Hi Jim – here comes my story:
So many stories…
When I managed to pull together my own campaign for the 1997–98 Whitbread Round the World Race, there were three sailors I really wanted to have onboard: Marcel van Triest (navigator), Jacques Vincent, and Jim.
I knew Jacques a bit from before, but I mainly got to know Jim during the 1993–94 race. He sailed on Tokio while I was on Intrum Justitia. Jim was running the sail program on Tokio, and they were by far the fastest boat in that race. A mast break prevented them from converting their speed into what could have been a fairly dominant victory.
Jim joined me right from the beginning when we took over Winston from Dennis Conner, rebuilt her in Mandal, Norway, and then started building the new boat while training for a full year in the North Sea. Jim’s lovely wife, Julie, also worked with the team as our project secretary, looking after everything from clothing to countless day-to-day projects. Together, they are an amazing couple.
There are far too many stories about Jimbo—or “Mumbles,” as we used to call him, thanks to his continuous stream of verbal acrobatics and endless flow of ideas.
Jim is not just a great sailor and teammate. He is a genuine inventor. Some of his innovations can still be found on boats today, including the Floating Jammer. Jim built the first prototype by slicing up a very expensive Spinlock jammer, adding a rope and a Spectra loop, and then fabricating a removable side plate that allowed high-load ropes to be transferred safely between winches.
On the lighter side, I will never forget his waterproof camera housing. The 1997–98 race was the first time we carried digital cameras onboard. They were heavy, the image quality was not particularly impressive, and they were certainly not waterproof. Jim, however, was determined to solve that problem.
In his spare time, he built what looked like an impressive waterproof housing from plexiglass and various other components. Before we trusted it with our very expensive digital camera, Jim gathered the entire team down on the dock for the grand unveiling. The housing was slowly lowered into the water. After a few moments, Jim pulled it back up, still wearing that familiar wide-eyed look of excitement—only to discover that the housing was completely full of water. It looked more like an aquarium than a camera case.
We all burst out laughing.
That particular invention never made it onto the boat, but many of Jim’s others certainly did.
Finally, I would like to say that Jim is one of the most responsible sailors I have ever sailed with. When he takes ownership of an area or a job, you can rest assured it will be done with heart and soul, carried through until it is finished—and often beyond. Whenever you need a hand on deck, Jim will always be the first to step forward, always with a smile, a laugh, and that incredible sense of Jim Close humour.
Best,Knut
Knut is a great friend and leader. He is super organised and knows how to delegate responsibilities. An Olympian in the past along with the Whitbread round the world race twice, Volvo Ocean Race twice, and twice as a skipper. I really enjoyed working with Knut as the skipper on the 97 race with KIWT, along with being a great sailor, he pushes hard, communicates well under pressure and is a great leader. I would have to say that the 97 race for me was one that stands out the most.
