Category Archives for "Uncategorized"

0 AROUND THE ALONE DAYS-16-17-18

Day-16
24hr. Run=146 NM.
Position =Latitude 24*40’S. Longitude-107*50’W.
Weather=Wind=8-15 kts.
Seas=3-5ft.
Cabin Temp=72*-78*. Squalls in the early am then nice the rest of day.
Bar.1016mb

Day-17
24hr.Run=160 NM.
Pos. Latitude 26*26’S. Longitude 109*56’W.
Weather=Bar.1018 mb. Winds 8-28 kts.
Seas=5-7ft.
Cabin Temp=71*-75*. Wind squally during daylight hours then clear and good sailing overnight.
Bar.1018 mb

Day-18.
24hr. Run=157 NM
Position- Latitude 28*24’S.-Longitude 111*46’W.
Weather=.Wind=8-15 kts.
Seas=5-7′.
Bar.1018 mb
Cabin Temp=71*-75*. A few squalls around overnight but nothing serious and the day was sunny and nice.

Total miles sailed so far=2672 NM

Total miles last 3-days=463 NM.

Miles left to go to turning point for Cape Horn=585 NM.

Top speed so far=9.9kts.

THE REST OF THE STORY

Day-16
I awoke to a loud screeching noise outside in the cockpit. I climbed out into the cockpit looking around for what was getting ready to go bad next. Then I heard the noise coming from aloft off the stern of the boat, there I was amazed to see 5-White Birds of Paradise soaring about kicking up the biggest fuss. I thought possibly they were warning of some impending danger, but nothing was found and I could only wonder where they came from and where were they going, perhaps they were wondering the same thing.

I feel compelled to mention that later that evening, after all the shaft problems, I had this strange feeling of another’s presence aboard, and had first picked up on it when I was finally cleaning up and putting things away. I know there was twenty times during the episode that I wanted to cry out to Debbie to turn on the bilge pump, or get me this or that, but I knew better as this was me and only me the “Around Alone Crew”. All I can say is it was that kind of feeling that makes you look back over your shoulder when you are walking down the street at night and you sense someone is there.

Today started fishing by dragging a pink squid on a meat line [heavy 200lb. test line on a rubber snubber]. Since I have found so many pink squids on the boat I figured why not try one.

After the squalls seemed to have let up it was time to shake out the reef in the main sail, when I went to release the reef line at the mast I was “shocked to see it had chafed 95% of the way through. The line was brand new and the reef tied in for only about 12 days. I ended up having to use the fish tape to pull in a new 45ft. piece of ½ inch line. I also made some changes in the bottom of the boom configuration that I believe will eliminate the chafe.

Day-17
I just want to thank everyone for their great ideas on solving the shaft problem and they are note worthy, also thanks for all the prayers and encouragement.

A few of the ideas were put thread tight on the threads, I should have thought of this one as I have plenty of it, but I fear my thought processes were on overload as I worked with a stream of water pouring into the bilge. Another great idea put epoxy on the shaft and handtighten the nut on, that would definitely fix it. A more aggressive idea was filling the coupler with epoxy and pray you “die’ before you ever after take the shaft out. A truly quick temporary fix is put a shaft Zinc on inside the boat right up against the packing gland. This one I tried but only had collar zincs and the diameter is two wide and the zinc hits the packing gland bolts, If I would have had the torpedo zinc it would have worked.

What I did do until I get the nut secured with thread lock is put a piece of heavy hose that was the same inside diameter of shaft and split it then hose clamped it on to the shaft up against the packing gland. That should keep the shaft from sliding out of the coupler for a little while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today dragging a cedar plug for the fish, as I had no luck with the squid.

Day-18
This am Easter Island lays 48 NM. off the port beam. I’m sad I never got close enough to see it, but the wind Gods are dictating sail more to the west to get over the top of the high.

Yes,it’s almost barometer soup time, and as you might have noticed the barometric pressure is gradually rising as I near the center of the South Pacific High. I do not want to cross the center as there will be no wind, or little fluky winds. The problem is the high wanders around, and yesterday it was centered on Longitude 111* today it is at 113*, and I want it to go back to 111* or even further east.
I can only hope that the 120* longitude is far enough west for me to be able to skirt along the outside edge of the high to a point where I pick up the westerly winds that are currently at about 40* south.

Still trying to catch a fish, the Jefe’

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS13-14-15

Day-13

24hr.Run=159 NM

Position=Latitude-19*21’S- Longitude 102*55’W

Weather=Wind=12-18Kts.SE.

Seas=5-8ft.

Cabin Temp 71*-75*. Many squalls during the day but tranquillo overnight with lots of stars, including the Southern Cross

Barometer=1012 mb
Day-14

24hr. Run=15 NM.

Position=Latitude-21*21′ Longitude.104*33′.

Weather= Wind=8-18 kts S.E.

Seas=6-8ft.E.S.E.

Cabin Temp 73*-75*. We have sailed clear of the cold Humboldt Current keeping Sailors Run a little warmer at night. This day was the sunniest and nicest day so far

Barometer=1012 mb

Day-15

24hr, Run=135NM.

Position=Latitude 23*03’S.Longitude 106*57’W.

Weather= Wind= 8-18kts SE

Seas=4-6ft.SE.

Barometer=1015mb

Total miles sailed so far=2210
Total Miles sailed the last 3-days=448 NM
Miles to go to turning point=103 NM.
Top speed so far=9.9kts.
Time to Easter Island about two days
The Rest of the Story.

