Sailing with the Paras

Now you might be thinking what’s this long military story got to do with sailing? I would say everything and why? Because a few years later on general orders for 16 Independent Parachute brigade an ex parachute regiment Sergeant named Chay Byth was looking for new crew members for his next sailing adventure on GB 111 his new sailing trimaran. 

Special note: Chay Byth previous adventurous undertakings had been the first two man crossing of the North Atlantic in a dory rowing boat from Newfoundland to western Ireland in the mid 60’s with fellow paratrooper John Ridgeway. He’d also entered the first round the world Golden Globe yacht race, having no previous sailing experience, but pulled out when he arrived in South Africa when he realise his yacht wasn’t designed for sailing in the southern oceans. But his main claim to fame was his solo circumnavigation of the globe against the prevailing westerly winds in the sailing Yacht British Steel. He then went on to skipper GB 11 on to the first round world Whitbread yacht race of 1972. His sponsor was British tycoon ex pat Jack Haywood based out in the Bahamas.

In those days there was no formal sail training you were thrown straight into the deep end. After passing a short selection up in Harwick Scotland where Chay was born, we got right down to sailing on GB 11 which had just completed the first round the world Whitbread race with another crew of paratroopers. To be fair I hadn’t got a clue what I was doing?  there were ropes strewn all over the deck, it was mind boggling. But slowly but surely I got to grips with things. Another 9 Para Sqn RE crew member Billy McCormick, who was a strong steady Scotsman, he and I were to become foredeck crew responsible for looking after the foredeck sail changes. Those days there were no sail furling systems it was all hanked on sails. GB 111 was under construction at Wicor marine at Farnham Creek. The trimaran was quite revolutionary for those days and it had lovely lines, designed by Derek Kelsall.

After it was built we did a test sails and it had rather strange motion at the bow and use to vibrate up and down when at speed. When we undertook a serious training passage across the bay of Biscay on passage to Portugal we lost the large centre board in fairly rough sea conditions.  Fortunately we didn’t take on too much water and got back to Dartmouth safely.

Unfortunately the trimaran race was cancelled and the crew were disbanded. Not sure what happened to GB 111? I know that Chay Byth and Eric Blunn another paratrooper did try a special one off challenge from New York to San Francisco around Cape Horn on the trimaran called Beefeater. But she capsized and was sank off the Falklands.  Luckily they were both rescued by the Chilean navy. 

Trimaran Crew Of Great Britain 111 with Chay Blyth and his then wife. I’m 4th from the left.