Leaving in July for solo Circumnav!

[Catpainzmcspice]

Hi!

After three mad years of raising money, networking and holding crappy jobs, I'm finally leaving Seattle in July to begin my 2 (or more) year single hand circumnavigation of the globe!

It's wild to think of how far I've come since 2009. I was 29, I'd just moved back to Seattle and I had nothing in my pockets but a list of goals to accomplish over the next three years. The last one on the list: "sail alone around the world and write a novel."

So that's what I'm doing!

Anyhow, I know I haven't posted much on here the last year. I've been pretty busy. Not cool, I know. Gotta keep my cruiserforum network strong.

Anyhow, if anybody will be between Seattle and Australia after July, let's meet up and have a drink!

Here's my blog: Broad Reach » sailing the planet for humanity

and here's my kickstarter page (for the novel): Sailing Alone Around the World and Writing About It by Alexander Clark — Kickstarter

-alex

[Jimbo485]

Good luck! We look forward to meeting up with you somewhere out there in the Pacific...

[Catpainzmcspice]

Thanks, Jimbo!

[Lt.]

WOO HOO, more power to you, only one thing, won't you get lonely?

[Catpainzmcspice]

hah, you'd think so! but there's always so much to do to keep you occupied.

[Lt.]

I believe you u, sail safe, and stay away from the east African coast. Please, is hate to hear about u on the news.
Also, what route will you be taking? A northern one through the canals, or a southern one past the stormy capes? Or a hybrid?

[DennisM]

Fair winds!

[simonmd]

Well done on the hard work you've put in to make this happen. I look forward to seeing you progress, Good Luck!

[Mark Johnson]

Best of luck, but be sure to have every possible means of keeping your batteries, (& marker lights) functional.

By having extended periods when your boat is underway, "with no one on watch", you will be putting the "mutual" responsibility of avoiding collision with another boat, solely on the shoulders of the other boat. It magnifies the risk many times over, for both! You are making this choice for them too...

I have had a number of VERY close calls from near collision with other craft, on auto pilot, with NO one on watch, (in marginal visibility situations). Try as I might, in big seas, raining, at night, small craft are hard to spot. Now that we have GPS, this "cruising in a small boat" is no longer even a novelty. The number of boats out there has gone up 100 X or more, since 40 years ago. These boats are very much concentrated along certain cruising routs & cruising destinations, according to the time of year. With all of the cruising information out there, weather routing, the Internet and all... This was never as true as now.

This is why, (technically speaking), Maritime law requires that ALL vessels at sea "maintain a watch at all times". It's a no brainer...

BE CAREFUL!

M.

[barnakiel]

Bon voyage & fair winds!

Let us know all the news!

Cheers,
b.

[Catpainzmcspice]

Oh man! I can't believe the amount of support that has poured out for my journey. It really blows my mind. I assumed when I started this that if I were sailing alone that I'd do all the work alone. I was wrong. This has been a culmination of a lot of people's hard work... a local boatyard here in Seattle (Seaview) has agreed to haul the boat and give me as many laydays as I need before the journey. A shipwright is donating his time to install the self-steering wind vane. A rigger is going to give my standing rigging one final inspection before I shove off. It's just incredible. It's a real sense of community.

Lt - I'm going the wrong way around. Roughly, from Seattle to Seattle via the capes... port hopping delicately around the higher southern latitudes so I don't snap my boat in half (Although I'm writing a book, I'm no Joshua Slocum).

Mark - that's great advice. Watch is one of the things I've worried about most on this journey. I've always single-handed, but never anything even close to this. Even with radar reflectors, handheld AIS, approaching vessel alarm and LED nav lights, nothing can replace alert human eyes. I'm using a staggered sleep schedule - 60on/15off/45on/25off etc - which is hell on the body, but other single handers have had success with. I really appreciate your candid concern.

Oh - and speaking of self-steering wind vanes and solar panels - yesterday I launched a kickstarter. I'm both nervous and excited about this. It's pretty cool that something like kickstarter exists for a sailor on a budget, but it's also pretty stressful. If anyone is bored you can check it out (at least to see me make a fool of myself on video. heh)

Sailing Alone Around the World and Writing About It by Alexander Clark — Kickstarter

[SailingwithSoul]

Fair Winds and Happy Sailing!

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Catpainzmcspice

Oh man! I can't believe the amount of support that has poured out for my journey. (...)

Yep. Nothing for granted but sailors in small shooters attract some attention and there is always someone out there who sympathizes and extends a helping hand. One day it may be an elderly (or otherwise) lady (or otherwise) who will bake something delicious, another day a friendly boatyard manager will treat your boat in a pretty non commercialized way ... Due to the moving feast kind of your business, most of the time you will not be in the position to return favours. Just pass it on, and the world remains in perfect balance.

Take care and keep us updated,
b.

[Lt.]

What do you mean, westerly or easterly?

[Catpainzmcspice]

barnakiel - you're absolutely right. karma's heaviest hand belongs to the sea. well said.

Lt - I'm following a westerly route around the horn.