# Passage: 4,000 nms France to Caribbean NON-STOP! Route, website etc



## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I know no one reads things like NON-STOP...
"Oh, so you'll have fun in Portugal!"
"NO, you F'ing Idiot I'm going NON-STOP"
"Oh, well enjoy the stopover in the Canaries!"








The route is the thick blue line, but I think I can do the red line first if the forecast holds...
(Yes, I know it says Madeira, but I'm not going anywhere near it)
I will be about 200 nms off Cape/Cabo Finisterre (Europe's Hatteras) because the weather is always crap there... its a compression zone in NE or SW winds... or any other winds. So prudent is 200 nms, better is 300nms.
The point 30N 28Wis just an ambit point. It wont really be there but it would be terrific if I was close-ish.
Most people say you need to go south of the Canary Islands to get good winds.... these people are looking at November / December crossings. March is not November. The Azores High is much further north.
Yellow line is the southern extent of SW storms/lows/Azores High in March/April. The line can move, wriggle and dance, but unlikely to come further south at this time of year.
Red dotted lines are shipping lanes/routes.

I'm looking at a nice, soft, slow passage and it will be between 30 and 40 days. I have a girlfriend with me so I really don't care if you insist I can do it in 5 days ... if I can find a hurricane.

I have 2 satellite trackers: Iridium Go and Spot (Thanks @Zanshin !!!!!!!!!!!!)
Iridium, Incl Blogette: SV_SeaLife (predictwind.com)
Spot Trip Viewer: Sea Life (spotwalla.com)
Website which wont have any additional info as I dont know how to upload it at sea: Sea Life - Sailing the World (ourlifeatsea.com)

Going Tuesday if sacrifice to Poseidon works.

Oooops, stuffed that one up... does someone have a spare virgin?

----> Thoughts / comments appreciated even after what I said. But is does get tiring to always hear people tell you to stop in some different ocean.

Mark


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## Mama's Mink (Dec 15, 2020)

Good to see someone living the dream.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Looks like a plan... We will follow your progress.

Do you have a water maker? I would think so.

What is your plan once you arrive? Float around in the islands or rest and prepare for another passage? Or maybe you will figure that out along the way.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

120 gallons of water. 80 man days at sea. Plan on/ ration at 1 gal/day. Make for a 60 day crossing if all goes well.


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## mikel1 (Oct 19, 2008)

Will be following here also!👍


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> I know no one reads things like NON-STOP...
> "Oh, so you'll have fun in Portugal!"
> "NO, you F'ing Idiot I'm going NON-STOP"
> "Oh, well enjoy the stopover in the Canaries!"
> ...


didn't you know? there are no more virgins!
fair winds!

/


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

420 litles of water. Plus 80 litres emergency in water jugs... and about 50 litlres bottled water for Madams coffee... LOL
No water maker. I would love one. But then I'd need a generator too... where does it end?


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Mark, 

Have a safe, easy and relaxing trip. My understanding is that that route should be pretty comfortable wind wise this time of year, but pretty chilly. 

Please get me a bottle of port when you stop in Madeira? Never mind

Jeff


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Got no useful wisdom. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Q: Why are you crossing? Bored? Water looks bluer on the other side? GF told you she wants to swim in the Caribbean? Just curious... 

Have a great journey. I aspire to be 1/2 the cruiser you are.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> I know no one reads things like NON-STOP...
> "Oh, so you'll have fun in Portugal!"
> "NO, you F'ing Idiot I'm going NON-STOP"
> "Oh, well enjoy the stopover in the Canaries!"
> ...


Consider that the Caribbean are still in lockdown. Not much fun.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Safe Travels Mark! And, whatever you do ..... Don't Swim off the damn boat with the Sails up!!!


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Antiqua Race Week has been cancelled. At least you may get low cost moorage now. They may ask you to quarantine for a while


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> The route is the thick blue line, but I think I can do the red line first if the forecast holds...


South until the butter melts, then turn West!

Have a pleasant and safe passage. We all look forward to hear how you and your new crew enjoy the trip. Hope you have sufficient chocolate, all I've read about is electronics. Summer in the Caribbean or are you coming to New England?


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Mark, counting on reports to live a vicarious life through you. Safe trip!


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

Have a good trip. Hope you arrive still having the girlfriend.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Bon voyage et bon vent!


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## cascoamarillo (Aug 8, 2013)

Following.
Yep, stay away from the wicked coast (Cabo Finisterre)! I can relate.

Fair winds


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Website updated! map, links to location maps incl

Heading for the Caribbean today!! - Sea Life (ourlifeatsea.com)

SV_SeaLife (predictwind.com)

Trip: Sea Life (spotwalla.com)


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I've been busier than a one armed wallpaper hanger. 
I have been doing pretty extensive upgrades, maintenance on the boat... Ive owned it for 13 years, its 20 years old, so age does take its toll. But I thought a month or 2 solid would be fine, but, boy-o-boy, yards. They can slow the simplest job to a frustrating crawl.

So I will be very. very happy if I can get to sea tomorrow. Captain Ron was wrong. It ifs going to happen its going to happen in the Yard.

Mark


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

My thoughts are with you! Bon Voyage!


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Well, we have done the first mile! 


Are we there yet? 

😊 

Mark


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

Fair winds, bon voyage.  I will follow your progress daily. 

Sal


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Currently making 3.8kts, beating into 14kts of wind. Must be trying to keep the boat as flat as possible for the crew. Smart. Should be a fast and comfortable beam reach, when they make the turn. Safe passage.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Minnewaska said:


> Currently making 3.8kts, beating into 14kts of wind. Must be trying to keep the boat as flat as possible for the crew. Smart. Should be a fast and comfortable beam reach, when they make the turn. Safe passage.


My guess is that they may be motoring against the tide since they appear to be headed dead upwind rather than beating. That said, I may be misreading the tracking.. Neither device seems to be showing the track over ground, and only the Iridium is showing up as even moving. It looks like the Iridium sends out a series of way points and then links straight between those way points. If that is so, it may be that they are beating and coincidentally the straight line between waypoints is straight upwind. Mark has said that on long passages he does not like to motor in part to save fuel in case it is needed later. If they are beating, then they are probably doing closer to 5.5 knots through the water, a respectable speed for a fully loaded boat that is beating into 14 knots of wind.

I must say that I am a little concerned about that cluster of Lows moving up the middle of the Atlantic. There is some really nasty stuff in there. On the other hand, it is definitely a good day not to be in the Med. Especially if you want to head westward. Jus' say'n.

Jeff


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> Must be trying to keep the boat as flat as possible for the crew. Smart.


I am letting the Lady's stowage settle. 🙄🙄🙄

😂


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Both trackers only update once per hour so yeah, you were getting vmg. But this hour I'm cheating. Doing 9 knots into the wind! Motoring! With current.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> Both trackers only update once per hour so yeah, you were getting vmg. But this hour I'm cheating. Doing 9 knots into the wind! Motoring! With current.


Thank you for the explanation


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

The lows appear to be moving northward. Other than perhaps some lumpy seas, my "guess" is that they'll have moved through by the time he gets there.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

It looks like Mark is making good speed.

The lows still seem to be moving east-northeast rather than due north, and extends most of the way from the Caribbean to Greenland. It looks like there is a clearer route today than there was a day or so ago. I have to figure that Mark is on top of this. 

Jeff


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Hes said he cant catch fish but Vegas odds is now showing him having to clean cockpit of fish guts


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Now making 2.3kts downwind in 10kts of breeze. Should be late morning there. Must have slowed down to land a fish.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

It appears that Mark and company are moving well. It looks like the really nasty stuff has in mid Atlantic has died down to the south west and moved out of his track to the northeast. Things look a little bumpy to the west of north Coast of Spain, but given the wind direction, with a reefed main and a small jib that should be a fast sleigh ride surfing in the right general direction.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Wonder who's on mid-night watch right now? Making 6 kts. That's progress.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

I hope that they have a good Passage without any problems and perhaps the lady works out


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

This is so much better than watching Covid stats everyday. Looking like nice progress. I don't think we ever heard if the new first mate was a sailor.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Yes, they are moving well, especially given that they just passed through a large cell of light air on a deep reach. I think that missing following the Vendee Globe has me checking on their process more than I probably would have normally. 

As for the first mate, I don't know whether she was or was not a sailor, but by the time they reach the Caribbean she either will be a) a full blown sailor, or b) off the boat and onto something else. I am very much hoping for a). 

Jeff


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

"Consider most of the Caribbean is in lockdown . . ." Nope. Many Islands have worked things out reasonably. 

