BB:
It’s funny you mention that because one of our reasons for existing is to introduce people to the idea that small boats, especially ones you build yourself, can give you the most amazing adventures. We’re actually in the process of looking at how we can bring a self-build boat to the UK market, the mainstream sailing sector is so dominated by racing that sailing is now a ‘sport’ and no longer an recreation..
RS
...an adventure...
BB:
yes, no longer an adventure, if you want to learn to sail here and you turn up to your local sailing club then your ideas of a Ransome like Peggy and Nancy Blackett adventure will soon be dispelled with the obsession of racing where everyone wears a wet suit and the boats can cost eye watering amounts of money. It’s ironic of course because the expansion in small boat sailing as an activity in the 1950s and 60s is why we have these clubs and what prompted that expansion was the combination of a large amount of surplice marine plywood, 1950’s dads who were DIY handy, many of whom had served at sea during WW2 and designers like Jack Holt. The Mirror of course was the game changer. What we’re trying to do is to get a Mirror for the 21st C, a boat that can be built by the DIY useless offspring and grandkids of 1950’s dad. We think we might have found it in Michael Storer’s Open Goose design and we’ll be running a series of articles covering our own build to see how we can keep the cost to a minimum.
RS:
That’s a great idea; I can see that really taking off.
BB:
While we’re on the subject of challenge, we’d better get back to your expedition!
What have been the two biggest challenges for you since the accident; your biggest mental challenge and the biggest physical challenge?
RS:
My mind got better a lot quicker than my body. Within 6 to 8 months my mind was already 90% there with ‘dealing’ with it. The problem was that my body simply wasn’t ready and wasn’t coping. I would get angry and frustrated with my body. For a young, active guy to suddenly be faced with this level of immobility is tough to deal with. The mind recovers and demands action, the body can’t deliver so months...
96.