The boat : Amadeus is a 6.50m (21') Coco class boat built in 1985 to compete in the Mini-Transat solo race from France to Brazil (most often). She has a wide beam and open cockpit with a Beaufort Wind Vane. The small outboard is stowed away at sea She is best running with the wind but will give the more recent Pogos a good run for their money to windward. Being used to clandestine operations, there are no sail numbers! I have a selection of fore sails to hank onto the forestay and a small pale blue and black cruising chute. There  are 4 reefing points on the main. I use a Seabrake drogue (the least frequently possible !) I of course sail with a French Tricolor.

MMSI 227 039 760     callsign  FH 7478

The skipper : I have had the sailing bug for over 50 years with the first taste of competition racing Fireballs. I then joined the Royal Marines and spent much time sailing and canoeing in far flung parts of the world. My first big love was Glenorchy, a 24' Glen One Design from Cork, similar but more sleek than a Folkboat.
Having retired from the RM's I have been living and working as a self employed builder in the SW France for the last 21 years. I then had an Etap 20 in which I competed in much club racing and had some epic voyages in the Med. I now keep my Coco at Port Médoc on the southern entrance to the Gironde. This is exactly where Blondie Hasler and his colleagues had their problems and I can see why. The sea is wicked on all but the calmest of days. I seldom leave the estuary without sparing thoughts for my fellow Royal marines who perished there.
I will be celebrating my 60th birthday 2 weeks after the start (7 June) so if anyone is in the vicinity..... Born under the sign of Gemini, Castor is 270° at the end of May, so a good one to follow.
I have a small and not expensive one way satellite tracking device called SPOT. When I push the button, it sends out a signal and pre-recorded message to chosen people but with the following link anyone can click onto it and my positions will appear on a Google Map.    http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0zTQM4jqcuTA6klNBxmPzL90k7bB7xbRK
     I will be sailing up to Plymouth on about 12 May and will send out daily plots on my way. I intend Newport to be my half way mark, taking the time to recover and re-victual then sail back to the Gironde, Inch Allah.