Ocean Crossers and Global Cruisers Only

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Mate, after reading your post 31, it is apparent that finishing out the cat is your only choice. You've pretty well lined it out: your specific health issues mean that the mono just can't do the job for you... period!

So, you have actually already made your decision... you just don't like what it means!
How about selling the mono and using the proceeds to hire some or most of the fitout work done... like the parts that are the most threatening to your well being. It would shrink down the time frame and keep your lungs functional so you might live to enjoy the cruising.

Jim

Jim and Ann:. I was kind of waiting for you both to add input since you have so many years of experience and often have quite clear and no BS advice.

Thank you for both posts.

I think Jim has basically nailed it here.

Realizing that all used boats will have mold behind teak issues, the decision looks like it's been made for me.

In looking through the whole thread and talking over it, we remembered all boats have some mold. Especially if you need to close up for an afternoon thunderstorm at anchor. Or just because it's cold out. Then spores go right up.

So I'm going to be better off with a boat where there are no hidden spots for it to grow.

We are thinking of doing the show stoppers on the better boat now, selling the 50' mono in the spring when it's the right timing, and moving the better boat around as desired to enjoy life while fitting out the "nice to have" type stuff.

Also, hiring out the stuff I am most allergic to.

It all starts with canceling a road trip out west we were doing because we got half way and of course, I can't breathe. Pollution is awful today out here. So I guess it's back to start on the boat.

[jmh2002]

@Chotu

On a related subject, I have sent you a PM.

[Juho]

One more vote to letting your girlfriend decide what kind of a boat is ideal for you. Of course she will take also your wishes and concerns into account when making that decision.

[JPA Cate]

My lung issues are allergic responses that trigger some crazy severe asthma.
Post #35 above

First, thank you to wolfgal for reminding me who you are.

I spent some of this morning cleaning out mildew that adheres to the paint on our boat in the guest cabin, and thinking of you and your mold problem. It reminded me that the only emergency traffic Jim had as a ham radio operator while we were on passage was from the female partner of a fellow with asthma, between Panama and the Marquesas. They were on their last tank of air for him, and he was in enough trouble that it was she who was on the radio. As it eventuated, we were able to relay (via a series of hams) a message to the Coast Guard, and were told when he received the drop of the air tanks. Reckon it saved his life.

Sailing may be pretty risky for you, actually. Perhaps you have a respiratory therapist? or a lung specialist? Please don't let what I write upset you, but since the types of pollution you fear are so prevalent (major fires in a number of nations; diesels used almost everywhere; mold spores in most air), is it even possible to avoid them? There's certainly spores and dust and particulate matter at sea, especially downwind of forest fires and volcanic activity. (I always thought dust on passages was particularly unfair!)

I get it that with the "greater" boat, you have done everything you thought of design and execution-wise to make it a safe environment for you. What does the lung specialist think of it? Or, is your dream so strong for you that you are minimizing your risk?

I do see selling the "lesser" boat and using the proceeds to have someone else do the work on it that is most dangerous to you. [We have a friend who has significant lung scarring from epoxies, which you stated are one of your triggers.] Sorry, I'm beginning to doubt the viability of the project, whichever boat you choose, but I stand by my take that it is difficult for the gf to empathize with the difficulty and protracted nature of the work to be done on the "greater" boat. (I don't know if her demands are unreasonable or not, but your health issues do pose difficult problems, and put a lot of trust in filtration.)

Dang! I sure hope this works out for you.

Ann

[Chotu]

A participant in this thread just showed me that windy.com shows the particulate levels globally, including in the ocean!!

I'm shocked to see many spots mid ocean are worse than the continental USA.

The only airborne thing that gets me outdoors is the particulates when they go over 50ppm.

This really points to using the better boat only since I can have the indoor air quality up to standards and all sail controls indoors.

It's not possible to avoid the particulates now that I had a good look at windy.com globally. What is possible is to design a bubble to live and travel in, so I can seek refuge indoors on days when particulate levels are too high.

Failing that, it's masks.

We had also been considering a bigger RV, but it just doesn't provide the same quality of life when you "anchor out" as the boat life does. Plus can't go everywhere.

I don't have a pulmonary specialist, other than some help I got on this forum.

