Back in 1986, Martin Thomas and Alan Taylor entered the Transatlantic Two-Star Race in the Sadler 32 Jenny Wren. To say they didn’t have an easy trip would be a marvel of understatement. In fact, they and the rest of the contestants in that awful year experienced what can only be described as a trip from hell.
It would have been tough in any boat, but perhaps not quite so shocking in a modern yacht with roller headsails. Back in the 1980s, many yachts were still operating under hanked-on headsails with a wide choice available from a foc’s’le rammed full of wet canvas.
To their credit, Martin and Alan kept a narrative going in addition to the ship’s log. Written at an acute angle during one storm after another and now published in Heavy Weather Sailing (8th edition), it carries the authenticity of a real-time account. For these extracts, very few words have been changed from the original diary written in pencil. It serves to remind us of just how grim going to sea in a small yacht can be, but it also gives us a warm feeling when we sense the continuing morale of these two young men under conditions that would have crushed many a dreamer.
Day 1. We got off to a moderate start about halfway down the fleet, flew past The