The U.S. Virgin Islands are busY! 20 catamarans lined up in Magen's Bay right now. Megayachts everywhere, including Eos and Rising Sun. And if you want a Covid shot, just get in line at UVI. We got Pfizer a couple weeks ago. St. Thomas is rocking. No cruise ships. St. John is packed. Anyone 16 or older gets the vaccine. They're being careful, testing, limited restaurant openings, social distancing, masks, no Carnival this year, no Easter Camping on STX. BVI, on the other hand, is dead. Not a sail in sight between here and Jost on that side. Cane Garden is empty. They've set up a barge with a bunch of go-fasts in Drake Channel to grab anyone that deigns to cross the line, accidentally or otherwise, so they can elicit fines. Big fines. At this moment there are NO boats in White Bay, JVD, confirmed with longeyes (it's exactly 10 miles from my porch) and the Soggy Dollar live webcam.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

For those who did not translate Marjorie's Log entry: (According to Google) it reads:

"It's already the third day on board! The last one [land] I will have seen is an English island and now I am stuck with a keyboard that does not do the accents ...
Once left Cherbourg there was a beautiful blue sky! We could see the clouds clustered over the Cotentin [Peninsula] while the rest was discovered. On the second day we saw a group of dophins off Brittany swimming along the bow. And of course I didn't identify them in Mark's superb book x). The night is magnificent. I have never seen so many stars. So I finally enjoy getting up at midnight or four in the morning. A bowl of instant noodles under the stars accompanied by the sound of the waves and go! (and a smoked sausage at 7:30 am being on ..."

A joyful entry to my ears. It sounds like Mark found a real winner. Congratulations to them both.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

rockin ramen!


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Many don't realize that 20 knots of windspeed in the warm tropics is not the same as here at 48 deg North where it is colder. Warm air is lighter and has less punch. I have had weatherfax on the boat for many years and it shows windspeed and direction with little arrows and flags. It still works but the printout suffers from radio interference near big towns. I'm glad you finally have decent wind. It sucks to have to go downwind in light air. I hope your autopilot handles that. As for the USVI being open: I love to hear that. We loved Wendy's at the Yacht Haven and Pueblo up the street where chicken run free in the parking lot. Bon Voyage!


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Looks like a week of decent sailing ahead, maybe some more light air, but it beats the alternative.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Looks like they turned up, giving that cape a wider berth


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

RegisteredUser said:


> Looks like they turned up, giving that cape a wider berth


Yes, lighter air, further away. May also get them a better angle to the wind and waves. I'm " guessing" that he's got a reef in and a furled in headsail, keeping things under contol. No need to break anything early in the trip.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Naw, he's got a poled out jib and the mains'l is down. Steers easier.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

seattle sailor said:


> Naw, he's got a poled out jib and the mains'l is down. Steers easier.


Perhaps. I like to sail downwind that way. I didn't mean the genoa was fully doused, just rolled in a bit.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Mark's post today is classic Mark. He describes difficulties trying to rig the whisker pole while Marjorie handles the lines. He finishes by saying that Marjorie learned more English curse words than sailing terms, and should start talking to him again in a few weeks.

Jeff


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Marjorie probably hasn't read the chain of conflict resolution aboard any ship.

Rule 1, the Capain is always right.
Rule 2, if the Captain is wrong, refer to Rule 1.

I know my wife hasn't, but I haven't read her list either.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

You forget Majority. is French. The rules are a little different: french women will do everything for you if you treat them nice. None of this Anglo-Saxon behavior "I'm a man and you do as I say" And French women are tough. Vive la femme


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

How about some stereotyping...


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

"Stereotyping" yes SanderO you are right and I apologize: I shouldn't have. My big mistake! I'm very old and my attitude has been affected by my experiences. Went to school at Brent sur Lausanne and worked in France before coming to the US. Been here 60 years, sailed all my life. Met a lot of women. But still, I shouldn't have. Really sorry, no offense meant, but in all these years females were much better to sail with.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

seattle sailor said:


> "Stereotyping" yes SanderO you are right and I apologize: I shouldn't have. My big mistake! I'm very old and my attitude has been affected by my experiences. Went to school at Brent sur Lausanne and worked in France before coming to the US. Been here 60 years, sailed all my life. Met a lot of women. But still, I shouldn't have. Really sorry, no offense meant, but in all these years females were much better to sail with.


I hear you... we use stereotypes all the time and they exist because there is an element of truth.... like sailors like to drink.... but here we have one woman who we don't know and should not treat her character as a stereotype,.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Jeez....offended..bs


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Looks as if they turned...to ride the strong wind
If so, they are probably in sync...and talking again


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

No post yet today. Maybe things got a little frigid.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Whatever is happening onboard, they are moving well in more moderate conditions than they had been. It looks like they have a favorable almost rhumb line route for a while. 
Jeff


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Looking ahead a bit, it looks like they got out of Dodge and across the bay at a good time. Winds should settle down for them ahead, looks like they are moving well. I'm sure they'll be happy to find some warmth, had to be a bit brisk.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Pretty good skipper. Seems to have been in position A for the wind so far.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

I think I like his " Red Line" chances right now. "Blue line" could get dicey in a few days.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

They are doing 6.5 kn in 21 kn of tail wind. so they have 15 kn apparent wind which is very comfortable at sea bcause it is a steady wind. Why should they bother with writing messages? If they have AIS or radar with zone control they can play cards below or drink tea. They went on a passage to get away not to provide thrills for landlubbers.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

He has posted his daily message now. Of course, he doesn't have to. He is giving back, while many of his friends are indeed landbound. I enjoy reading how they're doing.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Well, many of us have been following Mark's travels around the world for 11 years now. He posted his route, linked his spot and iridium and makes one post a day in a 24 hour day to keep folks informed. I also find it educational, as he's quite an accomplished sailor and understanding his decision matrix was quite informative to me. I'm sure they'll find plenty of time to sip tea and play poker. ;-)


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

Making for the trades. Later in the week things may turn a little more turbulent and while hopefully he will find fair winds, the wave action is predicted to increase. He may have his choice of conditions depending on how far south he is.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

This mornings post on PredictWind actually solicits questions, via iridium. I don't have one for them and thought I wouldn't bother them anyway. However, they asked (in both english and french), so they must truly welcome them.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

I hope they don't run out of wind. If 'predictwind' is accurate they are headed for a windless area. It shows they still have 5kn boat speed. I hope they can keep the boat moving. It really sucks to have light wind. If they steer using a vane they need 5kn apparent. If they use an autopilot they need 2kn boat speed. Maybe a little less depending on the brand of A/P. I have a B&G controller for a homebrew hydraulic actuator and it steers down to 1/2kn boatspeed in smooth water. But commercial actuators may not do this. So I worry about them. A lot of stuff is floating around in those windless regions: fenders, glass balls, wood. I wonder how the boat is steered?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Well, they're currently making way at 5kts, in 2kts of wind. Sounds like power conserving revolutions to me.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Maybe they run under power. "Power conserving revs" (i like that) They had no need to run the engine for all these days and it's a good time to charge the batteries and maybe the freezer? Maybe the forecast is wrong. Happened to me a few times. In a small sailboat you are so very dependant on favorable weather.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Well, they're currently making way at 5kts, in 2kts of wind. Sounds like power conserving revolutions to me.


There are also currents that affect speed, and as Alfred Korzybski said, *"A map is not the territory"*. The winds shown on the web page are most likely quite different from what Marks is experiencing.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Zanshin said:


> The winds shown on the web page are most likely quite different from what Marks is experiencing.


True enough. I almost always experience slightly more wind than these tools graphically suggest. If I can dig below the pictures, the gusts often tell the rest of the story. Perhaps he'll enlighten us with his post on Predict Wind today.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Both of us guessed correctly, on different levels. He's motoring for sure, but believes it's because he was duped by the wind models. Here's an excerpt.......



> ...When it was time to re-join the blue line along the coast I was seduced (seduced, I say!!) with a computer model that showed northerly winds in the area normally southerly winds and the calm spot in the middle had disappeared. However, like an oasis in the desert&#8230; some things evaporate as you reach out to touch them. So we came too far west, towards the Azores Islands, and are now without wind, "A painted ship upon a painted ocean" except I turned on the engine and we are now motoring south to rendezvous (note the French word) with a puff of breeze...


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I have been following Mark's routing from the beginning, and I think that he has done a great job of staying in the wind and out of the seriously heavy stuff. But now the boat is in an area of seriously light winds with no obvious way out of this. They are currently motoring on a glassy sea trying to get to wind.

