Flicka 'round the world' trip planned

[Captain Smollett]

Gene, I took Adrift's reference to be the solo racers (though he could have meant something else...that's just how I took his comment).

A lot of those guys probably do use electronic autopilots, though many do use windvanes.  With relatively deep pockets of sponsors to foot the bill for replacements, various race rules and LOTS of other electronic gadgetry aboard anyway,  I think it's a better "fit" for them than for the small boat voyager.  That's just my opinion, though.

I don't have a tiller pilot and have no plans to spend $$ on one.  I do, however, also use sheet-to-tiller gear (with the elastic bands) and plan to build a wind vane.

One thing I really like about sailing and sailors is that no two are alike.  Every boat is outfitted differently and we each choose the compromises we make.  Reading this discussion has helped me remember that.

In other words, ya don't have to justify WHY you put something on board or did not put it on board...When it's yer boat, ye get to pick the tools that go aboard.  Right?

Please wish Heather a peaceful journey.

[CharlieJ]

Gene- that list , in my mind anyway, is a tiny bit suspect. The Slocum Society makes theier own rules as to who gets on that list and it isn't always fair.

For example, Tania Aebi was refused her solo listing because she had a passenger for one 90 mile leg, even though she sailed back to the beginning of that leg and resailed it solo.

Also some one is shown as "smallest yacht" that had a boat larger than Trekka.

There are several others who have been denied the list for one technicality or another.

I notice Dame Ellen Mac Arthur isn't listed either- hasn't she done a single hand circumnav? That's what she was knighted for isn't it?

By the way- tell Heather that many more than she knows are pulling for her. We here have been since we first read her website.

[FLIGHT]

Sorry CapnK, but I've had it up to my ears with these Monday morning quarterbacks who have never sailed out any further than they could wade ashore, and never shall.  No guts.  But, when someone like my daughter comes along and works 43 years to prepare herself for a solo sail around the world, and when her dad, me, who has done deep ocean sailing for over a half century helps her prepare herself and her boat, the self-proclaimed experts jump all over us

They pound on me and my daughter, and tell us how stupid we are for doing this and not doing that.  And how lubberly it is to have this equipment aboard and not that equipment, when the truth is all they know about ocean sailing is what they've read out of boating magazines.  And what they fantasize.

They're never going to make it, and that frustrates them, so they take it out on those of us who have made it.

Shame on them.

Gotta' go see my daughter off on her voyage this morning.

No more time of your experts.

I won't be back.

Gene

[Frank]

Good luck to Heather.I see Florida is cold today...hope she has her 'woolies' on ;D  We are rooting for her.

[Auspicious]

Gene,

I hope you will come back. Many people are excited about the adventure Heather is launching and in their desire to help contributed the best ideas they have (of variable quality <grin>). We all learn from the discussion. We should all be kind to each other, as Kurt noted above. Sometimes enthusiasm overwhelms us a bit.

I certainly don't agree with every single choice you and Heather made outfitting Flight of Years. You probably wouldn't agree with every choice I made outfitting Auspicious (two television sets leap to mind <grin>). If we bothered to explore each instance of disagreement we would find -- if we could an objective judge -- either I was wrong, you were wrong, or our priorities were different and we are both right in the context of those priorities.

Sometimes it is just a matter of having a particular piece of information or niche skill.

And, forgive me for sounding argumentative, I definitely would not get a Dougen.

I agree with Gene, although probably for different reasons. I had the opportunity to explore the Duogen at a boat show a few years ago (Southhampton I think). The fellow in the booth explained the conversion from wind to water mode and was willing to let me make the swap. I was impressed with the engineering and simplicity. It took less than a minute to make the change. The Duogen guy hung on to me for an hour as a "demo" in the booth. Maybe I'm a fast learner; he was pleased to be able to have me change modes and say "this guy just did it for the first time this morning." That said, I have enough on the back of my boat without adding something else that not only takes space but requires clearances I don't want to provide. I also recall the power generation curve wasn't all that impressive compared to other wind generators. I tried to look that up to confirm, but the Duogen web site doesn't agree with my security settings.

No, heather does not have an electric autopilot; the majority of circumnavigators don't.

I think you will find that is changing. For a small boat however and in my opinion a vane is a better fit for long distance cruising for a number of reasons. First and most importantly, the electrical power generation on a small boat, even with alternative energy sources like wind and solar, will be hard pressed to keep up with an autopilot sturdy enough to steer the boat at sea. Vanes -- particularly servo-pendulum models -- become more powerful as wind speed increases. Secondly, as boats get larger (and generally have greater power generation capacity -- I can run my generator for 240 hours on fuel in tanks and my boat is only a little bigger than "small" -- that will get me quite far on 3 hours run time to charge batteries every other day) they get faster. Faster boats move the apparent wind forward of the beam at deeper and deeper angles relative to true wind and vanes become less accurate. Thirdly, the advance in technology that allows the autopilot to take input from GPS, gyroscopes, magnetic compasses, and wind instruments to run in "vane mode" make electronic autopilots very versatile, assuming you have the space and wherewithal to carry appropriate spares.

On my boat, which fits in the middle between small and really big/fast, I could have gone either way. I chose an electronic autopilot in recognition that winds can be light to non-existant in my home waters and sometimes I need to get home to go to work. If I were outfitting for a world cruise I might have chosen differently (or fitted both an electronic autopilot and a Hydrovane).

