Blue Water- a film about crossing ocean part II

If you would like to watch part two of Blue Water please click the link as we do not have permission to embed this section. For more information about the making of this video check out the website. If you enjoyed it please change someone's life by donating to the Ellen MacArthur Trust.

Blue Water- a film about crossing ocean

This documentary style film by Richard Gooderick looks at what it is like to cross oceans and interviews normal people about their adventure. Crossing the Atlantic these days may not be the ultimate adventure.For those of us that have had the experience it satisfies a desire we have carried for many years. It is a great character builder and forces you to be totally self sufficient, which is increasingly rare in our modern urban environment.

For more information about the making of this video check out the website. If you enjoyed it please change someone's life by donating to the Ellen MacArthur Trust. I will post part two tomorrow.

Blue Water (part one) from Richard Gooderick on Vimeo.

waterproof Mobile Phone

Any water-sports instructor will tell you that mobile phones are invaluable on the water. Although all centres I have ever set up have used radios as the primary means of communication their are many times when the phone is easier and more reliable. It used to be a bit of a ocuptional hazard to have to buy a couple of new phones a year. One strategy used by a lot of professionals was to buy the cheapest phone you could find (classic Nokia's). However if the phone was lost in the water and you had not backed up your contacts all your numbers would be lost. Waterproof phones are not a new thing but the early models never worked that well and I remember many a phone being destroyed in the bottom of pint glasses. Keeping your phone in a waterproof case such as an Aquapac makes it much harder to use and it no longer fits in your pocket.

With the real cost of Smart Phones being nearly as much as a laptop, you really don't want to take them out on the water. 

So what we want is something cheap, simple to use, off contract and that works.    Samsung have answered that question for us with the B2100 Solid Extreme which can be yours from Amazon for just £70. Job Done.

Racing Rules Quiz

Canny viewers may have noticed that "Travelling Sails Man Store" has gone from the bottom of the Blog. Please do not be sad, it was a bit rubbish so I am having a rethink. In the meantime those of you who fancy yourself as budding Americas Cup Sailors can test out your skills with the UK-Halsey,s Interactive Rules Quiz. To see the answers you need to register but it's all free. Check out the bottom of this page.

Today saw the first day of racing in the Americas Cup, I have not seen the footage as I have been away, sounds like an interesting start. BMW Oracle played a trump card, the view was they would be slower in light winds but in the end they had the most boat speed. Follow the link for a full round-up.

Free Interactive Desktop Training

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the British Isles. they rely on more than 40,000 volunteers - on lifeboats, at stations, on beaches, and in fundraising. The service is the envy of the world.

The key to preventing accidents is training and with this in mind the RNLI have produced this excellent free desktop application called "Sea Safety the Complete Guide". Once installed onto your desktop the application will update with all the latest safety advice and information via the internet. It's a great resource for anyone undertaking training courses and a great revision tool. The interactive tests on navigation and collision regulations are really useful. To download click here. Check out the video below which explains the great work the charity undertakes.

Boat drops anchor and destroys smaller boat

A couple of days ago I promised to add some funny YouTube videos but I never got round to it. I found this one which looks like it has not had many hits so should be new to most people. I have a lot of work on at the moment so sorry about not writing any articles on industry tips, will come sooon. Check out the site tonight when I will discuss the days action in the America's Cup. Thanks Ben Tye.

Plastiki to Cross Pacific to Highlight environmental Concerns

Plastiki is a 60 foot Catamaran made out of more then 12 thousand bottles. The project is the brainchild of David de Rothschild. Once sea trials are completed the team will attempt to cross the Pacific from San Francisco to Australia.

 "The goal of the expedition is to not only continue encouraging the world to focus on reducing, reusing and recycling more of its natural resources but ultimately to think smart by re-thinking waste as a resource. It is such a re-think that will ultimately help to promote and provide stepping-stones towards the type of thinking that will lead individuals, business and industry alike to start living within the equilibrium that our natural world craves" (Plastiki Website)

On many occasions I have been saddened to see plastic in the middle of oceans or on remote tropical islands, this project will also try and highlight what has been dubbed as the  "Pacific Trash Vortex". Ocean currents trap an estimated 100 million tonnes of waste in an area twice the size of Texas.  It is truly disgusting and it is fantastic that Plastiki's voyage will help highlight this problem.  

Sailing on a wing and a prayer

 As I write this the start of the 33rd Americas Cup has been delayed in Valencia due to light winds until Wednesday. The Cup has not been run since 2007 due to legal battles between the teams which have damaged the reputation of the sport. The video of BOR 90 BMW Oracle below is just awesome, this wing they have constructed is like nothing we have ever seen in sailing. These boats can sail at speeds and wind angles previously thought impossible.

Yes the boats are expensive and it has more to do with money then skill but this is our F1. The technologies will filter down into everyday racing to keep our sport vibrant and exciting. This event allows the designer a complete blank canvas and I for one cannot wait for the drama to unfold.

Ben Tye, thanks Canada for honouring Drew Dazzo who saved his life three years ago

On May 7, 2007, during Sub-Tropical Storm Andrea, Aviation Survival Technician 1st Class Drew Dazzo and his fellow Air Station Elizabeth City flight crewmembers, CDR Nevada Smith, LT Aaron Nelson, and AMT1 Scott Higgins, rescued three sailors about 150 miles off the coast of North Carolina.