If I were routing this I would turn further north to just north of due west. (see black line on wind map below) That route should put them into solid winds all the way to the Caribbean. The problem with that route is that there would be a day of close reaching followed by avoiding the brunt of the large windy front in that area. They would need to ride the edge rather than dive into the heart of that front, and that will take careful monitoring. The good news about that is that the safety valve is to run off to the south a little, putting them closer to the rhumbline (roughly the red line on the image). . While I have annotated this with straight lines, in reality, they should be able to 'fillet' (round) the connections and save a lot of miles sailed. Also that front seems to be moving slightly to the south and west and so may come to meet them. (I cannot confirm that with the software that I have available).

The problem with their current route is that course will keep them in patches of light to no wind half of the way to the Caribbean.

Taking their current course is less risky if they have enough fuel to motor for 800 to a 1000 miles.

Of course, as a offshore cruising friend once said to me, I tend to do routing like a racer, (max. VMG vs risk aversion). I also emphasize that I don't have all of the weather and current routing tools that I would like to do this properly. .


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

That frontal zone looks like the best wind, but it's risky. Might not be where predicted either. Fronts like to move.

I think I'd stick with heading south until the butter melts. If they have enough fuel to reasonably get down to the trades, it should be a relative milk run, from there.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Minnewaska said:


> That frontal zone looks like the best wind, but it's risky. Might not be where predicted either. Fronts like to move.
> 
> I think I'd stick with heading south until the butter melts. If they have enough fuel to reasonably get down to the trades, it should be a relative milk run, from there.


Yes, that is what Mark said. I had been watching that front for several days and it as been slowly moving south and east. But I will note that both you and Mark have more time doing offshore routing than I have, and I tend to do old school stuff plotting movements of lows and highs, gradients in the isobars over time, and not using the more modern tools all that much.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Jeff_H said:


> you and Mark have more time doing offshore routing than I have


The vast majority of my weather routing is done above the clouds, where I can typically outrun a front. 

Although, I can't count how many times I've had to race one to the runway. Hate those.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Translation:
38 51.407n 16 08.484w
Lake, jellyfish and pudding
Tue Mar 23 2021

After 7 days I also learned to neither slip nor fall inside during shaking. I crossed the 
boat up and down and across the waves. My body remembers it with pretty colors. I even 
managed to fall out of my seat and was afraid to make coffee… A Frenchwoman without 
coffee. Where is the world going!
No more rain. a beautiful blue sky. This morning it was full of low clouds. At sunrise 
they let the dyes in pink pass through wells of light. The sea was calm. So still it 
looked like a silver lake. The problem is, there is not enough wind to sail. The lapping 
of the water is therefore broken by the engine. Fortunately by tomorrow morning, it will 
be cut! But there are still 2 advantages to the situation. The first is that it is easier 
to observe what is happening on the surface.
We saw 2 dolphins offshore. And I had the joy of discovering “Portuguese something 
jellyfish”. They have a blue, triangular fin, or sail, that protrudes from the water and 
helps them steer. They are small living sailboats.
The second is that I took my first shower! With hot water since the engine is running! 
Since there are no waves propelling us right and left, I was even able to shave. You can 
imagine the result after a week ... transformation into Chubacca. It is not easy. You 
always need a hand for the boat and a hand for either. So one hand on the guardrail and 
one hand on the razor. Yes, but. The side rails are lower than the armpits.
So no, this is not a romantic cruise when you have 7 days without a shower, hairs 
everywhere and an engine in the background. But it's still very nice.
Mark gives me more and more initiative. I finally know the name of all the strings.
On the other hand, while it is clearly posted that whoever is on watch should cook, he 
asked me an hour ago not to cook his steak tonight.
But what about my steak cooking? I'm French anyway!
Regarding food, I released my new celebration recipe: the pan-rolled pudding. I can 
already see your face. "What did she make up for us again ?!" You can call it 
cinnamon bellows if you prefer:
You need a bottle of milk that has been open for 5 days whereas it is written there to 
consume within 4 days. Oops. I won't be able to drink enough latte until yesterday. Then 
you have to want to make pancakes or pancakes but without a recipe and without having 
ever made one. The 3rd element is not having eaten your planned egg ration. That’s 2 / 
pot lunch for me. So I broke 4 in the bowl. We add sugar to it, vista de naz as mom would 
say. And we whip. We add a little cinnamon. Then we whip soft butter in it and have a 
hard time dissolving it. Don't worry, I haven't taken out the oars. After that you have 
to add almost everything else in the bottle of milk to this. We keep a swig for the next 
morning's coffee, because 6 days is good for the intestines. For that to hold we put a 
little flour. Since I didn't want to put a lot of it, I took the rice flour which was 
already open. A little bit of yeast. The goal was to put half of the bag. But I put all 
of it. We pour a ladle into a hot pan
We put the lid on to avoid wasting gas. When it makes little bubbles on the surface, we 
try to turn over like a pancake. We miss. It makes a blob. We start again and we fail 
again. So we make a Japanese-style rolled omelet: roll your end of crepe-pudding-bellows. 
Put it on a plate. Make a 2nd crepe-blabla and just before rolling put your roll etc… 
Enjoy lukewarm. We are not dead and Mark even reworked a second part! He's gone to bed. 
We'll see if he gets up!


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

New posts from Marjorie - translated
Bubbles, soap? No!
Tue Mar 23 2021

Midnight. Tickles on the arm. My eyes suddenly open like two headlights in the middle of 
the night. "Is it time to wake up?" "Yes it is. First let's go outside. "Jacket and life 
jacket, here I am quickly in the cockpit, on my knees, leaning over the stern of the 
boat. I see like an alley of bubbles in the middle of our path. Mark lights his torch. 
No. No bubbles. But there is a stir. I do not understand. But are there lights? He guides 
me inside. Just awake, my brain not very active, I hit the control of the engine on my 
way. Mark lets out a nice "oh! For **** sake!". He goes down first. I try to be 
delicate and gradually move the control to get to a fuel rate of 1.4. As soon as I get 
downstairs , Mark turns off the lights and starts pumping down the toilet. And there I 
see a big dot of light starting to dance in the bowl! Fireflies? No, no Marjorie. Not 
fireflies. Bioluminescence! They just keep coming. He points out to me that he had 
extinguished the navigation lights so that we could see them well. We go back up. And I 
ask him "so these are not little critters? "" Yes. They're like little 
critters. And when you shake them, they light up! The engine's propeller agitates the 
water. As a result, they are bioluminescent. "
If I had had the internet, I would already be looking for more information.
Mark turned on the navigation lights again. He is in bed. Me, I'm outside in the cockpit 
under a bright half moon and the stars. The water moves like a gray satin sheet except at 
the area of the small bubbles. My shift begins!
Marjorie

Free sms - small caps
Tue Mar 23 2021
Good morning or good evening!
First: there it is! Two days ago we shifted the clock two hours back!
Second: Nothing is specified on the free sms page. But, your texts are limited to around 
160 characters according to Mark's estimate! Also, if you do not include a reply mail 
address, messages all arrive under a standard number label.
I have received several beginnings of messages under this number and not entire ones. So 
I don't have all the messages, and I don't know who writes.
Email has no limit, we think.
As a reminder: no photos, videos ect&#8230; Normal text from normal. Mark says "plain 
text".
Free sms at: Iridium Messaging
and insert our Iridium phone number 881652435532
For the email address please send us a signed request! This way we avoid the possible 
possibility that a troll sends us videos that will block our satellite network for days!
(I had skipped the emails before leaving Cherbourg. I thought it wasn't working! Sorry 
...)
Thanks to you for your messages! : slight_smile:

Marjorie

Dolphins! 2 Dolphins!
Wed Mar 24 2021

We have been sailing since 10am this morning! It is 1:10 pm and just now we have just 
seen two common dolphins swimming alongside the boat!
swimming fast and full of grace.

Marjorie

2 Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) came to play by the boat: slight_smile:


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Now they've got wind, but worried about getting too much wind, followed by no wind. Seems like all conditions normal. But he is worried a bit. Maybe because he used a day of fuel so early.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Minnewaska - I come from a family of farmers, so I understand the "there's either too little [wind,rain,sun,warmth] or too much of it, but never just the right amount" concept. Whenever I do a passage it seems to be the same way - if the wind happens to finally be the right strength, it is coming from the wrong direction 

At least Mark has company on the trip!


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

He's dealing with a tricky set of variables. He's got to try to avoid the more serious wind of this approaching stormy weather centered on Madeira, and then deal with the ensuing " calm after the storm" He's a little frustrated with how much time it's going to take to get south and into a warm and a steady breeze. So far, I think his departure timing and route planning have been excellent, despite the frustration of being becalmed for a bit. He'll be happy when the butter melts and he can take a straight shot for an island.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

> Maybe I should shove the computer into Davy Jones Locker?


