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July 8, 2015  |  By Dorade Team

TR2015: July 8 Update Zach Mason

We have approximately 1,000 miles to the finish and the A4 sail is up on Starboard tack. After four days of grey skies and breeze up above 25 knots, we’re finally seeing a little change of weather with the skies slightly clearing. However, the water is still choppy and cold with the temperature around 65 degrees. I just overheard Giles at the helm telling Matt we are averaging ten knots over the ground.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Overall, spirits are good onboard, as we wait optimistically for each tracker update. Our three-way battle with Carina and Scarlet Oyster is still pretty tight and could go to anyone at this point. The next few shifts will be quite important for the old Dorade. From here until the finish, we’re hoping the breeze stays under 25 knots; when we go above 25 knots we’re forced to take down the spinnaker, which in turn slows our speed.

Last night (Tuesday, July 7) was an epic one, and the northern Atlantic Ocean showed Dorade what it is made of, with breeze in the mid 30s making for quickly building swells and a leftover sloppy sea state. It wasn’t until sunrise at 3:00 a.m. EDT that we realized how big the swells had risen, with the faces of waves reaching fifty feet. Watching Dorade’s stern rise with the top of each wave and then being onboard as she flew down it was quite spectacular and definitely got the adrenaline pumping.  In our continual quest for top speed, Ben and I think there may have been a new record, but we didn’t get a good reading, as even the mast displays were fully underwater. It sure was thrilling to see Dorade slip down the face of a wave that was far longer than her, but for both her sake and mine, I hope to never have to see her do that again.

Personally, it’s been a good trip and very busy, making the days go by quickly. I am really hoping we can start to catch a break on the choppy weather and get a little luck from the weather gods. The rocking of the boat is relentless right now, and mentally I am just really looking forward to the back-and-forth rolling to stop. She is definitely not easy to sail in big seas, so having the boat trimmed perfectly is a must, otherwise the helmsman may be taking a few extra Advil after their watch.

In terms of Dorade’s performance, I must say that sailing her can teach any sailor a thing or two. We have nicknamed her “Moses” (the boat that parts water) as when Dorade gets going the amount of water she displaces is incredible. I’m starting to look forward to passing The Lizard, but with up to a week away, we will stay focused on the goal. Signing out.
– Zach Mason

July 8 Photogallery

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Mar 26

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“I was lucky: I had a goal. As far back as I can “I was lucky: I had a goal. As far back as I can remember I wanted to design fast boats,” writes Olin Stephens in the opening words of his autobiography, All This and Sailing Too, which we heartily recommend. Today you can read another take on Olin and his brother Rod in our latest blog post, at the link in our bio—a look back at the two-part feature story on the Stephen Brothers written by Morton M. Hunt for The New Yorker's September 1957 issue. In this excerpt, we pick up the story with the publication of Olin’s first design in Yachting magazine and the beginning of the partnership that became the pre-eminent yacht design firm of the mid-20th century, Sparkman & Stephens. A yacht named Dorade was soon to follow…

[📸: Unknown]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #olinstephens @sparkman_and_stephens

“I was lucky: I had a goal. As far back as I can remember I wanted to design fast boats,” writes Olin Stephens in the opening words of his autobiography, All This and Sailing Too, which we heartily recommend. Today you can read another take on Olin and his brother Rod in our latest blog post, at the link in our bio—a look back at the two-part feature story on the Stephen Brothers written by Morton M. Hunt for The New Yorker's September 1957 issue. In this excerpt, we pick up the story with the publication of Olin’s first design in Yachting magazine and the beginning of the partnership that became the pre-eminent yacht design firm of the mid-20th century, Sparkman & Stephens. A yacht named Dorade was soon to follow…

[📸: Unknown]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #olinstephens @sparkman_and_stephens
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Mar 22

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Racing in rough water at Antigua in 2012. [📸: Racing in rough water at Antigua in 2012.

[📸: Tim Wright]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #caribbeansailing #antigua @sparkman_and_stephens

Racing in rough water at Antigua in 2012.

[📸: Tim Wright]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #caribbeansailing #antigua @sparkman_and_stephens
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Mar 19

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Team Dorade celebrates winning 1st overall in the Team Dorade celebrates winning 1st overall in the 2013 Transpac at the trophy ceremony. A stunning achievement as part of her "Return to Blue Water Campaign," the crew took to the podium 77 years after Dorade won the race for the first time. 

[📸: @sharon_green_ultimatesailing ]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #transpacificrace #transpac @sparkman_and_stephens @transpacrace

Team Dorade celebrates winning 1st overall in the 2013 Transpac at the trophy ceremony. A stunning achievement as part of her "Return to Blue Water Campaign," the crew took to the podium 77 years after Dorade won the race for the first time.

[📸: @sharon_green_ultimatesailing ]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #transpacificrace #transpac @sparkman_and_stephens @transpacrace
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Mar 15

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Lucie, a 1931 Six-Metre built for Briggs Cunningha Lucie, a 1931 Six-Metre built for Briggs Cunningham by the Nevins Yard on City Island, was the first of Matt and Pam's fleet of classic yachts. Designed by Clinton Crane, here is Lucie sailing upwind to 2nd place at the Newport Classic Yacht Regatta in 2016.

[📸: @silkenphoto ]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #lucie #sixmetre #ncyr #clintoncrane #classicyachtregatta #IYRS @classicyachtoa

Lucie, a 1931 Six-Metre built for Briggs Cunningham by the Nevins Yard on City Island, was the first of Matt and Pam's fleet of classic yachts. Designed by Clinton Crane, here is Lucie sailing upwind to 2nd place at the Newport Classic Yacht Regatta in 2016.

[📸: @silkenphoto ]

#doradeyacht #classicyacht #lucie #sixmetre #ncyr #clintoncrane #classicyachtregatta #IYRS @classicyachtoa
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