Editor’s Note: In 1956, Alan Nicol—nicknamed “Stormy” for the weather he seemed to attract—was Francis Chichester’s main crew on Gipsy Moth II, sailing with Chichester in the decade before he completed his famous circumnavigation in Gipsy Moth IV in 1966 (and became Sir Francis). At 24 feet LWL and carrying 540 square feet of sail, Gipsy Moth II was “an extravagance that gave [Chichester] great pleasure,” according to Anita Leslie’s Chichester biography. He converted her from a sloop to cutter and revamped the interior to accommodate a racing crew of five. “Francis liked to experiment, and he thought the best way to learn about ocean racing was simply to enter his boat and have a try,” Leslie wrote. During 1956, his second season with Gipsy Moth II, he entered the Cowes to San Sebastian Race. Nicol took photos and kept a notebook, which his son, James Nicol, and grandson, David, transcribed. “That race was somewhat famous, as Gipsy Moth fouled another boat before the start, and the photo ended up on the front page of the London Times, as Chichester was already a household name at the time (in the UK),” James says. Disqualified, the crew nevertheless continued sailing so they could participate in the San Sebastian to Belle Ile Race; following is Stormy Nicols’ account of the adventure.
August 13, Monday, 2015
As far as we are concerned, the race was over as we crossed the line. The start had been postponed from noon to 1800 hours due to a gale, which was still blowing about 6-7 at times. All three classes, about 15 boats, started together and in the strong wind and quite large seas, we were unable to avoid who rammed us on the starboard quarter. As we were on port