May not he such a bad idea if it is giving nothing but conflicting information. It is hardly better than no information.

I don't think I would or he whould do it, but I can surly understand the urge.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

hpeer said:


> May not he such a bad idea if it is giving nothing but conflicting information. It is hardly better than no information.
> 
> I don't think I would or he whould do it, but I can surly understand the urge.


I think the wind speed and direction presented are a forecast. Meaning, it's a guess based on something. For about 30 years I have been using a Furuno Weatherfax after working with one on a SC 50 sailing from Seattle to San Francisco. It prints wind speed and directions on thermal paper from actual observations from ships at sea. There are not as many marked locations as on "predictwind" but they are actual observed wind speeds. So far it always worked for me and despicted what I experienced. It doesn't work in sheltered waters because local winds are influenced by the land and broadband reception is not so good.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

They have been making good speed passing around to the north of a big low pressure cell(storm), but are now riding the back of the storm diving south to avoid the big dead zone moving in front the north. This seems like a tougher passage to route because of the instability of the weather systems. 

Hopefully, they can ride the back of the cell to the south until they hook into the Trades.

Jeff


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Yes, I think he's done a great job of dodging the worst of that low, while keeping the boat moving nicely. I wonder how deep he'll dive south. I'm not seeing much favorable wind above 25 n. Though, there may be some opportunities to gain some west in the coming week I'm sure if there are, he'll find them.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Red line is a nice wish.....
But then mother nature....
She controls


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Yes, she does. The center of that Madeira low has been moving south with him. He's been riding the outer bands, nicely, south with it. That low looks like it's beginning to deteriorate. The next one will bring wind from an unfriendly direction. Seems to be moving fast though.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

The bigger issues are the huge high pressure ridges and associated dead zones to the north of them, and now issues with the autopilot. The two waves of high pressure have winds in 40+ winds. It looks like Sea Life is getting to the south of the first wave as long as they can keep moving at good speed to the SSW. Once south of 27-28 deg N, they should be able to swing towards the rhumbline.

But before that they also need to deal with a large dead air zone.

There is also the other issue autopilot is acting up.

Jeff


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

They'll be below 30n soon. Looks like he's heading slightly east again, maybe to pick up some more wind and speed and avoid the dead air as long as possible.

Really sucks that Auto-Pilot is acting up. Hopefully he gets it straightened out.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Now they are below 30 N. Boatspeed is now 3 Knots. That maybe a good thing because with the autopilot "acting up" they may have to handsteer and in light conditions it is easier to get enough rest. I don't know if the boat can be rigged to sail itself downwind Some boats have two grooves on the forestay and a second halliard so they can rig two jibs and pole them out, drop the main and the boat will go downwind by itself. Autopilots have a permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor. It has small brushes like 1/4 inch and they are a wear item. But it is probbly easier to carry a spare motor. On the BOAC they have two A/P installed because they have two rudders but only one A/P is used and when it acts-up they switch to the other one.


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

Looks like Mark is threading the needle sailing downwind for the trade winds and staying out of the dead air and big waves. Temp should be around 60F where he is now bearing SSW 4 mph


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Mark was able to fix the autopliot. But now they are in a light air zone between the low pressure zone they had been in and the massive high pressure ridge sweeping through the North Atlantic. The last of the low pressure system they were in has broken up. At this point unless they can motor maybe 150 miles south-south west, it looks so there will be roughly 20 hours before they go from broad reaching in 5 knots to beating into gusts over 20 knots. 

Jeff


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

I'm guessing he has it cracked a tad above idle now...having figured where he needs to be...and away from


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Very Glad he got the AP running again.

Looking at the predict wind site, Looks like Mark and Marjorie have found one of the few spots in the Atlantic Ocean where their drinks won't tip over. ;-) And they can go for a swim! They've done one hell of a job, threading their way through these systems, so far.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I missed where he said his AP was malfunctioning. I know he was looking for a spare AP ram, before he departed.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Minnewaska said:


> I missed where he said his AP was malfunctioning. I know he was looking for a spare AP ram, before he departed.


Mark and I have been trading texts along the way. He sent me a text early on Sunday morning (my time) and spent roughly a full day and tracked it down and fixed it. Very impressive!
Jeff


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Jeff_H said:


> Mark and I have been trading texts along the way. He sent me a text early on Sunday morning (my time) and spent roughly a full day and tracked it down and fixed it. Very impressive!
> Jeff


Sure is. I've had this recurring vision, in the middle of some random boat project, of how awful it would be to have to do it, while underway.

Looks like weather on the nose for them, at the moment. Gentleman don't sail to weather.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

So here is the story on the autopilot in Mark's own words: 
*Big Problem Auto Pilot dies, we hand steer 2,300 nms*
Tue Mar 30 2021

Suddenly the Auto Pilot turned off in the high winds and steep, short, rough seas causing the back of the boat to come through the wind and we gybed-all-standing, snapping the gybe preventer and allowing the boom to fly across the boat till it exploded a pully block off the mainsheets and ripping the US$1,600 main traveller apart destroying the rim that goes under the track with its brand new ball bearings now running across the deck and bouncing overboard like rats off a doomed ship.
The Auto Pilot would not come back on again but for 30 seconds at a time.
We were hand steering with 2,300 nautical miles in front of the two of us and a destroyed mess on deck. It was 1 am. Sunday morning.
I have some spare scavenged 16 mm Dyneema line Wayne gave me years ago stashed in the lazarette. I'd shown Marjorie and said it could lift the weight of the whole boat. Its easy to make a new main traveller.
3 hour watches hand steering (I said we would go to 4 hours steering within a few days) - see previous blog posts about Watches and the necessity for 5 or 6 hours sleep in a block each day -
First hour your shoulders ache from the heavy wheel in the high winds and your wrists hurt in the unaccustomed use hanging tight to cold steel of the wheel. Your feet hurt from the cold deck seeping through boots but when you sit down the one meter wide wheel takes the leverage you have standing up, so you sit for a while then have to stand. Your butt and shoulders and everywhere in between are hurting.
Second Hour steering and your back starts to hurt too.
Third Hour and the pain is deadened by tiredness. I fell asleep while standing up steering but woke up when my head hit the deck.
Then 3 hours sleep and repeat.
We passed each other like ships in the night, never being able to touch or hug because someone had to be holding the wheel.
The Autopilot would stay on for about 30 seconds and then switch off saying it needed Calibration. But the Calibration section of the electronic menu has disappeared. Its just not there! Gone. But its all new electronics, so whats going on?
The AP itself is 20 years old but the electronics have been upgraded but _not_ with a new Course Computer. Raymarine has upgraded all their equipment since 20 years ago so there is a new method of linking the AP, course Computer and Instruments. An expensive method. If you need one bit you need it to but the whole bloody lot (US$4,000-$6,000). So I did the sneaky and found a tach who could put the new instruments on the old AP and my outdated pre-course computer computer.
And now I'm trying to fix if while Marjorie is doing double shifts on the wheel.
We contact David on the boat Persephone in Lagos, Portugal. He is very good at keeping a problem in little bit and replying with a small but detailed method to test.
He contacted Raymarine by email all day yesterday morning, Monday. But their solutions were never about the lack of Calibration settings that should be on the menu but things like the Fluxgate compass, which I am sure is not the problem although we checked for metal next to it in the wardrobe. (We moved some chain-mail dresses of Marjorie







)
Raymarine finally said we should stop in at a close island with a Raymarine dealer and they sent a link of distributers. The closest viable islands were 2,300 nms away. 5,000 kilometres.
I looked at Marjorie at the wheel and said I don't think we can fix this. Can we hand steer to the Caribbean? I was expecting to see a tearful face of true anguish&#8230; but I was looking at a face of resilience, determination, courage, the most beautiful face in the world.
She said: "You told me that the only thing that we don't have redundancy for, that would be a big problem if it broke was the Auto Pilot. So I knew it would break, I just hoped it would be closer to the Islands. But when we get to the Caribbean you can buy me a rum&#8230;."