DAY 13

“Mystery aboard Sailors Run”

I awoke from a sound sleep to the sound of a motor running. The sound was different from anything I had ever heard. I struggled to get clear of my berth, and glanced at the blank Radar on my way by. Climbing the companion way stairs I knock the cabin doors open with a “bang”, sliding back the hatch allowing me to get out in the cockpit, I peered into a pitch dark night scanning 360’ looking for lights of another vessel to find nothing, and outside could no longer here the motor.
Once back below I noticed it was still quiet so I crawled back in my berth. Suddenly there it was again, only this time I just wait and listened, and sure enough, it stops then starts again in about one minute. I thought maybe the refrigeration is going bad sounding different and cycling on and off. I climb out of the berth again and stick my head under the sink and listen to the refrigeration purring quietly along.

Now I’m sitting on the berth with my head between my hands thinking “What the Hell”. Once again the motor turns and suddenly a light bulb comes on in my head. I dive on to the cabin sole and lift the floor board over my fuel tanks, and sure enough there it is, sitting between the two tanks the automatic bilge pump I had installed for this trip over a year ago. Apparently when a large wave slammed into sailors Run it had forced about a quart of water back through the pump,that was now roaming around under the tanks, setting off the pump every time it got it wet, It turns on for about 12 seconds then shuts off until it is splashed again and never pumps any water out. Hmmmmm????
I go hunt down the fuse removing it and suddenly there is silence. No worry! I will continue to monitor the water level and if it ever comes up will get the pump back running. I also have a high water alarm just in case I forget to check.

DAY-14

I’m sure you have all heard of Cannibalism being a survival technique aboard ships that remain out to sea just a “little to long”. It was also quite common among many of the South pacific Islands.

Well I’m sure I to will soon become a Cannibal as just about everything I will be eating will come from a can. It really isn’t much different than being a vegetarian. The one slight difference is the canitarian needs a can opener;”that’s about it”.

Putting a line out for catching a fish is starting to sound like a good idea.

After two weeks I’m still on the first 75 gallon tank of water, when that goes dry it will be time to start up the water-maker.

The sailing over the past two weeks has been some of the very best I have ever experienced, sailing fast along the course line. Just a reminder this voyage is unassisted meaning no motoring and no outside help.
I do weather by receiving weather faxes on the long range SSB Radio along with grib files and weather descriptions about what is happening in my area.

Day-15

“High Seas Drama Aboard Sailors Run.”

It all started about 10:30am when I decided to run the motor to circulate the oil and get the moisture out of the engine. I started the motor taking it out of reverse and leaving it in neutral, this allows the prop and shaft to spin freely. After 20-minutes I shut the motor down, and as I went below I felt a strange vibration and could hear something spinning and rubbing, and it sounded like the shaft which should be impossible as I had put the transmission back in reverse locking the shaft.

I immediately tore into the outside locker clearing out all that was stowed there to gain access to the shaft below decks.

“Holy Shit”!! The shaft had come free of the coupler and was spinning madly about as we were sailing at over 7-knots. Now unattached to the transmission it was really wobbling and had tried to slide out of the boat but was stopped by the rudder, that was now currently being eaten by the whirling three blade prop. I grabbed a 15-foot length of 7/16inch line and secured one end to some frame work below putting five wraps around the whirling shaft and synched it down, just barely enough to stop the shaft from turning. Next I activated the electric high volume bilge pump as a large stream of water was coming in around the packing gland on the shaft. Next I went on deck and rolled in the Genoa sail and dropped the staysail the other forward sail and hove to under main and mizzen slowing the boat speed down to about two knots.

I worked feverously to separate the coupling hoping to find the nut that had come off the end of the shaft and the key that locks the shaft to the coupling. Once the two halves were separated I found the nut but the key had obviously vanished into the flooding bilge that was only kept under control by going and turning on the pump every ten minutes. I could not slow the flow of water until I once had the shaft back in the coupler attached to the transmission, there by locking it down.

I got my extendable high powered magnet and went fishing in the bilge for the missing key, for the keyway. On my second try I was relieved to have come up with it and it looked to be in good condition. I slid the coupler down the shaft and over the key then screwed the nut on the end of the shaft by hand tightening as far as I could turn it before getting a socket to tighten it.

I won’t even go into how hard it is to get at the large socket set, just believe it takes time. I gathered up the three most likely sockets to fit the shaft nut and was real disappointed to find that I did not have a socket to fit the nut.

This was even more unbelievable as I had installed this new shaft made in Argentina and tightened that very same nut 6-years ago. I could devise no way to get anything in the hub other than a socket to further tightening it. So I reassembled the couplings placing the four bolts back in them to secure the coupling.You cannot even imagine the feat that was, pulling the shaft up to the transmission lining up that first bolt and getting the nut on the end of the bolt, as all the time the shaft wants to pull away and turn if you don’t keep a firm grip on it. After way too much time that was as right as I could get it, and then I had to take the stuffing gland apart and add more Teflon stuffing around the shaft. Once the gland was tightened the water flow was stopped I could take several huge deep breaths.

 

This entire drama from start to finish took over 5-hours, and my body ached and hurt afterwards. All that work had to be performed hunched over in a confined space working below the level of my feet.

Going onward I have a less than perfect fix due to the missing socket. I have decided that if I want to run that engine again in the future to dry it out I will have to go below and tie off that shaft so it cannot spin. I don’t know how long I could motor before the nut might vibrate off, it could be five minutes or five months but I don’t want to find out. I would tie the shaft off temporary permanently but if suddenly I needed that motor to avoid impending doom I at least want to be able to try and power the boat.

Looking forward to “better day, The Jefe’

0 AROUND ALONE DAYS-10-11-12

Day-10
24hr.Run=176NM. Our third best day’s run ever aboard sailors Run.

