Leg five was a beautiful day in Sailing Arabia The Tour! We started out of Ras Al Khaimah at 11:00 am for this challenging leg, which takes the fleet 50 miles up and around the Omani Peninsula, and 50 or so miles down the other side to Dibba in Oman. This area is known for its rugged mountain ranges that rise up to 2,100 meters. We had a great downwind spinnaker flight to the top of the Strait of Hormuz, where we rounded magnificent cliffs, through crazy tides and currents. It was wonderful to see, and at one stage over 30 boats, headed for Iranian waters, ran through the fleet. It was pretty exciting! I looked carefully for any long barreled guns, but didn’t see any, so was not worried. Plus we had the Omani Naval patrol nearby, so nothing could go to wrong…

After getting through to the other side, we headed down the coast with light wind. It was one of those euros-to-zeros back to heroes kind of race. The forecast had called for big winds and reaching, but the cliffs protected us. It was a long night of very nuanced sailing with weight movement. We sent the Omani women below often to get rest, because weight was also good to have inside the boat while mostly wind/reaching in light fare. At one stage I saw clouds developing onshore, and knowing that the edges of clouds were windows, we headed closer to shore. We jagged our own little shore breeze, that the other boats who were farther out off-shore did not have. Quickly we passed the fleet and were in first!

However, EFG’s skipper, Sidney Gavignet, is a professional and never gives up. He quickly headed to shore and caught up with us, and ended up passing us not far from the finish line. The wind was crazy at the finish, which was deep in a bay of fishing pots, with 180° shifts. EFG and Mezze Frankfurt passed by staying offshore, further away from some cliffs that were not helpful. We ended up in third place at the finish line, which puts us in third overall at this stage of the Tour. Our team learned a lot, and were very excited to finish in front of most of the fleet again.

Today we are giving back to our sponsors, and will have guests onboard. There are no points for today. It will be interesting, because we are going to have the Omani women practice all the racing positions. It is a great opportunity to give them good coaching, while racing without cost of points. They continue to learn that this is a team sport, and everyone has to work together in unison. One of the big lessons this past week has been learning about different responses in different conditions – like moving lightly and gently while hoisting a spinnaker, compared to hoisting a spinnaker in bug winds where aggressive, fast, hard body movements are used.

Two more legs left, and we sit in third. My expectations for the team have already been exceeded, and I am very happy with what the team has achieved. We will continue to try to obtain a first or second podium finish, but it’s all a bonus at this stage. I will be interested to see where the Omani women go from here. Two of them originally instructed children in the Oman Sail Program. The other is on loan from the Royal Navy, and I will be curious if she will continue sailing or will return to her duties there. Time will tell.

Sailing Arabia The Tour (SATT)  • 15 Days  •  8 Marinas  •  7 Legs  •  760 Nautical Miles

Leg 3: Podium again in Third place!

It was a 60-nautical mile sprint from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, and a close battle between us and the Messe Frankfurt Sailing Team for second place.  Although the Messe team managed to overtake us, and finish one minute ahead in second place, they certainly had to work for it! Read More.

Leg 4: Fifth place after gear failure…

The last bit into the finish line we had Huda and Khuloud trimming with Eptisom driving the boat, as we struggled with equipment problems. They were calling for us to hike hard when puffs hit, and they did a great job. My goal has always been to see improvement in every single day of racing and so far that has been achieved. I am really pleased with the progress of the team – all of us- because each of us always has room for improvement. That is the beauty of sailing, we are always learning. Read More.

Yesterday: Incredible short races…

The inport racing were action packed, while tucked in the little harbor by the yacht club in Ras Al Khaimah.

It was fun and we ended up third for the day, mixing it up with EFG Bank and  Delft. The Omani women had a ball, and were abuzz after! Every race they are growing as sailors. They are opening up to us as well, showing more and more personality that is even more fun. At the day’s awards ceremony, when we were called up on the podium, I was shaking hands with the dignitaries, including various sheiks. One of the sheiks pulled his hand back before I could do so. In our culture, it would be a gross insult, but in their culture – I was told – it was a sign of respect to his wife and to me. It is a reminder to not frame experiences simply in our own western frame of mind, but to be open that there are other ways out there. At any rate, I like having the Omani women up on the podium and helping them feel that they are equally deserving of standing up there strong and proud. Read More.

 

Well, here it is the day of the start around the Strait of Hormuz

Leg 5 of SATT includes strict limits about where we can go. We must stay close to shore in order not to wander into Iranian waters; dodging rocks and other military forbidden areas, as well as watching for smugglers and, of course, pirates. We leave RAK at 10 am and our next port is around the top down into Dibba, Oman. It is the second longest leg of the race. We will have Omani Naval Patrol with us along the way.