*David the rabid ex-lawyer prowls Raymarine*
Tue Mar 30 2021

Raymarines response to our Auto Pilot fault to find an island with a Raymarine dealership mid-Atlantic may have made Marjorie and I know we'd be hand steering for 2,300nms, but not David on the boat Persephone now in Lagos, Portugal.
We met years ago in Grenada in the Caribbean when I would hear this happy voice on the VHF radio. A happy voice means a spirit of life. I thought 'I must meet this guy'. Since then we have bumped into each other and his partner, Trudie, in many countries including the UK in London for winter, and France, where we toured the D-Day Beaches together.
David jumped on the phone and demanded to speak to the oldest tech still alive. They checked the closet for the Old Dude and wheeled him to the phone where he said with delight he babied many of these old Type 1 linier drives&#8230; 'they don't make them like they used to'. "The fault is not the Calibration, it's the electric motor brushes have a bit of dirt on them. Modern APs are 'brushless' but the old ones had them. If the brushes are dirty the modern electronics can't read the fault properly and think it can't Calibrate so it removes the Calibration option from the Menu". He then shuffled back to his closet mumbling "don't make em like we used to&#8230;"
So the solution is to remove the whole Auto Pilot, bring it into the saloon dining table, rip it apart and check the brushes. If the brushes are too worn down just stuff a bit of aluminium foil behind them to add a bit of length.
So with 12 hours before the next storm I think even I can do the job in that time - although it might be close.
David explains the order in text messages and a satellite phone call.
I shove Marjorie back on the wheel. In the last 24 hours she has been at the wheel for 16 or more hours. I disconnect the wires, she holds the wheel exactly stead and we disconnect the quadrant connecting pin. Then I work on the pin at the other end&#8230; which&#8230; does not move. 20 years being fixed in one position is not good on a boat. Its designed to move but doesn't need to on our set-up so it doesn't. I flood it with WD40 and while waiting inspect the casing of the AP. I can see the screws that hold the casing which covers the motor. Can't I just undo them? Theres space. Not normal to have working space on a boat. I undo the screws and the casing slides along the arm and theres 2 beautiful plastic screw caps covering the brushes that a dental tool pops out. The first one I pull out shows a tiny 5 mm x 5 mm electrode block the surface of which is not corroded, just dirty. I get my scotch scouring pad and rub gently for 30 seconds till its clean. Replace it, remove the other, its clean but I scrub it anyway. Replace, re-wire, re-connect. Test&#8230;&#8230; IT WORKS!!!
I didn't need to take the whole unit off. I didn't even need to disconnect the drive arm or the electrics. In fact, of the 2 hours to do the job I only needed maybe 20 minutes if I had know to go straight for the screws. The cleaning of the two tiny brushes took 30 seconds each, literally. 30 seconds.
At 4pm Monday we held our breaths as we pushed the Auto Pilot button. On it went "Auto". 30 seconds breath holding, 60 seconds&#8230; could we breathe, please? We watched it for 5 minutes before sleep called us below. At sea our bed is in the aft cabin where you can just hear the auto-pilot going bup, bup bup&#8230; buuuuup, bup bup, bup. A beautiful rhythm to go to sleep by.
Mark


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

16 hours at the Helm @ double shifts, willing to hand steer to the carribean for a Rum. ;-) Looks like Mark has found a soulmate in Marjorie! Bravo !


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

Those kind of stories, the grit and commitment to care and share, always get at my soft spot.

Thanks.


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## contrarian (Sep 14, 2011)

Nothing tests true character like adversity.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

What a great story! Great work Mark... You owe Marjorie big time.

This brings back a memory for me. I was sailing single handed from St Marten to LIS via Bermuda... with two kittens on board. I departed Philipsburg and was sailing along nicely on a close reach or similar. Seas were not flat... Alpha 3000 AP (Alison) did the steering. I recall it was not too long after the sun set Allison stopped steering, YIKES... Would I have to hand steer back to St. Marten for 12 hrs or could I fix the AP? What happened? I turned the boat to a dead down wind course locked the helm and hoped the boat would stay flat enough for me to fiddle with the AP. I got myself into the aft lazarette... I can actually get at the AP from a removable panel in the aft cabin.. at least most of it is reachable.
Luckily the problem was easy to fix. The ram has has a 1/2" Ø hole for a bolt which is bolted to a plate which in turn is bolted the the rudder stock. As the ram goes in and out it pushes the plate (lever) and this turns the rudder. Nut fell off the bolt... arm dropped away and the ram was pushing and pulling nothing. But was lost in the bilge somewhere. But I had spare nuts and bolts and so problem was to get the new nut tightened on the bolt. This was not terribly hard despite the boat moving around like a washing machine. Once in place the AP was good to go. Thank dog! Kittens had escaped to the deck and were retrieving flying fish!


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

It's all my fault! I asked Mark on Thursday how the autopilot was holding up and he replied on Friday: best piece of equipment for 13 years. I jinxed it. Looking at PredictWind he's close hauled in 20 knots at 175 true. Not very pleasant. I"ll stay on my couch and contemplate changing the motor on my A/P to a brushless one even though I carry a spare motor.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Looks ok to ride that puppy south now


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Just catching up on Mark's tale. Been pretty busy the last few days. What a nightmare at Sea. Shorthanded auto steering has to be one of the most critical pieces of gear. If reliant upon an electric autopilot, it makes sense to carry spares. I was pretty sure he was going to carry a spare autopilot ram. So happy he worked it out. Amazing.

The preventer breaking was what got my attention. Mark is too good to have rigged a piece of dental floss. Can't help but wonder what broke: the line, the hard point, the block, etc. Obviously, this must all be substantial.

Looks like solid wind on the beam now an nearly to the trades. Hoping for an uneventful remainder.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Dental floss is very useful aboard! I use it to sew on buttons. Easy to tread into the eye of the needle and the waxed kind seems to last forever. 😄


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

this is what the brushes look like in the autopilot Motor. Size is 5x6x8mm long. It is amazing that Mark was able to remove them at sea without dropping into the bilge ! Respect!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

An excerpt from their latest post. Seems like "south till the butter melts" still holds true. Let's face it, folks have been making this trip for 600+ years. 



> Our course is still South. Due South. South By South. Much to the chagrin of my friends who have been screaming we're lost. We've been on the due south course for a week looking for an opportunity to turn west. Even the computer models have been scoffing at my southness&#8230; but finally a few hours ago all 4 computer models have swung into agreement with _me_!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

They've made the turn! Seems they are working hard to ride the edge of the wind. I think even further south would be more consistent, but they are trying to thread the forcasted wind needle. At least it's something to do on a 40 day passage. 40 days. Wow.

From Mark's latest post........



> We have a dilemma: we have 2,200nms to go. One series of computer modelling using weather forecasts says we have 21 days to go by sailing the fastest route with good winds that takes us 300nms / 600 kms off the rhumb line.
> The other series of computer models (a little cheat put into the data by moi) is slower, more along the rhumb line, 300nms/600 kms shorter and takes 22 days.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

He predicted it would take somewhere between 30 and 40 days. Winds do look a little more favorable ( consistent) at around 20 n. What I have noticed is that his departure timing from France couldn't have been better. It seemed like all the doors closed behind him after he passed through. He probably doesn't mind a few more days at sea in a gentle breeze, rather than a butt kicking. I guess they haven't caught a fish yet.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

South again to the trades! Way to go.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Mark has sent me an update. According to him, Beaufort 7-8 and difficult times. Of course seas always look smaller in pictures. While stressful, both he and Marjorie are making do


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

HA HA Hopefully those pasty white legs will be tanned by the time they get to the islands! ;-)


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I'm surprised that Mark's legs are not for casual consumption of minors! I wonder what algorithm made that decision, perhaps "more than x% of total area colored like skin"?


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Now he's home free! He's in the trades with 15 kn tail wind flying poled-out twin jibs, main furled and the boat steering itself. Hope he has a bimini or equivalent because now the butter is melting. He said the UHT milk he bought in France doesn't taste good, he should have tasted it before putting it aboard. I have quit using milk a long time ago. I buy Irish Country Cream at Costco, it comes in 1.5 liter plastic bottles and costs $9.99. Use it for coffee, cereals and whereever milk is called for. It never spoils even when open and I don't have refrigeration aboard. My solar seems to keep-up with usage in the summer when days are long. I wonder how comfortable his twins are under the cockpit when it's warm. I think AIS is a blessing.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

The latinos have full fat powered milk that tastes pretty good and last forever. Walmart carries it.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I was going to post Mark's last comments, but just saw that he's updated his page at SV_SeaLife