Position=Latitude 12*52’S Longitude 98*02’W.

Weather=Wind=15-25+kts.SE.

Seas=6-9ft.

Cabin Temp. 72*-76*. Squalls 50% of the time with sunny and clear patches.

Barometer-1012 mb

Day-11
24hr.Run=160 NM.

Position -Latitude 14*57’S. Longitude 99*39’W.

Weather=Wind 12-25 kts.

Seas=6-9ft.

Cabin Temp=71*-74*. Squalls 50% with sunny periods.

Barometer-1012 mb

Day12
24hr.Run=170 NM.

Position.= Latitude-17*12’S. Longitude-101*22’W.

Weather=Wind=12-25 kts.

Seas=6-9ft

Cabin Temp=71*-74*.

Barometer=1012 mb

Miles sailed last 3-days=506 NM

Total miles sailed so far=1762 NM

Distance left to go to turning point for cape Horn=1468NM.

Top speed so far=9.9kts.

The Rest of the Story.

Day-10
In the morning as I gazed out upon the rugged seas it was wonderful to see a small pod of black dolphins frolicking in Sailors Run’s bow wake; there commotion was putting hundreds of flying fish into flight. I had to wonder does the school of fish suddenly become a flock of fish during those 100 yards of flight.
It makes one wonder if the fish have evolved to flight status, to avoid predators from the deep. What might it be like sailing a million years into the future after the dolphins might have accomplished the same thing, as I know just how much it hurts to be hit by one of those flying fish?

Today was laundry day and it was accomplished by using a bucket and several lines strung up in behind the dodger. This all seemed well and good until a squall sought us out, and pounced upon us. Things were suddenly chaotic in the cockpit as I struggled to roll in the head sail while being slapped in the face with a wet T-shirt.

Later in the morning I peeled the not so good leaves off of 6-cabbages and got them re wrapped in fresh newspaper.

I learned from my Cape Horn trip six years ago to bring lots of cameras along, and they have to be able to endure getting washed down, to capture some of the best footage. I also learned where to burn lots of film and less film, as a result this video will have considerably less “nude shots”.
The shower experience at sea entails taking the planned every third day shower and the many unplanned showers that materialize either salty from the sea or fresh and cold from the sky above, all just part of the sailing experience.

Day-11
We are now just south of Lima Peru and over 1200 miles off shore of South America. Out here a long ways from help you are forced to balance the forces of nature and the desire to go further faster. You might think 7-9 kts. is not that fast, but when you are heeled over 20 plus degrees and the water is raging along the side of the boat’s hull and then you are suddenly struck broadside by a very steep 9-foot wave that explodes into one of those unexpected “showers, you suddenly feel “extremely alive”, and pray that things stay that way.

 

So far we are sailing great with good speed as I attempt to nearly circumnavigate the South Pacific High, using it much like a giant pinwheel to sling shot us into the “Roaring Forty’s”. The transition from the winds on the outside of the high to the “Westerly Winds” in the Southern Ocean is one of the key parts to me having a fast Circumnavigation. “Let’s see how this works out”???

Two days ago I found out I’m not solo on this voyage as it seems I have a stow away.”What”!!
Yes, the cockroach must have got on in Ecuador and of course the question is there only one, or maybe now none as that one met a horrible end to his life. Now I’m not sure but should there be more I have taken special precautions, placed poison everywhere except in the fresh produce, and I’m “packing” a can of Raid where ever I go. Oh yea! and I placed a huge tarantula looking rubber spider left over from Halloween by my birth in hopes to “scare” them away. I just hate waking up to the feeling of a big cockroach crawling across my face, as I usually give myself a bloody nose and the thing disappears before I can get a light on.

Day-12
Yesterday I seen a ship on the A.I.S. its closet point of approach was 31NM. And that is the first one I have seen since the encounter with the fishing boat at night a week ago.

I think I have narrowed down the problem with the wind generator. I was out in the cockpit adjusting the wind vain steering and got the wind coming in over the stern and while looking at the wind hawk at the top of the mast I noticed the wind generator facing aft and thought what the hell lets turn it on and see what happens, much to my surprise it started generating properly. Now it seems almost for certain the problem is dirty slip rings in the unit that I will clean once the seas lay down. Even if I never get up there the thing should work in much of the southern Ocean.

I have struggled a bit trying to get my head around this great adventure. The planning took a year and a half and for over 5-months I had not sailed before embarking on this voyage. Once at Sea it all felt somewhat overwhelming for the first week, and my sailing skills rusty and my movements methodically thought out and revalued continually. Now I’m happy to say that things just come to me naturally once again and Sailors Run and I are one with “nature”. The one thing that will never be right until I return is the yearning to once again hold Debbie in my arms.

“Ripping across the South Pacific”, El Jefe’

0 AROUND ALONE-DAYS 7,8,9

Day-7

24hr. Run=154
Position: Latitude-07*23’South =Longitude .92*33’West
Weather: Wind: S.E. 10-20kts.
Seas: 4-6 feet S.E.
Cabin Temp: 76*-81* Sunny with small puffy white trade wind clouds.
Barometer-1008mb

Day-8
24hr.Run=154NM.
Position: Latitude-09*15′ South=Longitude-94*16′ West
Weather: Wind S.E. 8-20kts.
Seas: SE 5-7ft.
Cabin Temp: 75*-78* In the am a few squalls about but none hit us and by 10am it was full on blue skies and sun.
Barometer=1010mb

Day-9
24hr.Run=150NM
Position: Latitude: 10*54’South= Longitude: 96*07West
Weather: Wind 8-18kts
Seas: 4-6ft.
Cabin Temp: 73*-78*
Barometer 1010mb.
Total Miles sailed so far=1266NM.
Miles sailed last three days=458NM
Distance left to go to turning point before heading to the Horn=1952NM
Top speed so far=9.8 kts.

