Smoke on the water, speed on the run

“Every mile is a learning mile. The work is in the details and the discipline, and that is where teams are made.”  Sharon Ferris Choat

Starting on the same line as the one-hundred-footers is a jolt of pure energy. We are less than half their size, but the goal is the same as ever on a mixed fleet start line: launch clean, settle the boat fast, and get to work.

A smoke haze from New South Wales fires laid over the course and turned simple calls into judgment calls. Visibility came and went. That is when clear language and trust matter most.

The crew worked hard and worked well. We rotated through helm and trim, checked systems, and kept our feedback loops short. The downwind ride home delivered the joy that keeps sailors honest. Vixen carried speed, the boat felt alive, and the hours of quiet practice paid us back with balance and control.

We are still getting to know every system under race load. That is the point of this campaign. Make the boat second nature, then raise the bar. Our philosophy is simple and it is non negotiable. Every mile is a learning mile. We bank the lesson, adjust the plan, and go again.

My note from the skipper chair is about energy. Twenty seven hours with thirty minutes of sleep is not a plan for multi day racing. We will protect rest windows, tighten nutrition and hydration, and keep the workload clear and shared. Fatigue is a tactic, not a surprise.

The takeaway is straight. Culture under pressure wins races. Keep the language clean, own your role, and move the boat forward. Vixen will do the rest.