Photos: L Salvador Sas R Martin Stockbridge
Printable version 
News feed
Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 UTC
The end of this great adventure has come. Paul Cayard, skipper of The Black Pearl, looks back over the last 13 months and says that The Pirates of the Caribbean campaign has been every bit as satisfying as when he won the Whitbread race eight years ago with EF Language.
In 1998, we put a lot of time into preparation - over a year, and we expected to do well. This time, we sailed the boat just 18 days before the first leg started. Third overall would have been a good result.
Then we did not even sail leg one. In Cape Town we were in last. Then the comeback started in Melbourne. The shore team got the boat fixed and the crew gained confidence in The Black Pearl and we finally began to race.
Consistent results
The Pirates became a model of consistency; 11 podium finishes out of 16 races. Gaining second place overall in New York City was a dream for the American boat. Timing is everything. The Big Chief, Bob Iger, came and sailed the Pearl in New York harbor. Bob has become one of our biggest fans and as he did, so did many others at Disney and Buena Vista. It was very satisfying to see this global company, who had little knowledge of our sport, get hooked.
Thirteen months ago, when I met with Donald Evans and Grant Palin in Burbank, I could envision the boat and team as it looked at the finish in Göteborg.
I fell in love with that vision. Against all my experience and judgment that told me we were far too late to start this campaign, but I went for it. It could have been a big flop for Disney and for me. But it wasn't, and I am thanking my lucky stars for that. You have to acknowledge when luck comes your way and I am more than happy to do so in this case.
Climbing the mountain
I did try to give us the best chance of success because I knew the mountain we had to climb was high. I surrounded myself with excellent people all the way around. They solved the technical issues, they cooked the best meals, they operated in the most efficient way, they sailed the boat to the highest professional level. In short, they exceeded what I could have asked of them.
My hat is off to each and every Pirate. You guys are the best! So it is with satisfaction, pride and a touch of sadness, that we close this great adventure. Appropriately, it was the best ride of my life.
Thanks for following us and being a part of this great adventure. Remember, the richest people on the planet are the ones with the best experiences and satisfaction is derived from exceeding expectations.
Paul Cayard
Part 1 : From the Cockpit: Grant Wharington
Part 2 : From the Cockpit: Neal McDonald
Part 3 : From the Cockpit: Seb Josse
Part 4 : From the Cockpit: Torben Grael
Part 6 : From the Cockpit: Mike Sanderson
Part 7 : From the Cockpit: Bouwe Bekking
Back to news News Archive