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

*We catch a FISH!*
Tue Apr 06 2021
I am asleep in the Forenoon Watch after our row-boat adventure of the previous post, when Marjorie screams we have a fish on the hook.
As this is a hunter type activity and I am Male, I take instant charge and start winding in my fishing rod while barking orders: "Bring me a big knife. You call that a knife?" etc
Can we just pause here while I mention that I don't like fishing? Actually I love _fishing_ I just don't like CATCHING fish. A lovely day or sitting around drinking beer and watching fishing rods is destroyed when a fish starts wiggling one. On a boat its even worse because I can't stand the smell of rotten fish and can sniff out a tossed scale as soon as I get into the cockpit.
And I'm far to squeamish to take the caught fish off the hook. Let alone kill it.
Just lucky I'm born now and not in caveman times when your whole life is iccy things.
Anyway, back to the fray, after a couple of pulls on the rod I know something about this fish. It's a tiddler. Tiny. Knee high to a grasshopper. But even a dwarf ocean pelagic fish can be the biggest thing ever to fit in the cockpit, which, remember, has sailing gadgets in it too&#8230; like hundreds of meters of ropes, steering wheel, cushions, novels, last nights empty coffee cups&#8230;
A baby dorado less than 1 meter long and just about to be hauled into the boat by Marjorie who has grabbed the boat hook.
Pause again while I lightly mention Marjorie is French so naturally gets a blood-lust up when she sees anything alive as she is consciously converting it into a recipe. And French need food done _right_: break bread, don't cut it; cut blue cheese is some family secret method; etc.
Give the blood-lusted a huge sharp knife and, well, beware!
A meter long fish, Dorado, flips about 300 times per second and Marjorie is hauling it into the cockpit, and scales start to fly to places I will later smell. Its Beast against Beast and I give fish and woman 50:50.
So I decide to help. My only method is speed: kill it quick; fillet it quicker; chuck the rest over the side. And as an actor I add a few gratuitous histrionics. Loudly.
So the fish is sliced, diced and julienned in record time. The whole aft of the boat is covered in blood. Marjorie has been presented with 2 (OK, tiny) fillets of fish for her to cook.
I relax. Male duty done.
Marjorie says "Next time we catch a fish you kill it&#8230; and then go to the other end of the boat and stay there until I have prepared it".
I guess I can take orders








Mark


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

They haven't made a new post since, Tuesday. Hope they don't have their hands full with something like another failed autopilot. Looks like they are trying not to give up any more south, or maybe they want to inch back up to lighter breeze. It's been noted these models are not necessarily exactly what they are experiencing, however, it suggests they are DDW with 14kts on the stern.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

He must have seen your post, because about an hour and half ago, he turned south. There's some calms headed toward them, he might be headed south to stay on the wind, get north later.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

tempest said:


> He must have seen your post, because about an hour and half ago, he turned south. There's some calms headed toward them, he might be headed south to stay on the wind, get north later.


I've not looked at predicted weather, but that strategy makes good sense to me. Running a little higher than DDW and be more comfortable too, depending on wave state.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Mark seems to be jibing 10-15 degrees to either side of the rhumbline course of 266 Mag. He seems to be maintaining good speed and good VMG. They have around 2900 miles to go which at a 5 knot average speed is roughly another 24 days. I think that they are at sea for 23 days now, so that will be a 47 day passage, not all that much longer than Mark's original estimate of 30-40 days. The good news is that they seem to be safe and enjoying themselves. 

Jeff


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

My math could be off, but I come up with about 1663 N Miles and about 13 days @ 5 kn. probably more like 15 days if he hits the lulls


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I must admit that I cheated. There are course and distance calculators online and I plugged in their position at 15 30 N 33 55 W, and approximate destination as 14 38N 33 55W and came up with what I posted. It seemed about right. .


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

I'm seeing closer to 2300...ish


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

So, he's at 17:47.7 N 34:05 W I thought he was going to St Martin @ 18:07 N 63:05 approx.

Let's say that 1 deg. of longitude is equal to 57 nm. ( rough guess) ( he's not at the equator.) He has 29 degrees to go. ( 63.05 - 34:05 ) 29X57= 1653 nm. ??? is my math off?

If so, they better catch more fish ! ;-)


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

tempest said:


> So, he's at 17:47.7 N 34:05 W I thought he was going to St Martin @ 18:07 N 63:05 approx.
> 
> Let's say that 1 deg. of longitude is equal to 57 nm. ( rough guess) ( he's not at the equator.) He has 29 degrees to go. ( 63.05 - 34:05 ) 29X57= 1653 nm. ??? is my math off?
> 
> If so, they better catch more fish ! ;-)


My bad. They have 2900 KM not NM. left. They have 1575 NM, or at 5 knots average, roughly 13 days left for an overall 36 day passage time. That is much better. Also, I thought that they are going to Martinique not Saint Martin.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

I estimate that he's traveled 2464 nm in 23 days. Which would equate roughly to 107 miles/per/day average or 4.46 nm/hr. avg. @ that rate, it's about 14.7 days. If I weren't afraid of Jinxing him, I'd say we should start a landfall " pool" now that the NCAA tournament is ended... ;-) BTW, Mark tells a great fish story!


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

When Mark, and it's going to be "Marc" in the French islands, gets into VHF range he'll be advised where to go. Six of those islands form a "bubble" where he, once cleared in, can move around without another health check. Marjorie and Marc will have to take a Corona-19 test and wait at the assigned anchorage for the result before clearing in. There is curfew and everybody wears masks. It's not going to be much fun. Very good thing he brought his own woman!


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## cascoamarillo (Aug 8, 2013)

"Eggs last a looong time whether they were once refrigerated of not."
Yes and no. I'd say it depends where the egg is coming from (eg treatment received). Yes, in Europe you don't find the eggs in the refrigerated area at the supermarket. But that's a looong way story.


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

cascoamarillo said:


> "Eggs last a looong time whether they were once refrigerated of not."
> Yes and no. I'd say it depends where the egg is coming from (eg treatment received). Yes, in Europe you don't find the eggs in the refrigerated area at the supermarket. But that's a looong way story.


Since we have plenty of time until the end of this voyage, we have the time, so what is the looong story?

I read somewhere that in some countries (I think Germany was one of them) it is actually *illegal* to store eggs under refrigeration. Is that true, and if yes, do you know what the reasoning behind that is?


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## jeremiahblatz3 (Jul 3, 2018)

Eggs have a coating that keeps them airtight. In US supermarkets, eggs are washed, which removes that coating. Without the coating, eggs will go bad. In Europe, eggs aren't allowed to be washed, so they stay unspoiled without refrigeration. ("Why are eggs washed?" you ask? Sometimes eggs have salmonella contamination on the outside, washing kills the bacteria.)


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## cascoamarillo (Aug 8, 2013)

Yes. US eggs producers wash the egg, which lead to remove that extra "coating" (I would say, it increase the porosity in the egg shell). Then it's recommended the refrigeration upfront all the way till you eat it, since that porosity will welcome other contaminants like Salmonella or other bacteria to enter easily inside.
Europe...don't wash the egss. It's actually prohibited (mainland Europe and UK). Ugh, those filthy europeans eating those dirty eggs...What about all the potential salmonella in the egg shell coming from the chicken and the farms where they are raised? Well, there (Europe) it's mandatory the wide vaccination of chickens from salmonella, at least if you want to sell your product at the supermarket. Doing that, eggs, raised (?) from free salmonella farms and the "extra" coating intact, can be good at room temperatures up to 21 days. Indeed, if you place them in the freezer, they can last up to 50 days!
So why it's not permitted to sell them if they have been refrigerated...well Germans. In Spain it's recommended not to keep them refrigerated at the supermarket. Then at home you decide. I think the idea here is not to get the indefense egg bumping between different temperatures; that would definetly lead to potential contamination from outside sources (bacteria).


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

I have kept unwashed eggs in coolish temps, not refrigerated, to nearly 3 months.
Then again I “canned” butter and kept that, not refrigerated, for a year:


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

ETA Sint Maarten : April 27th


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Mark wrote a good post on provisioning. Freezer, fridge and canned and dry storage. They brought 200 fresh eggs! Although, they are running out of coffee.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

seattle sailor said:


> ETA Sint Maarten : April 27th


I'm going to say somewhere between the 23rd and 25th. He should get a nice push by next tuesday and wednesday


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

He is in the groove
Managing this very well
Keep marj feeling safe and on the program


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## Chris271828 (Jul 27, 2019)

Minnewaska said:


> Mark wrote a good post on provisioning. Freezer, fridge and canned and dry storage. They brought 200 fresh eggs! Although, they are running out of coffee.


Aren't there any Starbucks out there?


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## contrarian (Sep 14, 2011)

Chris271828 said:


> Aren't there any Starbucks out there?


No Starbucks out there but fortunately Amazon still offers free 2 day shipping for Prime Members. I think they just drop a drone from one of Jeff's Jets and voila package delivered !!!


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## cascoamarillo (Aug 8, 2013)

tempest said:


> I'm going to say somewhere between the 23rd and 25th. He should get a nice push by next tuesday and wednesday


Yes, looking at the last 24h I'd say the 23rd in the morning (ca. 7am.....lol)


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

contrarian said:


> No Starbucks out there bur fortunately Amazon still offers free 2 day shipping for Prime Members. I think they just drop a drone from one of Jeff's Jets and voila package delivered !!!


