Sailing the Bounty Mutiny longboat

Many of you will have watched the UK's Channel 4 five part documentary "Mutiny" - a re-enactment of the famous 4000 mile open boat voyage undertaken by Captain Bligh and 17 men after the famous Bounty mutiny. If you haven't - check it out! The boat used was outfitted by a good friend of mine, Chris Rees, who is the world's expert on traditional lug rigs. Fortunately I was in Millbrook, Cornwall, when he launched the boat and he asked me to join him for its first sail/row. This video shows the first test sail, as you can see, some modifications were needed to the oars and tiller. We sailed with 9 on board, as they did in the documentary. However Bligh had 18 on board, with twice the stores. Not much room, and far less freeboard! The still shots at the end show us doing the capsize and recovery, both from 90deg and also from 180deg. (That is me being goofy and also in the yellow hat) We also did a practice man over board which only "sort of" worked. So another change was to add foot ropes round the gunwale. Eventually all very successful and reassuring for Conrad Humphries, who was the real skipper on board. More here http://www.channel4.com/programmes/mutiny and an example of Chris' other work here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HepAG8ziOyk (you can also see Grayhound in the movie Mr Turner) (As always on my short youtube clips, no audio) www.sailingcatamarans.com