During the night, the sailing vessel Sean Seamour II capsized several times in the storm. The three men onboard – Canadian citizen Rudy Snel, American citizen Jean Pierre de Lutz, and British citizen Ben Tye – were left to battle the turbulent waves and high winds in a life raft until rescuers arrived.

Click here for the full story, videos, accounts

Turn wind into profit

With ever increasing fuel prices and a demand for cleaner emissions, Hamberg based SkySails produce a range of kites that can be retro-fitted to existing vessels. The system is highly automated and requires no extra crew. The whole system is stowed in a relatively small locker on the bow so unlike conventional masts there are no obstructions on deck when going under bridges or unloading cargo. Fuel savings of up to 50% are possible depending on the direction and strength of the wind. I think this is a great concept and hope to see many vessels using this technology on the high-seas in years to come. The system can be fitted on vessels down to 30 metres in length so it is possible we will see this technology employed on super-yachts.

Robotic sailing boats to help protect whales

It is a little off topic for this Blog but anyone who knows me well can tell you I have a passion for the environment. It is fair to say that as professional sailors we have a vested interest, nobody wants to charter a yacht in lifeless polluted sea. It amazing how a sighting of a pod of dolphins or even a whale can have a dramatic effect on your tips at the end of the week.

Marine commercial transport is incredibly polluting, not only do those container ships burn huge quantities of fuel but the grade is of much lower quality. It is known as bunker fuel can it contains a lot of sulphur and when burnt releases loads of particulate matter. With rising fuel prices and concerns about green house gases, maybe in the future we will see robotic boats delivering cargo around the world. It would certainly make going up the Suez Canal interesting.

The Roboat is a robotic sail boat of Austrain design, which is able to autonomously navigate towards any given target without human control or intervention. The rudder and sails as well as the tacks and jibes are autonomously controlled by incoming data from sensors, which are analysed using artificial intelligence. The Roboat team won the first international Microtransat event which is the world's leading competition in autonomous sailing.  

A project to reseach Whales in the Pacific Ocean in cooperation  with the Oregon State University is currently under development. An autonomic sailing boat makes cost-effective surveying of large areas for long periods of time possible. I am sure this ground-breaking research will have many applications in the future. Areas of current consideration are improvements to yachts auto-pilots, carbon neatral transportation of goods and of course good old spying!

Water Toys-The Jet-Lev Flyer

The Jet Lev Flyer is built by those crazy German's. For 129 000 Euros you get free flying lesson thrown in. This may well become the ultimate super-yacht toy. I reckon it may even come in handy for washing the boat down or fire-fighting.

Abby Sunderland, 16, aims to break a world record for the youngest person to nonstop solo circumnavigate around the globe

Abby Sunderland aged 16 from  United States left Marina Del Rey ten days ago in a bid to be the youngest person male or female to sail solo around the world non-stop. 

This year has seen a lot of media attention around minors in the sport of solo sailing. Abby's brother Zac who at the time was the youngest sailor around the world and was shortly beaten a month later by British sailor Mike Perham (aged 17) see wiki for further details. There has been controversy over the Australian sailor Jessica Watson who in training collided with a container ship. Doubts were expressed about her seamanship. Lastly we had the ongoing saga of fourteen year girl Laura Dekker were the Dutch authorities tried to stop her departure and her subsequent disappearance only to be found safe in St Martin in the Caribbean.

I have my doubts weather it is prudent to allow minors to sail solo around the world. If I had a chance to do it as a teenager would I have gone "hell yeah".  Would I have had the maturity to carry it out in a seamen like manner "hell no". I'm not ashamed to say that even on a fully crewed boat as an adult I have been scared to death at sea and the pressure on friends and family at home is unmeasurable. You also have to doubt the financial funding of such projects. These kids are not sailing around the world on the back of years of hard graft. 

You only need to look at the websites of these young sailors to understand the huge part media exploitation and sponsorship are on getting  these projects off the ground. Is it responsible of the sponsors to encourage these minors to risk their lives? The motives of the sponsors are obvious, the more controversial the endeavour the greater media exposure. 

 There is also much debate in Maritime circles to the legality and seamanship of sailing solo, weather an adult or child. May I quote rule five of the the collision regulations (colregs)

"Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision"

It's impossible for a solo sailor to be on look out all the time as they must sleep . The emotional pressure for these kids must be enormous with so much time and money spent by these "Pushy Parents" and sponsors. Weather it's right or wrong I wish them all good luck and fair weather.

Gadget Madness

In the ultimate display of the expression "all the gear and no idea" comes the Racer's Edge Laser Wind Sensor. At one time oneupmanship could be achieved with the latest foul weather gear, a pair of expensive breathable sailing boots or if you were really mingling with the "Big Boys" the latest largest watch you could lay your hands on. However Racer's Edge's wind meter is a game changer because to mix with this set you won't get much change out of $150 000.

Now before we slag this off too much I have to admit to having a soft spot for gadgets. For a long time suffer of "Magpie Syndrome" this device ticks a lot of boxes. It's portable, wrapped in yellow (close second to anything silver and shiny), and uses "frickin  laser beams". Being hand-held you sure don't want to drop this over the side or leave behind in the local tavern.

OK let's be a little more serious so what does this device do. It is used by racing crew in the upcoming madness that is the America's Cup in Valencia. The system allows the crew to gather information about wind conditions up to 1000 metres from the sensors. This is a great aid to tactics allowing one to see the parts of the course that are more favourable. I am sure in the future this technology will become cheaper and more widely used by the racing community as a whole.