Webb Chiles' 6th Circumnavigation Launching Today

[Finnsail]

I'm new to the forum, but thought I'll share this from Webb Chiles' blog. He is launching today on his 6th circumnavigation in a Moore 24. In the late 70's, he completed almost a full circumnavigation in a 18' open boat, so a Moore 24 should feel luxurious for him!

You can track him at Yellowbrick Tracking - YBlog - gannet. The next update may show movement (updates every 6 hours). I've never met Webb but I wish him a safe journey!

Here is the official blurb from his site:

Webb Chiles, 72, five time circumnavigator and the first American to round Cape Horn alone, sailed from San Diego, California, this morning on his 24’ sloop, GANNET, beginning what will, time and chance permitting, become his sixth voyage around the world.

GANNET is a Moore 24, the first ultra-light displacement class built in the United States. Moore 24s have often been successfully raced from California to Hawaii, but no one has ever before attempted to circumnavigate in one.

Chiles will sail first to Hilo, Hawaii; then make his way across the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand where he will decide whether to continue west or turn east for Cape Horn in 2015.

You can follow GANNET’s track at Yellowbrick Tracking - truly global satellite tracking beacons for yacht racing, adventures, treks, expeditions and challenges and learn more at www.inthepresentsea.com.

Photos by Steve Earley:

[DeepFrz]

Webb has spent the last several yrs. getting Gannet ready for this trip . I wish him all the best. 24 ft, I hope he is a small man but he has talked about how cramped it is.

[Factor]

Good on him and Good Luck

[Jim Cate]

Better him that me! But the Moore may feel pretty luxurious compared to the open 19 footer that he went around in earlier in his adventurous life.

Good Sailing, Webb!

Jim

[Ozbullwinkle]

I wish him a safe passage and will be following his journey on Yellowbrick.

One thing that intrigues me though is why would he sail right across the Pacific to NZ then make a decision on his next passage with one of the options to turn back East to effectively retrace his steps back across the Pacific again to round the Horn. This seems a rather strange way to do a circumnavigation to me.

[deckofficer]

He is knocking off 36 nm in an 8 hour run. Not bad for a boat that size (108 nm day's run).

[Finnsail]

He set the position update interval to every 6 hrs, so I think he's actually doing much better than that. It should over 140 NM in the last 24 hrs unless I'm doing something wrong...

[robert sailor]

That boy is an old fashion sailor and a great seaman. Very few like him these days, wish him all the best.

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by Finnsail

He set the position update interval to every 6 hrs, so I think he's actually doing much better than that. It should over 140 NM in the last 24 hrs unless I'm doing something wrong...

My eyes aren't too good. Your right about the 6 hour updates, so 36 nm X 4 = 144 nm daily runs even better.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

I wish him a safe passage and will be following his journey on Yellowbrick.

One thing that intrigues me though is why would he sail right across the Pacific to NZ then make a decision on his next passage with one of the options to turn back East to effectively retrace his steps back across the Pacific again to round the Horn. This seems a rather strange way to do a circumnavigation to me.

Most likely 'cuz he lived in NZ for quite a while.

[Ozbullwinkle]

He is now nearing the halfway mark on his passage to Hawaii.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Webb is still going along nicely at over 6 knots on passage to Hawaii. I really wish that the individual past position points remained on the trackline though as I'd like to look at the previous ones and not just the latest one.

I have never used a Yellowbrick during my passages so I have no personal experience with one. Does anyone know if there is an option that can be set so that past track position points all appear as well as the latest one?

[Boatguy30]

I bet he bails in Hawaii. But good luck and all that otherwise.

[CharlzO]

After doing this so many times already, and as much as he's put into this trip, I have no reason to think he'd abandon the trip so soon in. So far looks like he's been pretty steady all the way through, will be in Hawaii by weeks end, so should be good to see if he posts updates when he hits land.

Oz, are you referring to the tracking of this voyage? Or do you mean past circumnav's he's done? I don't know if he had the YB for those, but I know on this one, I always see the complete track of the voyage, with the points marked at each 6 hour interval.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by CharlzO

Oz, are you referring to the tracking of this voyage? Or do you mean past circumnav's he's done? I don't know if he had the YB for those, but I know on this one, I always see the complete track of the voyage, with the points marked at each 6 hour interval.

I am referring to tracking of this voyage. I also see the complete track of the voyage but only see data like long & lat and current SOG at his last known position being the last of the 6 hourly transmissions. I would like to be able to refer to this data on all of the previous 6 hour transmission points as well so I can work out distance in last 24 hours etc.

I bet he just rests up and reprovisions in Hawaii before setting off again as was his original intention.