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RUFFIAN
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RUFFIAN is a standard Sigma 36'.
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Pete McIntyre - Skipper
Emma Nutt - Co-Skipper
Three years ago during an overnight passage race, whilst drifting backwards, Emma was the only member of the crew not begging to retire. Pete realised that he had met a potential co-skipper for the 2006 Round Britain & Ireland Race and so the dream began.
Pete’s yacht, a Spray 28 that he had built himself, was not suitable for the race so was put up for sale. Both Pete and Emma had spotted Ruffian, a Sigma 36 on the next berth, but as she had just been bought by Pete's friend John, they dismissed her. Then as Ruffian was sailing off out of Scarborough to the Faroe Islands, Pete shouted to John "you've got the wrong boat for what you want, we should swap!" John just smiled and sailed away. Six weeks later he rang Pete and the deal was done. Only one problem - Ruffian was in the Shetland Islands. This meant that the first sail Pete and Emma had in her was their qualifying passage!
Between that day in June 2005 and September they sailed 2500 miles, then lifted Ruffian out to work on her underwater profile. After nine weeks of hard graft she was back in the water and the rest of the winter was spent varnishing, mending and replacing worn out parts. With new sails on order and new electronics fitted, stage one was now complete.
Pete has sailed and raced most of his life. Emma is a newcomer, only having sailed obsessively for two years. Neither has ever undertaken anything like this before but both are relishing the opportunity.
Ruffian's former life was spent circumnavigating Great Britain and Ireland as founder boat of the 'Round Britain Experience', so she will probably be able to find her own way if Pete and Emma can't!
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