Pre-start post from Chris Museler aboard Dragon

Chris Museler

You'd be hard pressed to find a better launching point for this years race. Co skipper Michael Hennessy and I awoke to Dragon sitting peacefully alone in Mackerel Cove as our starting boat, The USCG cutter, pulled into view behind.

We had steak and eggs a fine meal before a freeze dried menu and have been downloading weather data to the Expedition software. Does it get any sweeter?

We will find out but the fleet is looking at beam reaching in bright sunshine and 15 knots.

For dragon, this means a large reaching code sail off the sprit and water ballast tanks full (side note. The covers for the full tanks on the weather side spit more water into your face than the.bow wave).

With speeds in the teens and a late start. We should see a lot of the fleet to tonight. Am I apprehensive? Well I have no choice now but knowing that I've sailed more than two Bermuda Races worth of miles this year already, maybe I'll be more relaxed and take my friend Rob Windsor's advice and just trust the pilot and trim the sails well. I'll worry about the nominally edible freeze dried meals later and remember the steak in my tummy now
Safe start to everyone and see you back here later today!