Life aboard Ragamuffin is not just about rockin' in the riggin'
'The crew of the super maxi, which has garnered an international reputation, are down-to-earth, fun-loving celebrities of the sailing world
As Ocean Park disappears in the distance, the roller-coaster does not stop on board 100-foot super maxi Ragamuffin as she cuts though the water. She's a weapon, a machine - an entire theme park.
At around 20 knots, she was flying, but she is also capable of a top speed of nearly 40 knots (70km/h).
The cockpit alone is bigger than most Hong Kong apartments at 15 metres long and 5.8 metres wide. The sail inventory costs US$2 million, and the machine of Ragamuffin requires a full-time staff of around 40.
WATCH: Ragamuffin up close in the 2014 Sydney to Hobart Race
Every aspect of sailing on Ragamuffin is a reminder that this is sailing on the edge - and at the pinnacle of the sport, which was demonstrated once again yesterday when she finished in Nha Trang to again win line honours in the Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, setting a course record in the process.
Sitting on the rail concentrating on holding on, barefoot mainsheet trimmer Tommy Clout beside me was as cool as a cucumber. Easing the ropes on the winch, he says in the Australian spirit of understatement: "This will be a bit noisy. When you're sleeping in the pipe cot bunks right under the winches, it's like a gun going off over your head."
Every time you put to sea, there are inherent risks. In the Vietnam race, we're constantly aware that we're in busy shipping lanes
The winches, with around 11 tonnes of load on each, look more like bollards on a dock to tie up ships. "If things go wrong, they go very wrong. With a boat this size, the gear is massive, as are the speeds. We do it for the adrenalin," says Clout.