In 2002/03 I managed shoreside repairs for Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet doing the Around Alone. Ted Van Dusen built the mast and boom for the Open 60. On the first leg of the race Bruce broke the boom and unfortunately a section was lost overboard so a whole new boom had to be built. Composite Engineering owned by Ted came to the rescue and in a week built a boom however, somehow we had to get it from Concord MA to the UK in time for the start of the second leg. So many people made that happen not least Ted and his team but a lot of volunteers primarly found through the website Sailing Anarchy – John Zisa and Andrew Roberts to name two more.

Last summer a year ago today we started the Round Britain and Ireland race doublehanded. So what has all this got to do in 2011. Well last week on Tuesday I decided to race with my little brother once more on my Dad’s Capo 30 in 2012. The Royal Western relaunched the TWOSTAR doublehanded race from Plymouth to Newport Rhode Island the race will start June 2012.

On wednesday while I was on a walk I thought about everything that needed doing including spare parts to be purchased. I decided we needed a carbon spinnaker pole as a second pole to our aging aluminum pole.

On Thursday I sent out emails to about 8 companies and Composite Engineering was the second company back with an amazing quote (on Friday) and a promise to start this weekend. See also on thursday I figured out that we could get the pole into a container leaving at the end of the month from Newport RI to the UK. The container will have the gear of Will Hubbard and his team that are racing in the NYYC RORC race which I would love to have been on.

On Friday I sent an email to my friend Lisa who is visiting her parents in Littleton which happens to be 15 minutes from Concord where the pole is being made. I remembered Lisa was planning on visiting friends in Newport in a week or so. I asked if she was able to move the pole from Concord to Newport for me to go in the container.

On Monday there is heavy snow here in South Georgia and the visiblity has been coming and going all day. I spent sunday in my bed as I have been sick for the last week. Today I did boring paperwork. I am sitting here in my pitroom looking out into the dark (the stars are stunning) and an email comes from Ted with the below pictures.

Pretty amazing customer service wouldn’t you say! Also a big thank you to my friends Will and Lisa for making it all happen and getting the pole to the UK for me so when I come home I can race to Newport with a beautifully made strong, lightweight spinnaker pole made my Ted.