While a very, very long way off, I can imagine a day when anything can be delivered anywhere on the planet. When that happens, I wonder whether the allure of being remote will matter as much.


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## contrarian (Sep 14, 2011)

Minnewaska said:


> While a very, very long way off, I can imagine a day when anything can be delivered anywhere on the planet. When that happens, I wonder whether the allure of being remote will matter as much.


May not be nearly as far off as you think . If a predator drone can be flown from a base in BFE and launch a missile strike anywhere on the globe with the precision that a camera which can capture the details of a dime from two miles up then dropping off a pound or two of coffee might not be such a big deal. Might be a little cost prohibitive though.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

contrarian said:


> Might be a little cost prohibitive though.


It's cost and airway congestion that need to be resolved. You're right, we can physically do it already.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

They are not entirely out of coffee, just Nescafe, that is the kind where it is instant coffee: One teaspoon of Nescafe into a cup and hot water. I use it myself. It is convenient. Available at Costco. They still have coffee beans, but you have to grind them and put it into a French Press. It really makes better coffee but it is much more work. On Atalanta we had a full time cook. She did not stand watch but cooked for the nine of us. We eat very well. She had a full kitchen available incl. dishwasher. There was always hot coffee like on a US Navy ship. We took first place in the Grand Prix. That is a regatta in the Fall by invitation only and the winner is the top boat in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. In my travels I met one boat where they carried raw coffee beans and roasted them before grinding. That really made superior coffee but is a lot of work.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

seattle sailor said:


> They are not entirely out of coffee, just Nescafe, that is the kind where it is instant coffee


You're right. In an earlier post he just said coffee, but later made this more clear.

My British relatives all do this. One cup of instant coffee in the morning, then it's on to tea the rest of the day. I will drink instant, when necessary, such as when backpacking and there is no way you'll haul a proper coffee pot. However, I find it little more than a vehicle to jump start the caffeine. I swear my relatives are just trying to get that part over with, as their tea drinking then becomes an art form.


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## s_ruffner (Aug 5, 2019)

I grew up on Nescafe, but it was also candy coffee: a lot of cream and sugar. I only now use it when backpacking; the french press on the boat works very nicely (and also for car camping). I have an aeropress, which makes fabulous coffee, but is more mucking and work than the French press. I still prefer Nescafe to other instant coffee (starbucks...bleh). 

Very excited watching their progress...and it's telling about "blue water boats".


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

I'm not a big fan of perculator coffee, but I use to carry a pot when backpacking. I just took the the guts out and filled it with socks and other soft clothing. the stem didn't take much room elsewhere. French press on the boat. Can't remember the last time I had instant coffee.


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## s_ruffner (Aug 5, 2019)

I actually like percolator coffee OK (it really can be outstanding, as long as you aren't over-extracting, which of course, most people do, even with a Mr. Coffee drip maker), and it used to be my camping go-to. I am "old" now, and have a kid to haul around, so the premium on weight savings for backpacking has only gotten bigger. The single-serve Nescafe packets make me quite happy.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Yes, you can't over-extract! I agree, done right it can be very good.


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## Zemurray (Oct 28, 2018)

I’ve used every “espresso” style coffee device known to man in search of something that comes even close to my home espresso setup. Best we’ve come up with is a mokapot and the 9Barista espresso maker. I use both on the boat. We use the Moka pot for my wifes latte, and I use the 9Barista for a true double espresso. We have a quality hand grinder. I’m real serious and spoiled about espresso. The 9Barista is very good, and easy to use, but its a double shot and thats it until it cools down.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I have a home espresso machine as well and to work it’s best, the brew group really needs to heat soak for at least 30 mins. The boiler will get to temp in a few minutes, however, if the plumbing is still cold, it cools the water down too much, while pulling the shot. Way too much power needs for a boat, if not plugged into shore.

The closest thing I’ve found was a big surprise. A Nespresso machine. I’ve only tried them, so can’t recall the exact pod we used and I know they make many different ones. It was pretty good, far better than I expected. It will go from cold to a shot in a few minutes, which I’m sure any average size house inverter could handle.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I have a Nespresso machine aboard the boat. The coffee is acceptable and quick to make, plus the capsules last a very long time which is nice when cruising around off the grid. I have just finished a popcorn popper coffee roaster build with an Arduino that lets me control the fan speed and temperature for coffee roasting, I can hook this up to a program called "Artisan" (public domain, but used by commercial roasting companies) to make a perfect roasting profile. If this works, I'll make coffee aboard (green beans can be stored for a year or so before fading). I use an Aeropress to make coffee, but also have a French Press and a Mokka Pot for darker roasts. 

While "Happy Hour" is important while cruising the Caribbean, if I don't have my coffee in the morning I won't even make it that far in the day


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

This seems to have become a boring voyage across the Atlantic
Well...Fing..done
Skillz


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

And, after a more than a month at sea without a port of call, they'll have to likely quarantine for 3 days until a negative PCR test comes back.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Mark had to leave France because he did overstay his visa. He knows the Caribbean well and knew it was a good time for the passage. In normal times, no Covid, he could have stopped on the way and broken up the very long passage and resupplied. But at this time, any visit in port would have entailed quarantine until he and his woman clears. This virus is a feast for bureaucrats. I can't even sail to Hot Springs because BC is closed. No hot bath for Pete! And not much socializing for M&M without masks. On many of the French islands, Donald M. Street writes, bikinis have become so expensive that many women economize and go ou naturel. But they have to wear a mask? What is the world coming to?


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Mark just wrote:
*Crap App - Duplicate Posts*
Tue Apr 20 2021
This platform really is unacceptable in this day, especially considering the hundreds of dollars per year we pay for it, plus the THOUSAND+ per YEAR for the satellite subscription, plus the $1,000+ for the equipment.
It would have been unacceptable in the 1990's and is total unacceptable garbage today.
Iridium should utterly ashamed of themselves.
PredictWind have no choice but Iridium until Elon Musk puts Iridium out of business&#8230; even so, PredictWind needs to spend more fixing this platform. Their weather is great, the software diabolical bulltwaddle! In the very least PredictWind should tell users many of the land based weather features such are SPIRE and UKMO are not available at sea. And clearly state the shortcomings of the Android and PC platforms.
Right, I need a Mars Bar.
Mark


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

For sure, the IridiumGo is ancient technology. We may have discussed this above, but perhaps in another thread. It’s nothing more than a 1990s satellite phone that is stripped down, with some proprietary interfaces. It’s affordable by Sat standards and good co-marketing with Predict Wind. 

Whether Elon Musks Starlink ultimately provides mid-ocean connectivity is to be seen. It is clearly NOT their target audience. Hope so, but we’re a grain of sand on that beach.


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## GlanRock (Feb 26, 2013)

I was wondering what the latest was, so I translated (okay Google Translated it) the last post that just popped up today. I've been silently following this thread for weeks. So Marjorie writes:

We arrived soon and that's it, last night I discovered my first tropical showers! Yes, yes, it was about time!
The night started well. The moon was so bright that there was no need for a flashlight. It was pretty calm and my stomach was full of duck confit.
A little later the boat got carried away, we climbed to 8 knots. Mark got up to join me in the cockpit. Only a few drops fall. We reduce the sail. We stayed outside for nearly 15 minutes, readjusting the sail and checking that the wind was not turning. A bird just over 1m wide hovers above us. No problem. That's nice.
Mr. Le Capitaine tells me that I have a choice: there will be other gusts so either I leave it like that or I enlarge the genoa but then it will have to be reduced afterwards. He is going to sleep.
I wait 20 minutes. Nothing. The speed goes down. 4 knots, 3.7 knots, 3.5 knots. Uh ... well ok, I'm going to make this wing bigger! I go out. The moon is no longer illuminating. I put on my headlamp and do my job. Just when I'm done I smell a drop, then two. I say to myself "ah no! it's not possible ! And the bam! 8 knots and heavy rain! So I am reducing the sail that I just enlarged. I struggle with the "furling line" despite Mark telling me that morning that my arms were less "flap flap" than before boarding (Yes he is romantic. He knows the words of love when kissing. ). I wonder if we can end up electrocuted with a headlamp while I go mad on that damn line. And I end up soaked. Mark stood up to see how it was going. He said to me with a laugh "ah, it's the tropics! this is how it should be every day! "He laughs so much in front of my head grumbles that he is bent in half and adds:" When it goes below six, make the genoa bigger! ". He goes back to bed still laughing at my annoyed look.
Well imagine that a little later rebels! Just when I reduce the genoa, it starts to blow!
Ah! The clock shows 3:45! 15 minutes left and I let Mark fend for himself


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

The current report says zero knots over ground. Great to see! Congratulations on the safe passage!