The only other alternative is to accept defeat and sit in a stationary box awaiting death. And I'm in my mid 40s. So that plan is out. Way too boring.

I guess we are proceeding with the better boat.

[jmh2002]

Yes, most of the air quality related issues at sea are connected to commercial shipping traffic and routes.

Here is a thread on the Windy forum where you can see the tracks quite clearly:

https://community.windy.com/topic/85...ks-over-oceans

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Yes, most of the air quality related issues at sea are connected to commercial shipping traffic and routes.

Here is a thread on the Windy forum where you can see the tracks quite clearly:

https://community.windy.com/topic/85...ks-over-oceans

That and just the flow of air around the planet. I was absolutely shocked to see the animation of the north Atlantic off the coast of the USA between the USA and Europe.

If you play the current animation with particulates as an active layer, you see the various winds and storm systems are what create hotspots in the middle of the ocean.

There are diffuse particulates all over the place that sometimes are concentrated together when winds push them into dangerous levels for me. Basically, anything that starts to materialize on the animations are dangerous levels for me.

NO2 and ozone don't cause any issues for me. Only the particulates.

[Chotu]

Any of these organized streaks/whisps you see here are areas where I cannot be outdoors without air filtration of some kind.

[jmh2002]

Yes I posted the NO2 image because it showed the tracks most clearly for the forum.

Also Windy is currently updating it's Alert (Notification) system and I expect that in the future you will also be able to set Alert levels and notifications for the Air Quality Layers too.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Yes I posted the NO2 image because it showed the tracks most clearly for the forum.

Also Windy is currently updating it's Alert (Notification) system and I expect that in the future you will also be able to set Alert levels and notifications for the Air Quality Layers too.

I think I'm going to install my own outdoor and indoor particulate monitors so I'm not caught off guard as happens sometimes.

That, combined with windy (and having data while traveling) should do it.

Thanks again for pointing this out to me.

[Dogscout]

If you don't go now, then you won't go later.

Is there equipment that you can rent that will saturate the inside of the boat and kill mold? Can it be done periodically or repeated as needed?

What other solutions are out there that can be employed to solve this? I'm of the belief that any boat without mold today, will have it someday and maybe soon. The best would be a passive system that worked all the time in the entire boat. What about segregating part of the boat as a clean room with a finish that keeps it at bay?

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Dogscout

If you don't go now, then you won't go later.

Is there equipment that you can rent that will saturate the inside of the boat and kill mold? Can it be done periodically or repeated as needed?

What other solutions are out there that can be employed to solve this? I'm of the belief that any boat without mold today, will have it someday and maybe soon. The best would be a passive system that worked all the time in the entire boat. What about segregating part of the boat as a clean room with a finish that keeps it at bay?

You've got to read the rest of the thread. This comment barely applies to the situation. Thanks.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Thanks again for pointing this out to me.

You're welcome

[Shammi]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I don't have a pulmonary specialist, other than some help I got on this forum.

Do yourself a huge favor. Get checked by a good pulmonologist and develop a treatment/management plan. New medicines and inhalers may help you a lot. Perhaps this is more important than any boat improvement

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Shammi

Do yourself a huge favor. Get checked by a good pulmonologist and develop a treatment/management plan. New medicines and inhalers may help you a lot. Perhaps this is more important than any boat improvement

True. I have concluded that for now, I'd rather remove the allergens than be on drugs (steroids) the rest of my life. I'm in my mid 40s. Plenty of time to degrade into being stuck on drugs and all the awful health issues they cause.

As of now, I can manage it by making sure I have good air to breathe. I do have a rescue inhaler. Abuterol. That's for emergencies and I've only used it once in a year. I can feel it coming very early now. I either filter the air or get on a mask when I feel it and symptoms go away.

Deslotradine also fairly quickly (30-40 mins) opens up my airways. I have a stash of that as well. I like it because it works for me and doesn't pass the blood/brain barrier, so non drowsy and no risk of long term brain damage like the drowsy ones.

So between blown mechanical filtering, masks, Deslotradine and using an air conditioner (which also pulls the particulates out fo the air on the evaporator), I have this stuff solved.

Just need an air quality monitor to check for rising levels before I can start feeling them.