The goal is to sail to Portugal next year.  Preparation seems endless, but I am sure that like retirement it will go quickly as you approach the actual date.  I plan on doing this via the ARC Europe which has 36 boats transiting this year, including an Island Packet 35 - "Freedom Found" from the UK.  They have not had too many posts on the WCC website for the event and it would be interesting to talk with them after they arrive.  I am learning though...  Their speed tends to average about 5.5kts. There was very light winds for the transit to Bermuda, so they arrived almost out of fuel (I am adding a fuel bladder and will carry extra on deck).  As a result they arrived when everyone else started leaving for the Azores an left 4 days later.  They are just arriving in the Azores now and other boats are beginning to leave for their final destinations.  The transit over consists of 3 legs - 640NM to Bermuda, 1800 to the Azores and 820 to Portugal.  The trip back is the more challenging - 2800 NM from the Canary Islands to St. Lucia.  That is what you need to prepare for with fuel and water capacity increasing in importance but not superseding safety.  In reviewing the safety criteria for the event, I have found that things that I though should be adequate are not.  My Winslow offshore life raft needed to meet a higher standard (mainly the weight of the fabric from which it was made).  My manually deployed EPIRB (Emergency Radio Beacon) needed to be both manually and water Activated.  This is why it takes a year to prepare. 

Kristina on route to Bermuda

A neighbor, Jim Audley, is just starting the trip now aboard his 37' Tartan.  His boat is faster than Eau de Vie and it will be good to talk with him as well once he arrives.  He is participating in the Bermuda Ocean Race which left from Annapolis yesterday.  The event ends in Bermuda, but they will continue on to the Azores and Portugal on their own.  I still prefer the structure of the organized group for support.  It will be good to know how he makes out.

 

One of my potential crew members, George Schenkel, will be arriving from Ft. Wayne for the trip to Maine later this summer.  This will enable us to get to know each other and for him to get to know the boat.  We look to do the transit from Cape May to Block Island as part of the voyage and review safety and training exercises along the way. 

As seen from the above, preparations for the transit are highlighted but the longest leg - Bermuda to the Azores.  In reality, you need to plan for more than that - the trip back.  While the trip over has the 2 stops shown in which you can re-provision and wait for a weather window, the trip back is from the Canaries to St. Lucia which is listed as 2,800 Nautical Miles but could be as much as 3,000 with wind and weather avoidance maneuvering.  Food, water and fuel as well as spare parts need to cover this anticipated 22 day trip.  An added bladder fuel tank and a bladder water tank are now required as well as a water maker.  The costs mount but safety is paramount.  Redundant systems are essential.  Having a good crew and working together in advance is also critical.  I think we have most bases covered.  Maine will be our first test.  Being part of a good organization like the ARC is important.  Their weather routing, inspection and training requirements go a long way in providing that added measure of safety.  This year's ARC Europe had 36 boats enroll.  Last year's ARC to St. Lucia had 269.  This has been a goal for years and each day brings it closer.  I look forward to you sharing this with me. 

Fair winds and following seas...





Final Preparations

The upgrades started last year:

All Halyards are now run inside the

mast and secured by Spinlocks

freeing up the Winch.

• Raymarine HD Radar and Chart Plotter with AIS Transceiver
• Lofrans Windlass
• All Running and Standing Rigging Replaced
   




Powder Coated the Deck Flange and Sealed with Spartite









Lee Cloths were added.

• The Flapper over the exhaust it to prevent sea water intrusion in a following sea. 
   
• The Bilge Pump has been replaced with a Rule 2000 and an ultra float. 
   
• All fuel lines were replaced
• I still need to add fuel capacity in the form of a Bladder tank that will be located in the bilge under the water tank (approximately 30 gal.).  This type of installation has been documented on IP Photos in the past. 

In addition to the work on the boat, I have been preparing myself by attending the WCC Offshore Sailing Seminar and the ISAF Safety at Sea Seminar (highly recommended). 

We will sail to Maine this Summer in preparation for offshore to Portugal next year with the ARC Europe.  The goal is to get the boat configured and perform a good shake down well in advance.

The adventure begins...

My last day with the bank will be 3 weeks from today - 2 days after my 29th anniversary there and having survived the mergers from Manufacturers Hanover to Chemical to Chase to JP Morgan and finally with Bank One.  A career that has morphed from being a lending officer to managing operations to managing projects.  A new door opens and the line from a Bob Dylan Song runs through my head
                                                      "... the hollow horn
                           blows waisted words proves to warn
                           that he not busy being born is busy dying."
Well this is a new birth.  Regular posts will follow from here. 
So long and thanks for all the fish...