The forecast is for a fast leg. We will be downwind initially with spinnakers up, getting through the strait at sunset or just past. Doing so in the daylight will be VERY helpful. On the other side, it is forecast to be really windy. Up to 30 knots blast reaching. Wet and woolly. However, there are cliffs and mountainous regions to contend with, so some don’t believe we will get that wind. I am as adventurous as any, but I must admit a blast reach in 30 knots with fire hose effect is not making me super excited – EXCEPT for the effect of an early finish. We have a lot of fishing nets to contend with as we get towards Dibba, and sudden maneuvers in 30 knots are hairy.

Delayed Start – again

The start out of Doha was delayed because of customs (this is a reoccuring theme) so by the time of the start we had a solid 16 knots in the afternoon. The ride from Doha to Abu Dhabi was quick as expected, downwind the entire 159 miles, with some fire-hose spinnaker reaching in the middle of the night thrown in. The start out of Doha was delayed because of customs (this is a re-occurring theme) so by the time of the start we had a solid 16 knots in the afternoon. We battled it out inch by inch against EFG Bank (race favorites and eventual race winner) and Messr Frankfurt into the night changing positions back and forth with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fast and Furious Down Wind

This was the Omani womens’ first “real” offshore and full night out, so I was interested to see how they would cope with the physical and mental demands of the racing. I was hopeful that it wasn’t going to be too windy so that we could allow them to go down below in rotations to get an hour of sleep. Initially, with the wind square behind us, they could do that because the boat sails flat. However, as the wind headed us (went forward) making us sail a much higher, difficult angle we needed them sitting on the high side of the boat for balance. The sailing was fast and furious. At one stage we got into a high road – not -quite – luffing match with Messr Frankfort and won that one, but they dove low, sneaking by us.

Leaders emerge in the strain of competition

The Omanis were troopers and worked hard all night, even when they couldn’t keep their eyes open they continued to try. Epitsom, who is our one and only returning sailor from last year has really stepped up and proven herself to be an asset. She does all the jobs asked and has really grown in her skill set. During the night when it was hard, she was sending the other Omani girls down before taking her break. When her break came to an end she uncomplainingly came back up on deck. Onshore, Epitsom is the one who has asked for more coaching and feedback on what she needs to do to improve and about her strengths/weaknesses. We had a big coaching session last night and discussed her strengths in potential positions and also how to deal with outside naysayers – a concept we ALL have dealt with in our lives.

A Podium Finish!

We ended up finishing fourth for the leg, right behind Messr Franfort It was a great finish and the team did great work. Navigating the myriad waypoints and safety hazards was not an easy task – Liz took it on magnificently; Mary was fantastic trimming and doing some driving;and Lauren managed the bow and was a rock while trimming as well. After the finish, we found out there had been a port/starboard incident at the last rounding mark between EFG and Delft. EFG had filed a protest. The hearing was held yesterday and EFG won. Delft got thrown out for infringing the rule. The rule says that a boat on starboard has rights and a port boat must keep clear – just like right of way on roads. That means we move up to finishing third. So my goal of getting the girls on the podium has been fulfilled! I am pleased for them. I still want another podium, and of course will work hard to get that. There is a lot of racing left!

A shifty day of racing in Abu Dhabi

Today is the inport race in a tiny harbor in front of Abu Dhabi. The wind is crazy because it shifts amid the skyscrapers, and the water is very shallow and not well marked. Makes it a bit sketchy at times. Joining us for the inport race is a team from Abu Dhabi. Initially, they wanted to compete on the entire SATT race, but couldn’t get it done in time. Hopefully, this will get them some visibility and generate some sponsor interest, so they can join next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Llyod Images for photos.

Bahrain to Qatar – 4th place!

After finishing fourth on the first leg from Bahrain we stopped here in Doha Qatar for a day of in-port racing just outside the Pearl Marina. 8-12 knots of wind gave us great training for our novice crew. I see a noticeable progression in the Omani women’s skills. Our 3rd place finish in race 2 was a great confidence boost to the team – thanks to a great start and good wind/strategy calls. We moved Raham, the young woman from the Oman Navy, up to helping at mast and floater position, and she is really enjoying the increased physicality of those jobs. She had previously been on main. Being a novice at both sailing and English proved a big challenge for everyone, as the main position is integral to the communication flow on board. Like any team, each position requires different skills and delivers unique attributes to the success formula, so figuring out who fits best into each role takes time. Ideally this would have been done far in advance during practice sessions. But with last minute team changes we are on a steep learning curve in the midst of competition.