THE REST OF THE STORY:
DAY-7
I Took a reef in the main this am as we were a little overpowered and it made life aboard so much more comfortable. Now both main and mizzen are reefed and the Genoa is rolled in about 20% to keep tear rolled into avoid making it larger. The staysail is full on at 100%, and we are sailing great.

More flying fish and squid on deck this am. They would make fine bait but the freezer is still to full to fish!

Got an email from a friend and he says “Fxxk” the wind generator as he knows of a power company that invested in them and nearly bankrupted the utility. The sad part of that was the people on the system that had had nearly the cheapest rates in the nation before the free wind power have watched their rates double in just a couple of years and struggle under huge debt. Having said all that I truly miss mine and hope to get it going again.

Each morning I use about a quart of water rinsing the three solar panels off with a sponge, as the salt spray reduces their effectiveness. Even at 80* I’m noticing the cooling of going further south, and the moisture in the air is starting to make things feel cool and damp aboard.

DAY-8
With squalls in the area a sailor needs to be a bit more cautious. I normally reef down a little more at night, and mental go through the drill in my mind as to how I can get all sail down and in what order as it can be very “chaotic” if overtaken at night while asleep by a severe squall. Radar is your first line of defense, because the size and distance they are from you can be measured and tracked.

Typically the power of the wind in a squall is pretty much determined by the size. My experience is anything two miles or less in size seldom requires reducing sail. The small ones you can just sail off downwind in them until they pass over, normally no more than 20-minutes.

A squall that is 2-4 miles across can be more serious especially if you are already sailing hard as the wind strength will most likely double for 20-30 minutes as it goes over you.
When the squall is 6-8+miles across it is time to get serious about taking amounts of sail off once again, especially if you are already sailing hard and fast. I know of several boats that were caught in large line squalls such as this and had all their sails destroyed as they failed to get them down in time and watched them blow out in winds in excess of 60kts. Once again radar allows you the ability to know the size and distance away night or day.

DAY-9
This morning when I awoke things were quiet aboard and we had slowed to just over 4kts. I knew now was my chance to roll the Genoa out and patch the sail. While bouncing around clipped into the bow pulpit I applied sail tape to both sides of the tear that was about 6 inches long and one layer of sail material glued down with contact cement before getting it rolled back up on the furler as the wind had piped back up. Repair on the fly to be continued.

Several hours later there was another lull in the wind strength, so I eased the sail out just enough to get at the tear and did a little dance on the bow platform juggling the can of contact cement and my chisel as I applied the cement and eventually the second piece of 5oz. sail material to the other side. It was then that the real fun began sewing the patches together on a plunging bow, possibly much like doing needle point on a “pogo stick”!! After about one hour the patch was complete and Sailors Run was ready to go with a Genoa that could now be rolled all the way out. “Yahoo”!!

Today is shower day as I take one every three days whether I need it or not, and trust me I’m doing the
“right thing

Just to revisit my Around Alone route for any that have joined me lately it is “Around Alone Non Stop from Bahia Caraquez Ecuador and back again.”

Since I’m doing this as a record attempt I had to enter the Northern Hemisphere which I did as soon as I left Bahia, and since the course has to measure out over 21,600 nautical miles by rhumb line measurement I’m adding distance by sailing to a position in the very remote South Pacific, which is sailing West of Easter Island to 35*South and Longitude 120* West. Once there I can start my run into the Horn and then on around the world at or near the 48* South Latitude, south of the 5-great Capes West to East.

I noticed a peculiar odor coming from the vegetable storage area, it smells much like a rabbit hutch I once had or maybe it was that Ginny pig cage I kept in my bed room. I suspect that my six cabbages wrapped in news paper need to be trimmed down and rewrapped!!

Bouncing along in the Pacific, El Jefe’

 

 

 

 

 

0 AROUND ALONE-DAY’S 4,5,6

Day-Four: 24 hr. Run=119 NM.
Pos: Lat.02*02’S Long.87*02’W
Weather=Mostly overcast, temp=78*-81*, Wind= 7-12kts from the S,
Seas=2-5 feet from the S. Barometer = 1008 mb.

Day-5: 24 hr. Run=one hundred forty six NM.
Pos.= Lat. 03*37′ Long.=88*52’W.
Weather= Sunny all day. Temp.=78*-81*,Wind =10-17 kts.SSE,
Seas=5-8’SSE, barometer 1010 mb.

Day-6 Twenty -four hr. Run=166NM
Pos.= Lat.05*29S Long.=90*50’W.
Weather= Temp=77*-81*,Wind=15-20kts.,
seas=6-8ft.barometer=1008 mb. This day was mostly sunny and clear at night

Total miles sailed so far=808NM
Distance left to go to turning point for Cape Horn=2402 NM
Top speed so far=9.8kts.

The Rest of the Story.

Day-4
This morning fired up Honda generator and let it charge for two hours, at a rate of 50-amps per hour, topping off my 8- golf cart batteries. I have just 26-gallons of gas for charging and get about four and a half hours of charge time out of 1-gallon of gas. I can also charge with main engine in neutral if need be and that gives me another 250-hrs. of charging at approximately 65-amps.
With the solar I have about four hundred and eighty watts I’m sure I can make it without the wind generator.
On a better note I heard back from Boe at Southwest Wind power and he believes that either the connections in the tower tube up on the mizzen mast are failing or the slip rings in the unit itself where the brushes make contact are dirty and a scotch pad could clean them and possibly get the wind generator back on line. When I find a somewhat flat spot out here on the seas, up the mast I will go.