Biting the Bullet

The game is afoot.  I told my boss on Tuesday that I will be retiring effective July 1st.  Independence Day 2012 has a whole new meaning.  From the boat's perspective there has been a lot of progress in getting it ready for Cruising.  The 2 main hatches have been restored by Select Plastics and both the running and standing rigging replaced by Sipala Spars and Rigging in Worton, MD.  Winches had a major restoration with hard to find parts shipped from the UK.  In getting myself ready, I am adding to my preparedness by taking the Safety-At-Sea Seminar in Annapolis this Spring  This blog will now become more active as the adventure unfolds.

Perparing yourself

Over the last 3 years I have participated as crew in a passage from Hampton, VA to Tortola. Last year in the Caribbean 1500 One of boats in the group diverted to the Bahamas and sank on a reef with the loss of one crew member. This year in the NARC, the wife in an experienced husband and wife team was washed overboard by a 30' wave. Preparing the boat is part of getting ready for passages is only part of getting ready for cruising but you need to prepare yourself as well. I cannot comment in detail on what happened in each of these situations but the following are my views:

My understanding is that the boat in the 1500 had 2 crew members who were seasick for several days. It appears that they were not fully prepared for what to expect on a passage. They also made a bad decision to try to enter an unfamiliar harbor at night in bad conditions. Building your experience and capabilities is essential. Know what to expect and prepare for it. Carefully work with your crew to make sure that they also know what to expect. Seasickness can be debilitating but it also can be dangerous if it goes on too long and that can affect decision making.

I don't understand the tragedy this year. The conditions were not forecasted to be as bad as they were and the boat did report that they hove to for a period of the time, which they possibly could have maintained.  We were at sea during this same period but we left from further south and stayed further west to avoid the worst of the weather.  Play it safe when dealing with the weather and avoid it if possible. Heave to or run with it instead of fighting it.  Look for opportunities to upgrade your skills in the off season and work with potential crew members to ensure that they will have strong skills as well.  I have several perspective crew members for passages but need to start working with them ahead of time to make sure they know the boat and what to expect.  We will plan to practice heaving too and MOB drills.  Off season is a good time for skill discussions and planning.

The Chart  is from Herb Hilgenberg's website and was created by Professor Dr. Peter Ponzo.  I have added the dates of Saun’s position and that of Patriche II  (Yellow Stars) for this  overview.  Please note that the 11/7postion is 3 days after storm conditions (45kts+) existed  in that location.  Our weather conditions remained at 20-25 kts with high rolling seas in the 20’+ range for 4 days.

There is also a good overview of what happened on the NARC at the following location.

http://www.dhlyman.com/DHLyman.com/NARC_Rally_Report.html

In the Beginning

Many years ago my father had a goal of having a nice sport fisherman.  As a child we would share outings to boat dealers looking at Bertrams and Egg Harbors and other makes for several years always asking the question - will this be the year.  As an initial step he did purchase a Teak topped Fish Box for the dreamed of boat.  That fish box say in our attic for years until one year he finally made the step - a beautiful 30' Egg Harbor.  We named the boat "Fish Box". 

Earlier this year BoatUS magazine had wonderful quote from Mark Twain -
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I purchased Eau de Vie in 2001, a 1989 Island Packet 35 and sailed her back from Florida to her home in Rock Hall, Maryland on the Chesapeake.  Since then I have had one long trip out of the bay in which I went to Long Island Sound and then on as far as Nantucket.  The boat is my fish box.  It is much more of a boat then is needed for the Chesapeake and the dream is to escape its boundaries and sail to new horizons.  This is the story of the journey.  I am prepping myself and the boat for offshore, longer voyages and to live my life before it sails past me.  I share the journey with my wife Barbara who more enjoys the destinations than the trips. 

In future posts I will review what I have done to date to ensure that I am ready as well as the boat.  In the past I have participated as Crew in 2 Caribbean 1500's and look forward to another trip to Tortola this season.  The boat has had an upgraded Radar/Chart Plotter and a new Windlass.  The rigging has been inspected and we will have upgrades this winter.  Photos and descriptions will be posted as we proceed.  I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I will. 

Dave