No, she does not have radar, and doesn't really need it.  She'll never be entering a strange port at night, nor will she be near land at night, and her C.A.R.D. tells her the position of any approaching ship.

Forgive me for belaboring the obvious, and I'm sure you and Heather recognize this, but fishing boats can be as big or bigger threat than ships and often don't have radar.

In fact, Heather and I talked of the possibility of pasting a foot or two of self-stick reflective silver tape on all three sides of her mast, just below the mast head, so her flashlight would pick up her mast at night in a crowded anchorage.

I think that is a wonderful idea. I have a trip up the mast in my plans and I'll be carrying retroreflective material with me. Thanks.

As for showing the steaming light at night, out in the ocean, when a ship is heading your way, you show everything you can, including your hand-held spot light, and hopefully a brilliantly white parachute flare.

I haven't been pushed to firing a flare, but I certainly have shown a spotlight on my sails and in a couple of instances across the bridge of a fishing boat.

I listened to the Cruiseheimers net on SSB this morning, hearing the boats in Florida hunkered down in the cold, and my thoughts were with Heather and the start of her grand adventure.

I hope you will stay and talk with us here Gene. I've been a participant on this board for quite some time, welcomed even though my boat is "too big." I'm confident that while enthusiasm may have reigned a bit, the intentions of all where positive and supportive.

sail fast, dave
S/V Auspicious

[CharlieJ]

Well, Gene lasted longer here than on any of the other boards, before he went away in a huff. I'm sorry to see that, as I was really looking forward to his updates as Heather made her voyage. It seems to be the top board going for small boat voyaging.But it IS a "discussion" board, and not one where people just roll over to someones ideas.Many of us here DO HAVE open ocean experience, so our ideas aren't really "half cocked"

And I didn't see anyone "Jumping all over" him. Merely discussing points. Gene, if you can't understand that, maybe you SHOULD just go away, cause you'd never be happy here, cause we ARE gonna kick things around..

You DID apparently get really good advice on wind generator help though.

[Auspicious]

I hope he comes back. I sent him an e-mail to that effect. There is nothing like experience to feed our dreams.

[CapnK]

This is a Discussion Forum, so it is unfortunate that Gene took umbrage at the discussion everyone was having.

If he comes back, I do hope he'll keep that in mind, and also the fact that no one person is perfect and right in every way and on every topic.*

We learn by discussing, by the give and take of the conversations.






*With the exception, of course, of Chuck Norris.  ;D :D ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

I didn't see any one jumping on Gene... I also didn't see any one calling him or Heather stupid.  As others have said, there isn't really any right way to outfit a boat, and there are both pros and cons to any piece of equipment. 

It would seem that if someone disagrees with his way of doing things, it is necessarily wrong. 

I wouldn't necessarily agree with his statement that Heather has spent 43 years preparing herself for this... given how recently she picked up sailing—from what I understand, from her own website, she's only been sailing a bit over a year. 

I do wish Heather the best and hope she got off safely inspite of her dislocated thumb... 

[Lynx]

Long term sailors are an interesting lot. I to am getting to a point where I do not wish to be around certian types. I can take a lot but why. Also, being 6 foot 4 inches 275 pounds a mistake by me can cost me my cruising. To many places to go to. Why bother with this.

However it is recommended, by several sources, to have an electric auto pilot for those days when you have to motor and enough fuel to get you over 400 miles. It is their choice to put one on or not, as was mine on my boat. I have to live with what I did.

I hope Gene and Heather well. The Yahoo Flicka Board has updates.

[Marc]

I hope someone can find out whether Heather left or not, being way up here in Iowa it's kinda hard to do.  I'm trying to follow her on her map on the website but according to it she has not moved.  It has always been a dream of mine to do what she is and thats why it is so exciting for i and my 11 yr old daughter

[CharlieJ]

And just what is the Yahoo Flicka site for those of us who don't know?

Marc- hang onto that dream and hang around here- LOTS of us share the same dreams

[Frank]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flicka20/

[Marc]

Thank You Frank

[Grime]

I know this thread is about Heather and her Flicka 20 but to me it is so much more. I would just like to say Gene please come back. It is people like you that I learn from to gain knowledge so that I can make the right decisions.

David

[CharlieJ]

Thanks Frank- but I found I had my browser set to not accept Yahoo cookies, cause I really don't much care for yahoo forums. I can't get in. But I read the first post'

I wish her all the luck in the world on her trip.

[Lost Lake]

I do hope he'll keep that in mind, and also the fact that no one person is perfect and right in every way and on every topic.*


*With the exception, of course, of Chuck Norris.  ;D :D ;D

Arrrr, those be true words Cap'n. A fine and wise man Mr. Norris be......

[Tim]

Somebody (named Jim) posted on the West Wight Potter forum that Heather had left. Unverified just passing it on.

Tim

[CapnK]

Hi Tim!

Thanks for the heads up! :)







PS - Just realized that you were Tim "Morning Dove" from TSBB! lol Welcome aboard! :D

[Captain Smollett]

PS - Just realized that you were Tim "Morning Dove" from TSBB! lol Welcome aboard! :D

Oh no!!!  Not a TSBB-er.

Just kidding.  Welcome aboard, Tim.     ;D