Now we must discuss alcohol rationing for the duration of the voyage, as I had sponsors, Dan & Lorraine off the boat Zephyrus, they know I believe in drinking a beer a day and a guestamation makes that 180-beers, now herein lays the problem. That much beer would take up too much space and who knows how good beer is after about 3 months, also think of the weight. So I did what any good sailor would do, and augmented my supply with rum. How much rum is enough I asked myself, and ended up getting 24 750ml. bottles and 5-bottles of tequila 1,75ml. bottles. Fortunately for me my good friend John and Dee were down to see me off and John owns several restaurants and has a good sense for numbers. He told me I can have 3 drinks a day as long as I get back in 180-days, and cautioned me that 4-drinks “will not work”!! Since one or two is my limit at sea it sounds like I’m well healed in that department and that is without counting the 2 cases of beer.

I had to take evasive action during the night to avoid collision with a fishing boat. I tacked away to the starboard tack for about 5-minutes then resumed my course on a close reach on port tack [meaning wind just off the nose coming in over the left or port side bow].
The fishing boat was wood and not visible on radar nor was he transmitting an AIS signal, fortunate for me I seen his lights while having a look about on deck. I was extra cautious on this night because I had seen a wooden fishing boat earlier in the day and he had 3 small sailing craft in tow behind him like little ducks. These boats they use in their fishing efforts as they require no fuel. The crew of about 10 waved a hearty greeting as we passed each other within several hundred feet.

Day-5
Today I have Booby Birds diving upon the fish that dart out from under Sailors Run’s Plunging bow as we are now within 150 miles of the Galapagos Islands. I feared for awhile that I might end up on the South shore of one of these Islands as the Humboldt current has been pushing me towards the North as I attempt to sail SW to the SE-Trade Winds that lay to the south of me.
Today the winds piped up to 15 kts. and I rolled the Genoa sail in a few turns on the furler,
It was then that I saw a tear in that sail. The tear was about 6″ long and I quickly rolled it on to the furler to avoid any further damage. The sail is but 5-years old and the tear came as a sickening feeling in my stomach, as I have so far yet to sail. Fortunately I can reach it from the bow pulpit and will make the repair on the fly once the seas and winds abate considerably.
At last I’m happy to report that the course is finally steerable. I should mention that since the Equator the Monitor wind vane has been doing all the steering, and since heading off shore from Ecuador we have been on the same Port Tack, with the exception of dodging the fishing boat during the night.
This morning when I went up on deck after a night where the heavens sparkled like a “Bowl of Diamonds”, I found 5 flying fish on deck and in the cockpit as well as 2 squid, and who knows how many were washed off during the night.

Day-6
At last we have sailed into the SE-Trades and I have the pedal to the medal on the old Sailors Run and she is “Hauling Ass”.
Sailors Run my 40-ft.Baba Ketch loves reaches and it doesn’t matter if they are close reach.beam reach, or a broad reach. Now as for me the skipper give me “fast reaches”, “sunny beaches”, and “tight britches”. Well something like that; “Missing you Debbie”.
Out here you don’t have to worry about working out to stay in shape as you are doing dynamic tension exercise 24/7 and occasionally a yoga stretch that you might otherwise never had attempted.
I just eat 2 meals a day and that is somewhat like a circus juggling act just trying to get the makings into a pan on the stove. Yesterday, I had a bowl of cereal in my hands and needed to set it down, and the only flat safe place was secured on a burner on the gimbaled stove.

Such is the cruising life style! To my Amigos, El Jefe’

0 AROUND ALONE-DAYS 1,2,3

Around Alone: Days-1 2-3

Day-1
24 hr.Run-121 Nautical Miles.

Position: Latitude-00*25 S -Longitude-80*39’W

Weather: Wind-10-15kts.from the West.

Seas: 3-4 ft. from SSW.

Barometer-1009mb.

Cabin Temp- 80 to 83 degrees
Day-2:
24hr. Run-130NM.

Position-Latitude-00*26’S Longitude-81*14’W.

Weather: Wind-8-17kts SSW

Seas: from SSW at 3-4FT.

Barometer at 1008mb.

Cabin Temp-78-81 degrees

Day-3
24hr.Run-126 NM.

Position-Latitude-01*37’S Longitude 85*14’W

Weather: Wind lighter at 7-14kts

Cabin temp=77*-80*
Total miles sailed so far=377NM
Top Sailing speed so far=7.7kts.
Distance to go to turning point for the “Horn”= 2,794NM  located SW of Easter Island.
The Rest of the story:
For clarification when I write WE, I’m referring to me and Sailors Run.  Also I will be staying on Bahia Caraquez time for the duration of the voyage. When it comes to what day it is, I will use one through how many ever days it takes to complete the voyage, just know that day-1 started at 7:09am Oct/31/2015 when I crossed the starting line off Bahia Caraquez.
Day-1

The alarm rattled me into consciousness at 4:15am. I thought to myself “holy shit” the day has finally arrived to start the greatest adventure of my life. I rushed about hooking up all the electronics and getting a pot of coffee going, things were pretty much ready topsides already.
I was below when I heard the pilot boat approach and Pedro scramble aboard. He immediately set about preparing the mooring lines to be cast off. Soon we were motoring away from the other boats resting at their moorings, and the pilot boat had gone and retrieved Tripp the Puerto Amistad owner from the shore, in front of his condo as he was to be my official starter {Thanks Tripp}.

