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"Behind the Lens" Part 41 Quarter Tonners

Some of the closest racing in the Solent in recent years is in the revived Quarter Ton Class. With a fleet of up to 20 boats competing its serious racing but its also still fun and its very photogenic.Most of the action happens at the marks when the boats a very close together and the crews are working on deck.Also it doesn't take much for them to trip up, so the occasional broach is inevitable.

Published 11:10 on 21 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 40 The J-Class

Just the mention of the J-Class brings excitement and emotions to our minds.Velsheda, Endeavour and Shamrock were the last three remaining J's after the war and in the 80s and 90s there were some great regattas with just the three of them.Endeavour had been a hulk in the river Medina for many years was the first to be restored by Elizabeth Meyer and the the Royal Huisman Shipyard. Re launched in 1989 we were all

Published 16:30 on 20 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 39 Timoneer

The regatta crew on Timoneer has always been a tight, loyal bunch.Mostly made up of Phil Wades mates, and the mates of mates, the gathering before the regatta was always a great day. Meeting up with long time friends from different parts of the world, sharing a beer and a catch up.Hearing the same stories for the umpteenth time and inwardly smiling as they seem to get better and better each year. Mr and

Published 16:21 on 20 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 38 Timoneer

I have mentioned before the friendships you make sailing can last a long time. Phil Wade was the Mate on Drum and has remained a friend ever since. A partner in the original Pelagic, years and years ago he took we on my first high latitude cruise through the Beagle Channel and Magellan Straits , a life changing experience and I didn't know at the time I would go back there many times. When

Published 12:26 on 15 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 37 Night Photography

I think about pictures a lot. Often when I am out walking and I have an image in my mind I go over and over it trying to figure out how to capture it. If there is one recurring technique that has always interested me its night time photography.I had the idea on Drum (1985) to try and show what its like to sail at night.There are many non sailors that think we put the

Published 12:23 on 15 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 36 Cape Horn

I have been fortunate to sail around Cape Horn a few times on various Whitbread yachts but one of the most interesting and challenging gigs has been photographing the Whitbread/Volvo boats rounding Cape Horn. In the 97/98 race it was still the Whitbread and I worked alongside Andrew Preece, Richard Simonds, and Eric, we worked from a Chillean Navy aircraft out of Puerto Williams. Nikon lent me a very early prototype Nikon/Kodak digital camera

Published 12:09 on 15 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 35 Adele South Georgia

I joined Adele in Ushuaia, sailed the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, then to The Falklands, South Georgia and up to Rio, I was onboard for 7 weeks and I will never forget the incredible experiences. Here are a few pictures from The Falklands and South Georgia. The vast amount of wildlife in South Georgia is just incredible and has to witnessed to be understood. There were over 250,000 King Penguins in

Published 11:58 on 15 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 34 High Latitude Adele

Some of the best wildlife encounters I have experienced have been while working onboard Super Yachts in the Arctic and Antarctic, in particular the yacht Adele.Here are a few pictures of a humpback whale we encountered in Antarctica.We drifted for a few hours with this whale, the water was incredibly clear and you can clearly see the pectoral fins through the water. Adele is a 180' Andre Hoek design and a beautiful boat to

Published 11:51 on 15 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 33 Farr 40's

Barking Mad, Mean Machine, Mascalzone Latino, Alingi, ...One of the great classes of the 90's and early 2000's were the Farr 40's.Large fleets of boats raced by owners, crews and the top pros (and some very young upcoming now pros).There is nothing like seeing a large fleet of boats approaching the windward mark with just inches between them.It makes for great racing and great pictures.This is a selection from Cowes, Miami and Key West.

Published 11:41 on 15 May 2020
"Behind the Lens" Part 32 La Nioulargue / Voiles de Saint Tropez

Continuing the theme looking at some of great regattas La Nioulargue now the Voiles de Saint Tropez is right up there. In the 90's it seemed like half of Hamble would make the annual trek to Saint Tropez at the end of the summer season. One particular image that stands out in my mind is this spinnaker lit up like a lantern by the setting sun from 1992. Racing had been delayed and

Published 11:40 on 15 May 2020