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## s_ruffner (Aug 5, 2019)

Pretty epic! Can't wait to hear more of a write up.


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## Uncle Bob the 1st (Mar 14, 2016)

And about bloody time Mark...
Congrats on the crossing, enjoy.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Big question...
Has Marj learned proper english cuss words


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I’m imagining that glorious feeling of watch schedules terminating, the boat requiring far less attention, and the great sense of accomplishment. Exhausted, I’ve never been able to go right to sleep. I even try not to, if it isn’t evening.

I hope they’re celebrating and assume they do not have internet access yet, as they’ll be in quarantine for a few days.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

I believe that they're in a Marina for a few days. They should have internet, but they probably have lots to do. PCR tests, re-provisioning. Washdowns, He mentioned that his outboard wasn't working and he had to get that fixed. and probably try to get some uninterrupted sleep. I believe his final destination is Grenada by the end of June to get out of the hurricane zone.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Arrived. 
We could have kept on sailing. 😊
The last night was a bit of a pain the way the watches fell, a coupla squalls, navigation near land, anchoring, waiting for bridge, going into marina, Covid testing, clearing... Etc

Cleared including quarantine HALF A DAY! 😂😂😂😁😁😁

The used à new instant test that's done on the boat by a Doctor who then photos the test and emails it by a special App to the Lab who check it and emails the result. 
And the swab doesn't go right up your nose into your brain! Bonza! 

Then 3 heavy beer nights. 

So really just relaxing / settling down for a day or 2. Piles of emails etc to attend to. 

So give me a day or 2 to make a report 😊

Mark


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Talked to a very good friend of mine who is the dean at the university at Antigua: they have not had any death from Covid in the last 2 weeks. It appears they have turned the corner and as a result they are a little less afraid of admitting travellers. Also, Mark used an agent and I think that is very smart.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I hope they open up. These island communities are too small to survive without tourism.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

You wanted to know about "sinking my boat": In the early 70's I built a 37 ft sailboat using a mold that belonged to Bill Buchan. Gene Wadhams, who worked for Bill, did most of the work. In 1990 I entered the Pacific Cup that started from San Francisco. First, we had to sail from Seattle to SF. A few miles North of Pt. Reyes the watch came below, tapped me on the shoulder and said: "Pete, there is a big ship real close" He was right, it t-boned us just about amidships. There were five of us, 2 women and 3 males. We got into the liferaft and got picked up by the Coast Guard. Ever since I get real nervous when someone is on watch. If we ever meet I'll tell you the long story. I plan to visit John in Antigua in November or April. He has a very nice Swan 44 and trusts me.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> I hope they open up. These island communities are too small to survive without tourism.


Agreed, but small is relative. Most, especially St Martin, have significantly increased their population to serve growing tourism over recent decades. Now they have an exponential poverty problem, without the tourists.

In the 1970s, I believe SXM had much fewer than 10,000 residents, today is has something like 80,000.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

It's really a problem for any area that relies almost exclusively on one industry for their entire economy, when that industry goes south. Back in the late 70s, early 80s, the economy of the city of Denver was completely dominated by the oil industry. Then the oil industry went bust and Denver's economy went completely into the toilet for a period of years. Eventually the city leaders figured out that, rather than just attracting a different industry, they needed to attract multiple industries to the area, so that they would not be so dependent on one thing.

How you do that on a small island, with very limited natural resources, is the trick.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Easy: do it like the Indians around here: Establish a casino with gambling, nice and willing women and establish a lottery. This is not being sarcastic, it is a proven business model.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Casino's still need a gambling, drinking, etc. population. Likely tourists. I don't think the island's residents can afford to gamble their money away.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

The locals are to be strongly discouraged from gambling, they are to be the workforce for the casinos. The idea is to attract tourists just like the cruise ships attract passengers by offering gambling, food and entertainment. Right now, with the Covid plague the islands have to enforce quarantine and health measures and that impacts tourism in a very big way. But times will change. Tourists will come back because the islands are beautiful and now is the time to plan for the future.


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## Uncle Bob the 1st (Mar 14, 2016)

seattle sailor said:


> Easy: do it like the Indians around here: Establish a casino with gambling, nice and willing women and establish a lottery. This is not being sarcastic, it is a proven business model.


Seriously, you are advocating gambling and prostitution as the way forward for a small island nation??


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

You might be taking his post of economic reality the wrong way
Nothing new...widely adopted...and proven


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

There's casinos on every corner in St Maarten. Really everywhere. 
It's a disgrace.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

I didn't know that. Never been to Saint Maarten only to St. Thomas.


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

And bordellos all over the place. Last time I went . . . into a Casino was on Playa . . . Playa . . . next to Puerto . . . Puerto Plata. Too much DING DING DING. Bought an ice cream and sat on the steps outside while the friends wasted their money. Never went into any of the (used to be 2 of them) casinos in SXM. And I don't think there were any on the French side? Can't remember. But I'll bet the Seaman's Club and Cats are still there (on the Dutch side).


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

VIEXILE said:


> Too much DING DING DING.


Me too. I don't get any joy from gambling. Went to a couple of "guys poker nights" in the neighborhood I moved in to 30 years ago. Thought we would all drink beer and eat pretzels, which I brought. Turns out they were really into cards and the game would just never end. I really hate the sound and feel of the typical casino. Free drinks for a reason, of course. Odds are totally against you. I just can't shake the feeling of being suckered.

I was once on a trip, with friends, where the hotel casino was one of those that required ladies in evening gowns and gentlemen in suits and ties (many wore tuxedos). Almost obligatory to see what it was like. Less ding, ding, ding. Almost felt like it was out of a movie. It didn't take long to see the looks on people's faces were the same and those who were gambling addicts just had nicer clothes on. Next time anyone goes, look around and note how many happy faces are in the room, at the tables. Almost everyone at the blackjack tables look like they are either suffering from intestinal problems, or impassive like they were taking their college entrance exams. That's fun?

I'm not critical of those that enjoy gambling responsibly, just like it was any other legal vice, it's just not my thing.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

So.....
Has she booked a flight home....or is she picking out fabric for new curtains?


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Oh you know a woman can be a wonderful thing: they have much more endurance than a male and a compatible woman is great company. I think they make a man better. I have had some wonderful women in my life and I would certainly not be where I am today if I would not have had the support of all these women in my life. But it is a two way street and if Mark's woman wants to go shopping she has earned it. Or would you rather have a smelly, know it all male around for a 36 day no stop passage?


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

RegisteredUser said:


> So.....
> Has she booked a flight home....or is she picking out fabric for new curtains?


New fabric. ?

I think I am stuck with her. ????


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

A woman who controls the filet knife


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## contrarian (Sep 14, 2011)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> I think I am stuck with her. 😭😭😭😭


You might try saying " You Can't Live Without Her" instead just in case she happens to accidently see that post.
If I were you I would edit that post right away!
Let me know when you do and I will delete this one.
You can never be too careful when it comes to women.


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

C'est la vie


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## GlanRock (Feb 26, 2013)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> New fabric. 😢
> 
> I think I am stuck with her. 😭😭😭😭


HAHAHAHA! Mark, as soon as I read that I heard my 'better half' saying in my ear as she does often, "There are worse things that could happen to you!". And I realize that everything would be worse without her, but I don't tell her, there would be no living with her if she knew.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

GlanRock said:


> but I don't tell her, there would be no living with her if she knew.


Reminds me of some country song lyrics.......

_When she gets down
Well he's always around her,
He makes her smile again.
He mends her heartaches,
Remembers her birthday,
And tries to be a friend.
Now that she's gone
I know what I did wrong,
It's all so simple in fact.
Well he says he wants her,
Can't live without her,
Why didn't I think of that?_


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## seattle sailor (Sep 5, 2020)

Mark wrote:The Dutch side of Sint Maarten is fully open. Pubs, restaurants everything open. No tourists as it's still difficult to get in. A friend arrived by plane yesterday and said it was full. But no cruise ships at all. There are lots of empty cruise ships, but none with passengers. They hang between here and BVIs as there are not enough docks for the ships at Ft. Lauderdale and all the other ports combined.
St Martin is fabby. Love the climate, the friendly people. Love everything. Getting 
on the bus people say "Good Morning" or "Good Afternoon" . everyone 
on entering!! Amazing! Even the schoolboys at that certain age where they hate everything 
still say Good Morning or Good Afternoon. Passing by people in the street, the vast 
majority say Good Morning etc... even the black dudes. Its amazing and such a wonderful thing in the time of intense bitterness in many countries.


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