We motored out through the channel around the point and past some of our friends whom were there to wave one last goodbye.  John & Dee had come the furthest flying all the way down from Colorado to see us off.
We crossed the starting line at 7:09am and were off on a great beam reach headed north for the Equator and we crossed that at 1:47PM our 12th time to cross it and after entering the Northern Hemisphere for a distance of about 1-mile we jibed around and sailed south crossing it once again for the 13th time and treated King Neptune to a toast on both occasions.

We were now sailing close to the wind with adverse current part of the time making the going slower, as we approached the area just off the coast of the surf village at Canoa, it was time to tack off shore and head west getting clear of the local fishing boats and out beyond the shipping lanes that run North and south along the coast of South America.

It was nearly 2am and my butt was dragging when I finally felt safe enough to sleep for 20- minutes at a time using the egg timer to wake me for a look about.
Once the sun came up and I was on deck I discovered a-You have got to be “shitting me”, as my wind Generator was acting in an erratic fashion, breaking every minute or so and producing no power. This is a big deal as the wind generator provided 90% of my power on my previous Cape Horn trip.

 

Day-2
We are now over 100 miles offshore and the seas have turned cobalt blue under partly cloudy skies, and suddenly I realize why I’m here, feeling again “One with Nature”.

Today I will catch up on some much needed sleep and share with you the two most important things about making long ocean passages and they are “Haul Ass” and Haul Ass”.

You see the biggest mistake new sailors make is to try and sail the Rumb line to their destination, as it is the shortest distance. Experience will teach you that the shortest distance does not equate into the fastest passage making, when covering large expanses of Open Ocean. Your course must take you to where the most favorable winds can be found to get you there without down days especially when sailing unassisted {no motoring} like I usually do and this trip must always do. I always fall off the wind an extra 5 degrees to sail fast and never worry about my course as long as it takes me to the better winds.
I have been eating bell peppers like apples since the lady at the market sold me 25 of them when I only asked for 10, actually there not bad.

Day-3
Has been the most pleasant day sailing so far as the winds are down a bit as are the seas.  Today is full sun and clear skies.

I remember a favorite dream I had when I was a young man, oh not that one! but the one where I had a magic carpet and I could fly to where ever I thought I wanted to go and today I’m living the dream and Sailors Run is my “magic carpet”.
I spent the morning cleaning all wind generator connections hoping to get it producing power, without any luck. I’m afraid the regulator in it has failed and I will have to be a bit more conservative on power consumption.
O, that’s it for now amigos   The Jefe’

0 Sailors Run’s Last Restless Night On The Mooring. Oct. 30th 2015

This is the night before the “Beginning” of the greatest adventure of my life.

I and Sailors Run alone will escape into the scape of the sea. The thought of doing this and living large with nature on her turf excites me.

If you think weather is a science or known quantity possibly you might want to think again, as I have never found two days of sailing in the elements of nature ever the same.

I have stripped Sailors Run of nearly all unnecessary tonnage in hopes of achieving the best performance possible from her. Having said that, now I must admit the weight of 7-months of provisions has nearly negated the gain. I can only hope that I can eat my way into the performance realm that I sooooo desire.

On the last day here in Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador, I was able to further lighten Sailors Run by removal of the  18hp outboard, dinghy, several heavy teak interior doors and another 100 + pounds of decorations and all of this was possible as we have good friends in David and Judy whom formerly sailed their Sloop Revenir here many times and are building a beautiful home just out of Bahia on the water..

All weight is now out of the bow and anchors are stowed aft and the chain has been placed lowdown in the bilge amidships. So now Sailors Run will ride up over the waves rather than submarine through them.

Debbie and I have had our last conversation for the next 5-6 months and we are both feeling a lot of emotions and she seemed fearful and a bit choked up. Sometimes I get the feeling that I’m standing next to a raging river that I must soon enter, and knowing that river will surely take me to my limits I have yet to ever experience.
They say if you love doing something, do it with passion even if it kills you, as after all something is going to kill you anyway.

I assured Debbie I will return safely and sail safe, as I could here in her voice that she was attempting to remain brave, as for me I have not done anything yet, nor been challenged, so it is hard for me to feel anxiety at this point; I’m sure I will have my opportunities in the future.

I’m a lucky man to have Debbie in my corner, and she is a great promoter of my book” Cape Horn: Ahead or Behind Forever on My Mind” I should mention at this time that it makes a great Christmas gift and the proceeds that we receive go towards keeping the adventures coming.
Now you might well imagine that from harbor to harbor you can’t find a barber, so were posting a picture on our blog of how I look now and hopefully will have the how I look after this adventure, in another 6-months.

Tonight I’m excited and hoping to get my very last full night’s sleep, for many months to come. I have Pedro the pilot arriving about 6am to get us safely out across the bar. Tripp from Puerto Amistad will be with us to be my official starter. I must also say my time here at Puerto Amistad has been wonderful and I feel like I have an extended Ecuadorian family here. The boat has been safe for nearly 6-months and no vessels have broken their moorings during my stay. The security is much improved from the recent past.

Tomorrow I believe even at the early hour of 6am, that many people will be on the beach and in their Condos waving and bidding me fair winds and “Great Sailing”.

Debbie is going to keep the Blog up to date and will be posting photos of the start, assuming someone gets them to her and I will be sending out an adventure every three days to keep all informed as to what is going on aboard the Sailor Run, including daily runs, weather and sea conditions. This will happen as long as the radio keeps working. I’m hoping that Debbie will pull up some of our photos of past adventures around the world and share them with you as part of these three day installments

I love to hear from each of you       Remember the Blog site for updates on- www.sailorsrun.com
Your Amigos, Jeff & Debbie-SV/Sailors Run

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0 Making Final Preparations aboard Sailors Run for October 31st “Halloween Day Departure

It was a year and a half ago that I decided to go solo around the world nonstop, and at that time it somehow seemed so far away,now today it seems to be rapidly approaching.

