After a frantic week at the Monaco Boat Show, which found the Bird side by side with the beautiful Mirabella V (her incredible 300ft. mast---dwarfing our rig) both boats were up for a bit of a go on Sunday after the show. A Discovery Channel film crew was on hand for a long scheduled shoot of Joe Vittoria's big sloop, and Joe encouraged us to come out to play with them.
It was an overcast day with the true wind was out of the N.E. at twenty knots with gusts to twenty five, and M V set her full main with a big jib and a staysail---she was really powered up, and designer Ron Holland was aboard to supervise the sail trim. We had (of course) everything set as well, and I need to note to our respective insurance carriers that we were NOT racing---we were just sailing together as fast as possible, purely to be sociable. On the wind, both yachts held each other, neither gaining or loosing. Our GPS showed 14.5 knots, and it was the same for M V. The Falcon buried her rail a couple of times in the gusts, and finally we furled our mizzen royal to ease the helm, but we didn't slow at all. We sailed together for about twelve miles and then we bore off for a speed run.. The Falcon cranked up to 17 knots and we pulled a little ahead. The photos show M V really creaming through the waves, looking very, very fast, and very, very beautiful.
When it was time to tack, M V had some minor mishap and tore her mainsail slightly, so she we sailed back to Monaco, and she motored back in. We dropped our guests, and she dropped her hook to effect repairs. Then the Falcon sailed on to Antibes for shelter from the waves starting to build, at around 18 knots. Mirabella made her repairs quicker than we had anticipated, and she followed to anchor nearby in the same shelter; we heard from a friend aboard that she sailed at nearly our speed as well.
It was a great day for both yachts. Each sailed aggressively, and very fast, giving their respective hard working crews a superb day out. We hope to have many future encounters with this remarkable yacht, but surely, it was a day we will never forget.
Tom
It was an overcast day with the true wind was out of the N.E. at twenty knots with gusts to twenty five, and M V set her full main with a big jib and a staysail---she was really powered up, and designer Ron Holland was aboard to supervise the sail trim. We had (of course) everything set as well, and I need to note to our respective insurance carriers that we were NOT racing---we were just sailing together as fast as possible, purely to be sociable. On the wind, both yachts held each other, neither gaining or loosing. Our GPS showed 14.5 knots, and it was the same for M V. The Falcon buried her rail a couple of times in the gusts, and finally we furled our mizzen royal to ease the helm, but we didn't slow at all. We sailed together for about twelve miles and then we bore off for a speed run.. The Falcon cranked up to 17 knots and we pulled a little ahead. The photos show M V really creaming through the waves, looking very, very fast, and very, very beautiful.
When it was time to tack, M V had some minor mishap and tore her mainsail slightly, so she we sailed back to Monaco, and she motored back in. We dropped our guests, and she dropped her hook to effect repairs. Then the Falcon sailed on to Antibes for shelter from the waves starting to build, at around 18 knots. Mirabella made her repairs quicker than we had anticipated, and she followed to anchor nearby in the same shelter; we heard from a friend aboard that she sailed at nearly our speed as well.
It was a great day for both yachts. Each sailed aggressively, and very fast, giving their respective hard working crews a superb day out. We hope to have many future encounters with this remarkable yacht, but surely, it was a day we will never forget.
Tom