 

Next leg – The longest from Doha Qatar to Abu Dhabi

The wind for our next leg looks stable and manageable. It should be a quick run. We will be under spinnaker with wind behind us the entire way, except for the short upwind leg with a turning mark. The route is filled with many navigational hazards such as oil fields, islands and shallows. Liz Baylis, our experienced navigator, will have her hands full plotting waypoints and keeping her eyes peeled for unlit marks – an increased challenge when racing under spinnaker. The current routing puts us into port early morning, around 6 am. This will give us a needed rest day in Abu Dhabi.

Getting into a Groove

As the event progresses and we continue to tune our boat, our team is starting to settle in and find a rhythm. I hope the progression continues for us. The other team competitors have commented to me on how well we are sailing, and it feels good to have them recognize the potential in our novice young women. Currently we are on the heels of the Dutch team, chasing them for third overall, with a lot of racing left to go. We have developed a great relationship with this team. In Bahrain, their navigator was very helpful with some of our electronic problems, and when their batteries died (no engine) after the finish of the first leg we threw them a tow line until a power boat came by to take over the job. This is a great part of the culture of sailing – although we are competitors, we are friends, allies and have each other’s backs.

Today we head off on the longest leg of the SATT – 160 nautical miles from Doha to Abu Dhabi.

Ok – off we go… wish us luck!
−Katie

 

Sailing Arabia The Tour 2014 runs from February 9-24, and will span four countries with stopovers in Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Musandam, Mussanah and Muscat. Katie shares the team’s progress and obstacles before the start of the race:

Delayed in Customs necessitates MacGyver-like ingenuity

It’s the morning of Leg one, and I am grabbing a quiet moment to check in. It has been a whirlwind couple of days. Upon arrival to Bahrain, we found that our boats, sails and gear were stuck in customs – and had been for a week. Eventually they were released – three days before the start. It has been a mad panic to get the masts in, brand new electronics installed and working, and of course the brand new sails set up. With no facilities, such as a workshop or sail loft, it is definitely a “make it work” kind of theme.

A very green team

Onboard is Mary Rook and Liz Baylis, each returning from a previous version of SATT. Ibtisam was with us last year, but never sailed in the offshore legs, so although she understands the nature of the race, the endurance aspect will be new. The rest of the team is brand new, including very novice sailors. Our vision is to continue to train the new Omani women in becoming not only good racing sailors, but also in the qualities that make good teammates and leaders in their own right. Things like ownership, teamwork, processing mistakes and learning from them, resilance, and of course communication. They are excited and have already been taking on the jobs – big or small – on the boat needed to get things done.

Omani Women’s Sailing Team ~ SATT 2014
Katherine Pettibone (USA)
Raiya Al Habsi (OMA)
Ibtisam Al Salmi (OMA)
Khaloud Al Uraimi (OMA)
Huda Al Mashrafi (OMA)
Raham Al Shezawi (OMA)
Elisabeth Baylis (USA)
Mary Rook (GBR)

Managing expectations & keeping focused on the goal

Unfortunately, we only have about one hour collectively sailing as a total team, and we are facing tough competition. All but one boat is a returning, talented team from previous versions of the SATT. The one which is the exception – EFG Bank, armed with incredible professional talent and two of Oman’s top sailors, and is currently the favorite of the race. The good news is this sets a high bar to work for, and that is good for performance goals. The bad news is that it can be tough on morale if realistic goals aren’t set. Myself and Liz Baylis (who is navigator and tactician) will have to manage those expectations.

Opening ceremony then a shakedown leg in the dark

This morning is the opening ceremony with a member of Bahrain’s royal family expected. The weather is rainy and cold however, so he may not come. After that the start is supposed to be at 1:00 pm, with a northwest wind of 20+ knots to send us flying over to Doha, Qatar. I believe the start will be postponed, so we are probably looking at 4:30 or 5:00 pm start. Just a tiny bit of time to sail in daylight before sailing all night in the dark, honing off downwind, turning right at the tip of Qatar. Thankfully, the course is pretty straightforward for the first leg. It will be a short leg, and it will get our team comfortable with off-the-wind sailing and entail a spinnaker peel, which we did practice in yesterday’s one hour of sailing. Looking forward to seeing how we handle the night.

…and Big Thanks!

My profuse thanks to Predict Wind for sponsoring us, and allowing us use of their product – the widely known best routing and information over here in Oman. It’s a fantastic aid. We encourage people to check it out and their soon-to-be released iPad app. www.predictwind.com

Wish us luck!
   −Katie Pettibone