I have been busy over the past month putting on new sails and many other parts to help insure a safe and successful passage. Chafe gear has been installed on both sets of spreaders as the back edges of them seem to be a little too sharp for the sails best interest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many lines have been replaced or swapped end for end to extend their service life.

I have been running hard attempting to get in the best shape possible for the trip and I’m happy to report my times keep coming down on my measured runs.

I’m currently repainting the bright work and will re-oil the teak in the cockpit area. I have also re-familiarized myself with sea anchor tactics and means to deploy the18 ft parachute if need be. also the drogue was revisited and accessories for both made readily available. It will be interesting to see how big of a part they may or may not play in the grand scheme of things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next month October will be primarily spent on final provisioning and trying to stuff away 7-months supply of all necessary foods and “Drinks”, more on that later.

I know I have bitten off a huge challenge and look forward to living the adventure that will come out of it. I feel Sailors Run is a Great Baba 40 foot Ketch and in top condition for what might lie ahead. My health is good and I feel up for my battle with nature, to propel Sailors Run around the world unassisted (meaning no motoring or outside help)

I have a lot of knowledge in heavy weather sailing,therefore feel confident that we will prevail.

My route around the world measures out at just over 22,000 Nautical Miles via a rumb line course. To come up with this much distance I have had to add nearly 2,000 miles to my route, and did that by sailing SW after I cross up into the Northern Hemisphere and sailing past Easter Island on its western shore, and continuing in that direction until I get to Longitude 120* West and 35* South where I plan to take my first opportunity to turn SE and sail for the Horn and the other four Great southern Capes,- Good Hope,Africa-Lewellen, Australia,- West Cape ,Tasmania and finally East Cape, New Zealand.

Be sure and check out our blog site for photos of preparations at www.sailorsrun.com

Debbie will be taking care of that end and I can only say she will be greatly missed over this extended period of time.

Thanks, Your Amigos ,Jeff & Debbie of S/V Sailors Run

0 MY RETURN TO SAILORS RUN IN BAHIA CARAQUEZ,ECUADOR-9/2015

                         My Return to Sailors Run in Bahia Caraquez, Ecuador, 9/2015

  Debbie and I have just wrapped up a great 6-weeks together, visiting family and friends. Our tour started in New Mexico at our son Chris’s place for several weeks then; off to Colorado to visit friends, then it was on the bus to Grand Junction where we climbed aboard the Amtrak Train to San Francisco, to visit our son Daniel’s family and friends.

Debbie and I put on a slide while there at the Corinthian Yacht club at Tiburon. It seemed the show was well received and several of our long time cruising friends came by to see us,which was wonderful.

    Next we were off again to Washington state to visit friends and family,such as our daughter Ginger and sister Bonnie  and brother in law Jim live there.    I must admit there were many great friends that we never got to see, but you must know you are all in our hearts and minds often.

 

 

It was truly magic to return to Longbranch, Washington, and put on a slide show for our friends and neighbors there, it had been over 16 years ago that we left that quiet community, and I’m happy to report it is still just that a quiet community. This was put into the Newspaper and Newsletter

(COMING AUGUST 25TH “CAPE HORN “CAPE HORN “CAPE HORN-ONCE MORE AND BEYOND” ONCE MORE AND BEYOND” ONCE MORE AND BEYOND”

Former Longbranch residents, Jeff & Debbie Hartjoy, have quite a story to tell.

Since leaving Puget Sound in 1999 and ‘turning left’ at Cape Flattery, they have logged over 85,000 miles at sea aboard their Baba 40 sailboat, “Sailor’s Run”, and will be back in Longbranch on August 25th to share their adventures with old friends, neighbors, and guests, at the Longbranch Improvement Club.    Jeff will take listeners on a trip through the Southern oceans, including his solo transit from Ecuador to Argentina via Cape Horn. Jeff’s presentation will include photos of sunny beaches, local islanders, and occasional gatherings of fellow cruisers at some of their favorite spots from Baja, Central and South America, and the South Seas.

Of course, it’s not all fair winds, coconuts and palm trees out there on the blue water, so he will also recount his passage around notorious Cape Horn, dealing with 50-knot winds, blown sails, gear failures, and electrical fire, and a punishing knockdown off the Falklands.

But wait! There’s more! Jeff is now preparing for another solo rounding of Cape Horn. This time he will keep going east, as he attempts a nonstop circumnavigation via the Five Great Capes. His plan is to accomplish this feat in about 5 months, and he has vowed to not use his engine or accept outside assistance. He plans to leave Ecuador around Halloween, and with any luck, hopes to arrive back in Ecuador by his 70th birthday next April. This is not a ‘bucket list’ stunt, Jeff just plain loves sailing.

He will share his enthusiasm, determination, and sense of humor with all, who attend this special presentation, whether you are an Armchair Adventurer or an experienced sailor.

The program will be on August 25th, Tuesday evening, starting at 7:30 pm at the Longbranch Improvement Club Hall, 4312 Key Peninsula Highway, Longbranch WA.)

We were also able to get to the Bob Perry Rendezvous at Port Ludlow and visit with THE MAN who is a major part of our Baba Ketch-Sailors Run.

  Debbie and I took off in two different directions from Tacoma, Washington, she to Oregon to visit our daughter Heather and grandson and me flying back to Ecuador.

