Passepartout - No motoring for bilingual Passepartout

Despite being in cruising division H the temperaments on board Passepartout are in full-on racing mode. No motoring penalties for us as we tweak and sail change 24/7; religiously download weather GRIB files; debate wind arrows and best course scenarios; eagerly plot competitor positions and; stalk SSB scheds to relish in other’s tales of windless woes.

The origin of our race mode temperament comes from our youthful days as shorthanded ocean racing multihull sailors which laid a solid foundation for ‘no pain no gain’.

As of yesterday, before last night’s despairing light airs, we calculated that we were coming first in Division H and had also knocked-off the boats in divisions G, E and F.

On occasions some rituals remind us we are ion the edge of “cruising” mode as we trawl for fish, knit, read and play Sudoku.

So here we are, three Australians - two of which can’t speak French - and one Frenchman who can’t speak a word of Australian which makes for head scratching Franglais tête à tête on the foredeck while performing spinnaker hoists and drops. Three of us are old farts along with one 26 year old who has the strength of all three put together, the cooking prowess of a 5 hat chef and youthful turns of phrase that clinch sentiments “exactemently”. Sportingly as we pass boats we hear his cries of “see ya butt-hole catamaran”; “May the best sea ‘bogan’ win” or when the weather is not going plan, “this wind direction is retarded”. Wonderfully descriptive in a modern sort of nautical way!

So all is well on happy, well fed and watered Passepartout.