Useful facts + excellent stories about Corum Saphir

Frickers made his decision while sketching in the Marina. With her stylish, colourful livery, keen team & reasonable track record she seemed a boat to watch. Later when at sea, in full oil skins, working rather like William Turner in the 1830's, from the heavily pitching spray soaked deck of a 50' press launch, a large sketch book & several rolls of film were soon used, observed moments snatched from a near full gale. The sketch book is remarkable.

In the studio the numerous impressions were carefully assessed to find an essence. A colour slide provided the action; but it was the wrong colours & wrong boats! All was quickly changed. A week later a new painting surprised the crews as they stepped ashore at the end of the Fastnet Race at Queen Anne's Battery Marina, Plymouth. All were unanimously agreed, the atmosphere was exactly "it".

For the artist the week finished with a 4 day cruise and race as a guest aboard the giant J Class yacht Velsheda (see Velsheda Vertigo )

Sponsors Corum immediately bought the painting. It was last heard of in Switzerland with replicas of their team cups.