 

  I was so loaded down with two new sails and lots of parts for the boat, not to mention warm clothing for the upcoming circumnavigation, and I could only hope the plane would get off the ground. I was very anxious about coming into Ecuador with all this stuff, as I had heard many horror stories about customs in Ecuador. Well as it turned out I was welcomed right in with absolutely no problems, I just wish I knew better, ” when to worry”

  Arriving back at Puerto Amistad marina at 4am worked out well as the security guards were happy to see me and helped lug my two sails and three bags down to the patrol boat, and soon I was back aboard the “Old Sailors Run”. I was happy to find the door still locked and secure, everything was still there as I breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed into my birth.

  It was 10am when I finally rolled out of the “sack” and had a look top sides in the daylight. Yes all things were in order and everything was coated with a secure layer of dust.

  Now I’m busy readying Sailors Run to put to sea once again, there is much to do over the next two months, and I eagerly dive into this project, so I can finish up the obvious, getting the new sails on, replacing the whisker stay fitting that I had discovered was cracked. Of course the bright work must be repainted and the teak in the cockpit all oiled. I brought back a new control cable for the auto pilot, and my boom break must be reinstalled on the main boom.
  A really big ticket item will be the provisioning for 5-7 months, our friend John in Colorado came up with the great idea of pickling a bunch of eggs to extend there life, and maybe mine. I will be more than happy to hear from anyone on this subject of provisioning for extended voyages. Just realize that I’m in Ecuador and there are no Costco’s here, so we have to work with some pretty basic foods, but I’m hoping to make them tasty.

  I just want to thank my Great Wife “Debbie”, for supporting me in “living the dream”. I know I will be alone on the sea, but she will always be traveling with me in my mind and heart, not to mention encouraging me anyway she can from afar.

  Check out Blog for photos at www.sailorsrun.com.
                                                                                               Thanks, Your Amigos Jeff & Debbie

0 Sailors Run Alive and Well In Ecuador. June 28 2015

Sailors Run Alive and Well In Ecuador. June 28 2015

I promised to let you know how the 6-k race went with Chino the 25 year old employee at Puerto Amistad.

This time Chino showed up as he had ducked me once before. The race started at 5pm in front of the yacht club. Other employees seen us off and we were close together for the first hundred yards, then I realized I was over my head and backed off to a sustainable pace. Chino kept up the rapid pace and had about 100 yards on me by the time we went under the bridge. I arrived under the bridge expecting to see Chino on the ramp going up to the bridge, but NO Chino!

I ran on looking far out on to the bridge and no Chino; something was up. I ran on with the pedal down just in case he was still in the race. 2-k later as I was exiting the bridge, here come’s Chino, and he was indicating to me that I needed to run another 2-k before turning around I said “No Way”.

I knew he had cheated somehow, I was very much discouraged and ran on to complete the course but my heart was no longer in it. When I returned to the yacht club the employees thought I had lost and I said no way! he cheated! Luckily another cruiser had taken an interest in the competition and he said that he watched both of us go under the bridge but only I ran up the ramp and Chino disappeared. It turned out Chino had his motorcycle stashed under the bridge and jumped on it to race across the bridge and dump it off, and come running back when he seen me. He finally admitted it and all is “cool with Chino” now.

You might wonder what this has to do with cruising. The answer would be that it is important to be strong and have good endurance if you should think you might want to take on the Southern Ocean alone.

I recently ran a 10-K here in Bahia Caraquez, and finished in the middle of the pack and felt pretty good about it.

On a more serious note I’m sadden to say that the sailing vessel Sailfisher that left from Bahia in June headed for the Marquesas was dismasted some 700 miles SW of the Galapagos Islands, and was abandoned when Ale and Yvette were rescued by a cargo ship headed to Brazil via the “Horn”.

I want to mention that I will be a guest speaker in San Francisco the evening of (August 5th) at the CYC Yacht Club at Tiburon,
Here is the description and location address, and if any of you can make it Debbie and I would love seeing you.

Corinthian Yacht club of San Francisco
43 Main Street Tiburon, California
Office- 415 435 4771
If coming by car it is located at the south tip of Corinthian Island on the border between Tiburon and Belvedere in Marin County
By Boat vhf channel 68 or Harbor master 415 302 5083
For any information or map go to WWW.CYC.ORG/HOME

Solo (Truly Alone) Around the Horn

If you’re in need of inspiration or maybe an awesome story or two, come hear Jeff Hartjoy speak on Wednesday August 5.

At age 69 Jeff has logged 85,000 ocean miles, and cruised with his wife Debbie for 16 years on their 1980 Baba 40 ketch, Sailor’s Run. In 2009 he single-handed around Cape Horn, not without “attendant difficulties.” Let’s not forget that he also wrote a book in his spare time: Cape Horn: Ahead or Behind Forever on My Mind. Never one to rest on his laurels, Jeff is now preparing to leave Ecuador this fall for a solo nonstop circumnavigation of the Southern Oceans.

Introduced to us by Staff Commodore Bruce Powell, Jeff will, no doubt, have many entertaining (!) stories to tell. Don’t miss Jeff on August 5.

To study up on Jeff please check out WWW.Sailorsrun.com.
Free and open to all, Sailors Loft Bar opens at 6:30 and Jeff will start at 7 pm. invite your friends… and start preparing for your own southern oceans run.

(Be sure and check out blog site for New Photos)

Let me wrap this up with a little poem I have written: Your Amigos Jeff& Debbie

Sailing Free

It is the freedom of the wind that truly makes sailing great!
Time is short so one must not wait!
The wind is free upon that we must agree!
So hoist that sail and bury that starboard rail!
As life upon the sea is far greater than you or me!
By Jeffrey R. Hartjoy

Picture’s of Carts and Motos of how the people get around in the quiet town of Bahia