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With pressures of biblical proportions, Exodus made it to the start line on time!

Elaine Bunting from Yachting World joined them:

http://www.yachtingworld.com/blogs/elaine-bunting/534390/racing-on-a-carriacou-sloop?utm_source=cheetah&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ybw130426#UGJgXV5ellsO6Azt.03

Well, after many months of hard work, the launch of Alwyn's new vessel took place on Easter Sunday. With all traditions observed, including the sacrifice of a goat on the samson post - and after a suitable delay - a blessing by the priest and sprinkling of holy water followed by the beating of the Carriacou big drum.

Then, with the entire community of Windward pulling on the heaving line, EXODUS glided into the waiting waves.

The race is now on to build the mast & boom, rig the new sloop and Alwyn & his sons will sail her up to the Antigua Classics where she will compete with her five sisters molded by the same hands…

Thank you for your support!

While we anxiously await the launch of Alwyn's new Carriacou Sloop, a side trip to the U.S. presented itself in the form of a rare interview with a great man. During the mid 1970s, Douglas C. Pyle sailed the lesser Antilles documenting the last working sailing craft of the region. The resulting book "Clean Sweet Wind" went through three editions before going out of print and has inspired a generation of sailors and scholars alike who appreciate his authoritative and humorous approach to West Indian boatbuilding and Island life.

After swallowing the anchor, Mr. Pyle returned to his native Oklahoma, where he became a cattle rancher. His poignant remarks made during our interview, concerning the heyday of boatbuilding in the Grenadines, now have a special place in the storyline of Vanishing Sail.

We have just returned from 5 days in Carriacou filming the progress of Alwyn's new vessel. Following her build and the family's perseverance has become a key element in our film. Although this will delay our own progress by several months, it will make an even more interesting story.

Caulking of the hull has now begun which represents a turning point for the village and with the Antigua Classics only 14 weeks away, the race to launch day is on. Boat launchings are traditionally an integral part of local culture, so we shall of course return to film the sanctity & the sacrifice, the music & the cutting down.

We also made time for a rare interview with the inimitable Winston Fleary as well as a dig in the Barbados Maritime archives on the way home.

Thank you again for your support!

Long days of filming in the hot sun, have given way to red eyes and terabyte drives, as we gradually move from sticky notes and paper edits to early draft sequences and story lines: the grand puzzle that is Vanishing Sail begins to take shape.

Since returning from meetings in NYC with our producer and a story consultant, the archive of hard drives has burned hot with the constant flow of data - logging and keywording of thousands of film clips has now begun. This work will continue over the coming months & will eventually lead to an initial assembly, then on to a rough cut and sourcing an editor.

Thank you for your support!