Eastbayri.com

They’d hoped for better, but skipper Ken Read and his Puma team are treating last week’s third-place finish in stage 1 of Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race as a stepping stone toward better things. With 25 points, they are in fourth place overall, far behind leader Telefonica which now has 61 points with two straight victories.

This time, at least, there were no equipment failures and the racing was close with umpteen lead changes, bursts of speed and dead calms. Prospects were looking good until the boat picked an unlucky path through the doldrums. They did manage to raise spirits and confidence though with a last-minute sprint past their closest competitor.

“The final dash to secure a podium position shows the resolve of this group,” Mr. Read said. “We could have cashed it in with Groupama having a 50-mile lead on us coming out of the doldrums, but forget about it. No feeling sorry for ourselves. Pedal down, including a bit of a harrowing and very long 40-knot squall in the dead of night, and slowly but surely got the job done. Little victories — our move onto the podium, yet a victory nonetheless that hopefully we can build on.

“Our motto has changed,” Mr. Read said. “The shore team changed up our theme song to Aerosmith’s ‘Back in the Saddle.’ Very appropriate. But now that we are officially back, it’s time to do more.”

This leg’s finish was unlike any seen in an ocean race.

For fear of pirates, the boats crossed a secret finish line off a port somewhere in the Indian Ocean where they were hastily loaded aboard a container ship, a tricky maneuver helped by calm seas. From there they were to be shipped to the United Arab Emirates, and dropped back into the water for a quick sprint to Abu Dhabi, the first-ever stop at a Middle Eastern port.

Photojournalist Amory Ross, aboard Puma’s Portsmouth-built Mar Mostro, put it this way:

“The sensation is strange. There is nobody here and the leg isn’t technically over, even though we’ve just sailed 4,300 miles and crossed a finish line. Weird, eh?”

Boat show (trout beware)

The 19th annual Providence Boat Show drops anchor at the Rhode Island Convention Center from Thursday to Sunday, Jan. 12 to 15.

This year’s lineup includes 150 exhibitors, over 200 boats from 8 feet to 40 feet, and 100 booths with electronics, engines, accessories and services.

New this year will be a “fully stocked trout pond” offering free catch-and-release fishing for “lively trout ... There’s sure to be success for virtually everyone who tries!” states the press release (unclear how lively those trout will be after a few hours of this).

Some 28 marine seminars will be held on fishing, navigation and tool use to name a few. Downstairs will be a “bargain basement” with marked-down items and some used boat gear.

The show offers do-it-yourself workshops on eight topics including outboard engine care, finishes (anti-fouling paint, topside paints, gelcoat etc.), electricity, diesel engine maintenance and more. The schedule is on the website.

For information on hours, tickets and a complete schedule, call 401/846-1115 or visit www.providenceboatshow.com.

Bristol Marine buys marina

Stymied thus far in efforts to expand its Bristol facility, Bristol Marine has taken a different route toward growth.

President Andrew Tyska announced recently the purchase of the former J&J Marine on the Taunton River in Somerset, Mass.

With six acres of land, deep-water docks and large storage, fabrication and paint buildings, the Somerset facility will be better able to service larger boats, he said.

There, we will be “able to haul boats up to 85 tons and 90 feet, and provide in-water service for boats over 100 feet with 20-foot draft which puts us into the large yacht service market,” Mr. Tyska said.

Bristol Marine’s Poppasquash Road marina will continue to service smaller to mid-sized boats as it has been doing.

J&J, which opened in 1990, had shut down last summer amidst financial difficulties, according to published reports.

Polar plunges

Bright sun, balmy weather and water temperatures in the 40s brought crowds to New Year’s Day swims this year.

At the Back Eddy in Westport, people lined up across the big parking lot all the way to the road for the chance to jump off the dock into 43.7-degree water. Tiverton’s inaugural Grinnell’s Beach swim to benefit the new library also drew a crowd.