some seriously impressive speakers around the helms)and I sighted a boat on the horizon and elected to chased it down and check them out (the ocean is a big place and it gets boring). It took me 3.5 hours to chase this boat down from 0430, but I eventually caught them. They snapped this photo of us as we chatted on the radio, and eventually we met up in Bermuda for dinner and drinks:



They were a wonderful Austrian couple and we've remained in contact ever since. Craigslist.com/missedconnections/atlanticoceansailing

Shirley Heights, Antigua:



As you can see, English and Falmouth Harbours behind me.

Some from Bay of Islands Sailing Week in NZ (2013):

Vodaboat:

[E30_Pare]

[einhander]

Nothing beats classic Simpsons references.

Looks totally awesome.

[Ray Smoodiver]

This is how we do:



You all like Torqeedo now:



How we do at the Bucket:

http://vimeo.com/90724253

[Hooffenstein HD]

Damn it, Ray. I just want to kill you and assume your identity.

[kickinindian]

im......also in for stories

[Ray Smoodiver]

Princess Beatrice and her Victoria's Secret friends are on charter till tomorrow so we're not telling that story just yet.

[BillBrasky]

Amazing! How did you get started in all of that?

[Ray Smoodiver]

Amazing! How did you get started in all of that?

First step was leaving the desk job with BMW.

Second step was buying a one way flight.