Thanks to everybody involved

Back at home reflecting on our amazingly successful race I feel the need to do an Oscar acceptance speech. Maybe by November and the Prizegiving we will have got used to the notion that we deserve the Tilman Trophy. At the moment it seems highly surprising.
This campaign has been well planned and executed thanks to a lot of people.
Tony Bennett and Chris Smith from Bellanoch were vital in kitting out the boat and supplying the rowing rig which propelled us so effectively.
Chris Haughton and David Herbert helped with the delivery trip from Crinan to Holyhead and cheerfully took part in the inept crew training sessions off Galloway when we struggled with the dip pole gybing system for the first time.
Bill was the shoreside lynch pin we couldn't have done without, and we were very sorry Claire couldn't join him but supported from afar.
Ruth Rosie Mark Mary and Lizzie put up with parental neglect at exam time or while travelling - sorry!
Bridget and Shelagh from Kithros 2 helped look after Bill and point him in the right direction when needed.
Norma Wendy Dennis and Mike and all the Merioneth Yacht Club organisers make us all so welcome every year and encourage us to have another go.
Bill Neal Colin Richard and Mike on Kithros 2 goaded us with well chosen insults when they saw us on the rocks and gave us a reason to battle our way to Whitehaven in the fastest time possible. We hardly saw them after that...
On the crew Patrick was the generous co-skipper and owner, knew his boat thoroughly and was a vital source of local knowledge in Scotland, Virginia was the ships cook of your dreams and downwind helmsman to surpass anybody, Andrew did sail trim and rowing and running while David was offically the grunt who followed orders while running up mountains extraordinarily fast for someone who looked as if he wasn't trying. Thanks to all of them for putting up with being bossed about by me.

It was a great team effort and everybody played their part so to win the all rounder team trophy is particularly apt.

PS Shelterbox donations now within sight of a whole box - just needs £25 more....

Kithros finished ninth

Well done to Bill and crew for a fantastic result. They came in ahead of many faster boats and with a shred more luck at the Mull of Galloway would have been in the leading pack. They seem to have laughed their way round the course and Richard has become a blood brother after bonding with tea and cake rituals. What Mike made of them all would be interesting to hear but he had to jump on a train home as he had wangled time off at short notice.
Bill and Bridget were cleaning the boat and restoring it to Cruising mode when we left. They plan to explore the Firth of Clyde further but were awaiting weather informataion before deciding.
Neal was back in the Sailing Club bar in Devon with a pint of Otter by nine o'clock on Friday night and "next year" was already being mentioned!

Leg Three by Kate

I am writing this in a quiet moment in Corpach. Patrick is asleep, V A and B have gone for a walk up the Ben, I am meant to be boat cleaning and David is probably eating up the rest of the stores while I am not looking.

We had a lucky start on the last leg. Our runners got in just as the tide was rising so we were able to allow them a shower and a cup of tea before locking out with the five other boats at 5 o'clock. Only EADS and the Dockers had left earlier and the latter were still stuck on the sand in the outer harbour.

The first 45 miles is a long slog across to the Mull of Galloway. This was a lovely spinnaker reach and Sea Fever went beautifully with her new sail. The opposition had a theory we had a special yellow wire across the foot which gave it special powers (it was tape!) By the time we reached the Mull we were miles ahead of the other boats with V at the helm. Then followed a tactical debate on tides up the coast of Galloway. We stayed quite close in but then struck off for Kintyre an hour before the tide turned in our favour. This seemed to pay because we were catching up EADS by the time we entered the sound of Jura. Then followed a very long day rowing and sailing and brewing tea as we battled up the Sound to reach Luing before the tide turned against us at 3am. Virginia has decribed it well. We celebrated mile 100 with half a tot of Jura whisky off Craighouse but our scambled brains could not cope with any more. (See photo!)

Patricks local knowledge was vital as he picked our course up past Corryvreckan, but we used Bills famous waypoint list to navigate Luing in the dark.

As dawn arrived we were picking our way past Kerrera neck and neck with team Whistler. Initially they failed to respond to banter but by the top of Lismore were sledging like real Aussies. After changing places about ten times we agreed a truce as we could see EADS in the distance and wanted to catch her up if possible.

The wind had died again so we rowed into Loch Linnhe and waited while the Dockers crept up behind us on the incoming sea breeze. We ate porridge and D and P caught up on sleep while A K and V propped their eyes open for a few more hours (A fell asleep at the oars and K at the wheel!)

Eventually the wind filled and we had a storming finish through the Corran Narrows and up to Corpach. We were delighted to be within ten minutes of the leaders after such a long race.

