2002
Home > Journals > Around Alone Preparations
Bon Voyage shindig
Feb. 09, 2002
Ocean Planet People,
If you didn’t make it to our Bon Voyage shindig last Sunday at the Encinal YC, you missed a GREAT party. Just ask anyone who was there!! I’m also happy to say the surprise guest musician got a very flattering response…;-)
The show of support from so many local sailors was overwhelming, what a boost that gives me. Which I really need, since I haven’t slept much since the last few days….
We’re all ready to go….NOT!
Actually, Ocean Planet is as ready as any other boat, I’m just kinda maniacal about preparation. Fortunately we will be sailing a lot of miles with crew before I do the qualifier for the Around Alone….so there will be time to keep dialing things in. As the saying goes, you are never done with a boat.
It sure helps when you have dedicated helpers, and also if you know who to call when you need the best people. This is one of the (rather few) talents I have garnered from 20 years in the SF Bay area sailing scene…I know who is good! Which reminds me, there are few key folks that I forgot to mention in my last update who have been helping out:
Liem Dao: Liem of LTD Marine is the local god of electrical systems and fortunately for me a great friend and dedicated supporter. Without his help I don’t know what I’d do!
Jason Winkel of Argo Rigging: Jason has put in major hours on OP, much to the dismay of his regular clients. Good surfer, too.
David Brayshaw: David Brayshaw is the creator of “Local Knowledge” marine software (http://www.goflow.com/) and “Force 4”, a brilliant routing software suite that has a number of interesting new features. I can’t wait to get sailing and get more familiar with this and some of his other products…
Marilee Schafer and Don Melcher: Marilee of “Waypoint” and Don of “HF Radio on Board” have been long time supporters, going back to my “Rumbleseat” days. Amazing, considering my constant niggling questions to them….
And also I want to give a special thanks to Svend Svendsen of Svendsens Boatworks. I started working for Svend in 1980 and stayed for him until the end of 1999. Svend has always believed in me even if he thinks I’m crazy, and he let me race his own boat “Svendle” in my first singlehanded race in 1984(?), which I won. Over the years he pretty much gave me free rein with the rigging shop. I’m proud to say “my” shop was very successful, and it still is. I raced with Svend a few times on his beloved Folkboats, and on Svendle in an Ocean race to Catalina. In 1996 he and the boatyard really supported me and my beloved Rumbleseat: in the the Singlehanded Transpac race to Hawaii (Won it!)
Rumbleseat is now in Tortola, perhaps I’ll get to go see her while we are in Antigua.
In 1998, Svend let me and my friend “JP” Jim Plumley take his new sportboat “Azzura” doublehanded to Hawaii in the Pacific Cup race, where we were first in our division. When I left Svendsens to do this “Open 60” thing it was beyond the level of what Svendsens could sponsor, but Svend, his son Sean, and everyone there has been tremendously helpful. I definitely still feel like part of the family there.
Fyi, here is our schedule on Ocean Planet for this spring (all arrival dates are guesses, of course):
San Diego to Puerto Vallarta (the “PV” race): Feb 23 to 28.
PV to Panama: March 3 to 15.
Panama to Antigua: March 20 to April 5.
Viewing of Antigua classic regatta: April 18-23.
Racing in Antigua Sailing Week: April 28-May 4.
Antigua to Charleston: May 6-13.
East Coast schedule is being planned, we need to hit the boatshows and events where we can hopefully garner the support we need for my transatlantic qualifier and the Around Alone Race, which starts September 15th. Stayed tuned to these updates for details.
I will be sending daily updates out during the PV race, the posting times will vary. Keep an eye on http://www.sailinganarchy.com/ for my reports (and additional commentary….).