Heli Shoot

Wayne Dion's HELI PHOTO PROOFS HERE:

• http://dion.com/ipfleet (all the proofs)
  
• http://www.dion.com/8x10gallery/
  (photos cropped for 8 x 10 previews)

After spending a rest day in Watch Hill, RI, we headed out for a scheduled helicopter photo shoot! Yes, one of our Island Packet Fleet members, Jim is a professional helicopter pilot and he also owns his own heli. So with the coordination of another fleet member, Greg and his professional photographer friend (Wayne Dion http://Dion.com ) we pulled off the first Island Packet Yacht Owners' Heli shoot! The am weather was not looking good, but after staging up 8 IPs at Point Judith, we waited the scheduled time for the heli and the weather improved!

Sure enough, with the heli fueled and on the pad and the pilot and photographer ready, the weather cleared and the winds came up to 12 knots! It was unreal, after a week or more of rain, fog and no wind, that this cleared up and the heli could fly. All the yachts were staged, and the photographer ready, so the VHF call came....."Anchors UP, we are heading out"..... and 8 Island Packerts set sail out the Point Judith harbor for a rendezvous with Greg who was sailing south out of Wickford and nearing the Point Judtih Lighthouse.

The heli arrived on sight at 1300 hrs and we sailed as a fleet of 9 Island Packets close reaching in 12 knots of wind. The heli had enough fuel to stay on sight for 1 hour and he circled the fleet at least 10 times. The fleet tacked back towards Point Judith Lighthouse and ended the shoot with the yachts sailing close hauled all on a starborad tack heading out to sea.

The photos are incredible, as I have seen a preview. They will soon be released for our review and our personal purchases. Wayne Dion of http://DION.com is the owner of the photographs and can be contacted about aerial photography.

What is so incedible about this event is that it was all Island Packet Owner Driven, and not factory driven. The coordination was by an owner, the heli and heli fuel was provided by an owner, and the photographer is a good frined of an Island Packet Owner. The IP ownership experience is so rewarding, that it truely is a joy to own one of these yachts and to be involved in the fleet.

PS:
The Rock Hall Fleet from MD, sailed 360 miles in 6 days to arrive on site for this event! What a day it was......

The Fleet Sails OutJim's yellow Clipper II Helicopter Over IP440 Lyons Pride.

The Island Packet Fleet heading out to sea

! Posted while on anchor off Cuttyhunk Island.....connectivity not bad via Verizon Air card....

Wayne Dion's HELI PHOTO PROOFS HERE:

• http://dion.com/ipfleet (all the proofs)
  
• http://www.dion.com/8x10gallery/ (photos cropped for 8 x 10 previews)