Our final act before the sailors collapsed in a heap was to wave D and P off up the mountain and bring Sea Fever into the Sea lock at Corpach. Our job was done! Incidentally we had logged the fasted aggregate sailing time of any team, a testimony to the boat.

Kate

update from Virginia

Yesterday was I think Wednesday. It was a very long day but in the end very rewarding and successful. It started either with rowing or flying the spinnaker, and continued with such through the hours of darkness and into the dawn. We had a provisional watch system with all the team now involved, meaning that Kate, Andrew and Virginia would get a bit more sleep, and David would have to get his night vision focused. The reality was that we needed 3 on board for rowing and at least 4 for gybing the spinnaker. Kate had taught her crew well but we were still amateurs and under cover of darkness a spinnaker gybe is more tricky. She would call back into the cockpit 'Is this the red or the blue sheet?' But we improved and concentration was kept at a high level as we changed places with the Aussie team Whistler throughout the day and night. The tricky bit was whether we would get through the tidal gate at Luing, and it looked touch and go through the night, but we managed to get through at 3am at the very last opportunity. Exciting stuff. We were rather surprised that Whistler also managed to get through, but that gave us a continued battle. They were faster than us in a straight line but we sailed directly for the next point at all times, and were better rowers when the boys were on duty. Bacon butties at dawn helped to pass the hours and porridge at 11:30 constituted lunch. By then we were coming round Lismore Island and Shuna, with the prospect of the Corran Narrows ahead. Patrick and David got into preparation mode for Ben Nevis and Andrew and Kate sailed the boat fast; at last the wind had appeared and Andrew and I had stopped falling asleep on the oars and helm, and were enjoying the race once more. As we rushed through the Corran Narrows with spinnaker flying we gave Bill a wave and continued to catch Whistler. We were now worried that there was too much wind but our spinnaker handling had improved so that we looked semi professional, and we managed to get our runners ashore for 2pm. While we chatted ashore to the other boats it became clear that no one else was going for the Tilman Trophy so we became very excited as it meant that we would win this category. Off David and Patrick went, and were back far too fast in 4 hours 15 minutes. We were 4th overall as well so delighted. Champagne and a relaxing evening on board followed with a chicken curry and tuna bake provide by the chief cook who has now gone on strike and left David to eat cereal out of the packets....The team were all very sleepy and have enjoyed an excellent sleep.

Tilman Trophy Winners! - Update by Bill

They've done it!

Dont know how, but they have actually done it!

Topsham Sea Fever have not only finished but won the Tilman Trophy, and may also win the prize for fastest boat.

Full details and stories will follow as soon as we've stopped drinking champagne!

News of Kithros - Update by Bill

Kithros runners Colin and Mike put up a superb time on Snowdon and returned to the boat in good time for the trip down Menai with the tide.

Noticing both White Cloud and Topsham Sea Fever on the rocks in the Swellies, Kithros anchored up and waited for a bit more water. Navigating around the stranded Sea fever, Bill Ricketts avoided commenting on Sea Fevers lack of navigational prowess, but did comment that with the hull heeled over a lot of weed was showing...

Sea Fever eventually regained her lead but Kithros was only a couple of hours later into Whitehaven. Colin and Mike then set off on their bikes, but Colin was hurting badly...

Undaunted, Mike took both rucksacks and cajoled Colin to the top of Scafell. By the top though Mike gave it back with the words, "Take it, or I'll shove it up your *!**!"

Setting off from Whitehaven only a couple of hours behind the bunch, Kithros suffered lighter winds, and after going backwards for a bit they anchored in Luce Bay. This is almost traditional for them, and apparently they then enjoyed a gourmet meal of ration packs.

Currently (9pm Tuesday) they are charging up the Jura Sound at 8 knots, only 30 miles behind the leading boat and closing fast.

Sailing Update - Texts from Kate

Sent at 13:00 Tuesday:
"Virginia and Kate steered through the night and through the fleet". (ed: They got into second place at one time, and are now fourth overall.)
"Andrew and Patrick now trying hard (ed: very trying?) in light airs.
Running out of fruit juice and mould growing on the quiche.
Will try and eat quiche. Will see if it creates wind...."

Sent at 16:00 Tuesday:
"Happily making scale model of Jura from 3 toblerone and a bottle of malt whisky. Will photo for blog.."
(ed: Its quite obvious that scurvy and delusions have now set in!)

Update: 21:00 Sea Fever now in 4th place. The wind has returned and all boats are steaming up the Sound of Jura.

(Edited by Bill, Support Team).