A regular on the Mediterranean regatta circuit and one of the most successful classic charter yachts, The Blue Peter, and her passionate owner Mat Barker, embarked on a dream trip and entered the Panerai Transat Race from Cascais to Barbados in December, 2012. After almost 15 years of racing and cruising in the Med, and a month before her Transat departure, she was awarded with the 2012 AFYT Trophy, won by the classic yacht with the best overall record in the French regattas. Team ‘Bluey’ was well up for competing across the pond and with the Caribbean season also fully booked up for charter there was more than just one event to look forward to.
The race faired well for ‘The Blue Peter’ initially, leading the fleet southwest, until she took a turn through the Canary Islands and into light airs. Meanwhile the opposition slid down between Morocco and Lanzarote in favourable conditions and ended up better off. Unfortunately, the lead was never to be regained by the Bluey in a crossing that was blighted by light airs and she finished up in a respectable third position.
After a race around Barbados in January it was off to Antigua for Mat to soak up the Caribbean’s yachty hub and embark on the planned charter program, which took him north to the BVI’s and back down to Antigua. However it was Antigua Classics, the big one of the Caribbean season, that team ‘Bluey’ was looking forward to and with a breezy forecast and big swells prominent it was set to be borderline for many of the fleet.
For Mat it was not as he hoped! Out in the swell the chain plates gave way and the mast came crashing down. Luckily nobody was hurt but the damage was substantial and the only solution for a deflated Owner/Captain was to ship his beloved cutter home and set to the repairs as quickly as possible.
Chantier Pasqui of Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French riviera set to work immediately and made a new mast out of sitka spruce in just 6 weeks. At 27 metres in length it is 2.5 metres longer than the previous one and to the same specifications as the original mast of 1938 when the boat was lengthened. It is also 350 kg lighter and designed to work with a fractional rig. “We will be much stiffer due to the dramatic lowering in the centre of gravity” says Mat, and as he says he is likely to need “10 big blokes on the rail”.
During the same time Chantier Pasqui replaced all of the chainplates, all frames and timbers in the mast area and made a new mast step. Mat put a lighter interior back in and had his new mainsail designed by Bruce Hobday(ex Hood). Hopefully now ‘very powerful and fast’, Mat maybe a step closer to his ceaseless desire of winning a big, expensive watch!
On the 8th August The Blue Peter was back out and competing for the first edition of the ‘Silver Bollard Regatta’ in Port Adriano of Mallorca. However, still effected by a few hull leaks, and an eventual haul out, there was never a chance to see how her new rig would perform. Teething problems over, the 19th Edition of the ‘Illes Balears Classics’ in Palma de Mallorca, that ran from 15th – 18th August, was a chance to make up for lost time. The Blue Peter was back in racing form, finishing 3rd overall with a 2nd, 3rd and 4th in 3 races. With little time for sail trials and straight back out into their busy charter program Team ‘Bluey’ is back on the water and one to watch for taking home more silverware this summer.
“One charter still available” says Mat. “Come racing in St Tropez!”
All info at www.thebluepeter.com
