Questions you may have about our voyage.
Trip Start
May 07, 2007
1
2
28
Trip End
Jun 15, 2007
North Palm Beach,
Florida,
United States
Monday, May 7, 2007
Here is some info which may help you understand how our voyage will all come about.
What is the Plan?
We are taking part in an organized rally event called MedBound 2007. There will be about 10 vessels taking part in the rally. This event begins in Ft Lauderdale and will follow the following rough plan:
All hands and vessels report to Ft Lauderdale - 5/17/07
Safety checks, orientation sessions, safety seminars, mixers - 5/17 - 5/23
Fleet departs for Bermuda - 5/24
Arrive Bermuda - 5/30/07
In Bermuda - 5/31/07 - 6/6
Depart for Horta, Azores 6/7/07
Arrive Azores 6/19/07
In Azores 6/20 to 6/26
Depart Gibraltar 6/27/07
Arrive Gibraltar 7/4/07
Additionally Sue and I plan to stay in Spain until 7/17/07 when we fly back to New York and Phoenix.
Of all our plans are weather dependent. The fleet will depart when the fleet manager and the captains agree the weather is right for a "go".
What is Med Bound 2007
In 2004, PAE (Pacific Asian Enterprises) the builders of the Nordhavn line of bluewater trawlers sponsored a major boating event called the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally (NAR). This rally included a group of 18 owner-operated Nordhavn yachts for a trans Atlantic crossing. It was the first ever Atlantic crossing for production yachts of this type. The trip began in Ft Lauderdale and proceeded to Bermuda, then to the Azores and finally to Gibraltar. While there were a few minor mechanical issues, the entire fleet made a successful trip to Gibraltar.
MedBound 2007, follows the same model as the 2004, but is not factory sponsored. This event was conceived and organized by one of the Nordhavn 47 owners: Milt Baker. Milt organized the 2004 rally and has spent months working on logistics from safety checklists, legal issues, insurance, parties, dockage arrangements and operational rules.
Medbound 2007 is scheduled to include the following yachts:
Fort Lauderdale to Bermuda
--N62 Adventure
--N62 New Frontier
--N55 Salty Dawg
--N55 Moana Keuwa
--N50 Downtime
--N47 Bluewater
--N47 Imagine
--N43 Summer Skis
--N40 Beso
Newport to Horta
--N46 Frog Kiss
Bermuda to Newport
--N62 New Frontier
--N50 Downtime
--N47 Imagine
--N43 Summer Skis
--N40 Beso
Bermuda to Horta
--N62 Adventure
--N55 Salty Dawg
--N55 Moana Keuwa
--N47 Bluewater
Horta to Gibraltar
--N62 Adventure
--N55 Moana Keuwa
--N47 Bluewater
--N46 Frog Kiss
The numbers above refer to the length of the vessel in feet.
What kinds of vessels are these?
While MedBound 2007 is open to all ocean-capable power vessels, all the vessels registered are PAE Nordhavn. Sizes range from Nordhavn 40s (like ours) to Nordhavn 62 (as the one will will crew on). In order to qualify to be part of the rally, all vessels and captains need to have completed on 600 mile open ocean passage in the past 12 months, plus pass a very extensive battery of equipment and machinery evaluations.
The key issue to making a long ocean passage is range which is a function of fuel consumption and tankage. All of the vessels registered will consume between 2 and 9 gallons per hour and carry fuel up to 2500 gallons fuel.
Nordhavns are well known to be rugged, blue water capable vessels. Many have traveled the world's oceans (including circumnavigations) while many owners keep the closer to shore.
Are these vessels mega-yachts?
Not really. These boats are production vessels owned and operated by individuals. To my knowledge, no professional crew will be on board any of the boats. Many of these owners started their boating in sailboats and later migrated to power.
The vessels in the rally area all characterized as "full displacement" vessels. This means they are heavy, full bodied boats that do not move quickly. They trade off speed for safety and stability. Cruising speeds are 7-9 knots per hour.
Nordhavn trawlers are sophisticated machines capable of supporting their crew for extended periods of time. This means they have the ability to make fresh water, generate power, keep foods fresh for weeks, provide satellite communication and provide for a host of emergencies. I would guess that the value of these vessels would range from $600K to over $2M.
Accommodations while on board are modest in size but often luxurious by boating standards. All vessels will have full kitchens (galleys), flush toilets and air conditioning. Unlike sailboats which crew normally travels out in the elements, crew on these trawlers travel inside the vessel.
What will life be like on board?
On our vessel, Adventure, everyone on board will be crew not passengers. That means all of us will work the vessel and take an active role in all activities to keep the vessel moving on course and keep everyone safe.
There will generally be three roles on board:
Captain- the owner who will make any and all operational decisions.
Cook
Crew- standing watch, maintenance, repairs, cleaning, safety
Once we leave, we run 7x24. All night every night. All of us take turns "standing watch". This means that the designated person is at the wheel and is in charge of the vessel during his or her watch. This means watching the radar, responding to radio calls and looking for potential danger.
How dangerous is this crossing?
The sea can be a dangerous place. The boats have to be totally self sufficient in terms of mechanical issues, personal safety, food, drinking water, medical, navigation, weather forecasting, fire fighting and more. Most captains have spent thousands of dollars on spare parts alone to make sure we are prepared for as many contingencies as possible.
Traveling in a group mitigates some of the dangers, but not all. In my view the biggest danger is unforeseen medical emergencies. There are no doctors on board and no coast guard to call. We all hope to stay healthy.
That's my update for today. Don't forget you can post a comment or send us an email via this site.
Next post will be after we leave Sarasota.
Comments
bold adventureres
Looking forward to reading all about your adventures! You two are very brave and open to new conquests and experiences! You're an awsome couple! Joy
Accommodations
I've only ventured to the Chesapeake Bay on overnight trips and off the eastern seaboard to Gulf Stream fishing expeditions lasting 4-5 days. I found the living arrangements on a 40-foot sport fisherman adequate but can't imagine several weeks at sea in such tight quarters. I've never been aboard an ocean-spanning trawler yacht. How would you describe the advantages of living arrangements on such vessels over the fishing expedition boats such as I mentioned?
Re: Accommodations
Our 40 footer does pretty good for accomodations, but we find it skimpy in the salon. After 6-7 weeks, we need a break.
On Adventure we have a living room sized salon and a decent cabin for crew/guest quarters. We have a private head and overall this should not be too constraining. Its a beautiful vessel.
Re: bold adventureres
Thanks Joy. Im glad you can keep up with adventures of Adventure.