January SITREP
As January comes to an end, it is time to bring you all up to speed with how the campaign is coming along in this SITREP.
In the military we frequently provide SITREPs, or situation reports, on a daily, weekly, and monthly frequency at all levels of command. SITREPs are usually tightly structured and are a way to capture the operational status of forces in an official communication with higher headquarters. This is my version of a SITREP, with more to follow.
Wow, what a busy January it turned out to be for this campaign. It began with jumping into the new year and having a tentative plan for meeting the requirements for the Mini Transat. As the month progressed additional details from the event organizers were released and plans were further refined. The following is a quick snapshot as we close out the month.
Logistics: The RG650 sailboat I will be racing, named Terminal Leave is currently in Annapolis and will cross the Atlantic Ocean via ship during the month of April. After lowering her mast, I will drive her up to the Port of Baltimore where a large ship will deliver her to a port in France (location is still TBD). From there the boat will be driven to Lorient. This seaport town sits on the north west coast of France (~300 miles west of Paris) along the Bay of Biscay and is the epicenter of Classe Mini sailing.
Qualification Races & Training: On February 15th registration for all of the upcoming qualification races will open. As listed on my website (https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/racing) I plan on competing in four ocean races between June and August. Two will be solo and two will be double handed races. This will provide 1,700 nautical miles (nm) of distance racing with the Mini 6.50 fleet. Additionally, I am required to complete a 1,000 nm non-stop solo sail from La Rochelle, FR to the coast of Ireland and back, to meet the qualification requirements for the Mini Transat.
The official 1,000 nm qualification route that is to be conducted non-stop solo in addition to 1,500 nm of Classe Mini distance races.
Mast and Rigging: Throughout this campaign I will be examining and preparing every inch of this boat to safely race across the ocean. One of the key areas consists of the mast and rigging. In order to comply with the production boat class rules, I am purchasing a new aluminum mast, boom, bowsprit, and standing rigging. The class rules require a specific manufacturer. The mast will be made in France by Z-Spars, will be delivered to the boat in Lorient, and be tuned by a resident Mini expert.
Electronics: The electronics on Terminal Leave are some of the best for solo race boats, with NKE multigraphic color displays, Furuno GPS, Simrad GPS, Standard Horizon VHF radio, and a radar detector. Unfortunately, the wiring that came with the boat was not up to a standard I would be comfortable with taking the boat offshore. Therefore, we have removed all of the original wiring and are in the process of re-installing all of the electronics. This also provides a clean slate to install an Automatic Identification System (AIS) AIS transceiver (to provide the boat location to surrounding vessels) and a EFOY hydrogen fuel cell to power the batteries as a compliment to the solar panels. We will have a more in depth update a few weeks from now. Jason Tomchik of Yankee Marine (https://yankee-marine.com/) has been a huge help by sponsoring this program with his time on this electronics re-wire endeavor. Make sure to reach out to him for your next marine electronics project!
Safety Equipment: A major segment of preparations involve meeting all of the safety requirements. This includes everything from a World Sailing approved survival training certification, personal safety equipment (such as inflatable lifejackets with tethers to clip into the boat), survival suit, emergency beacons (EPIRB and PLB), and an offshore rated life raft. The Mini Transat race adheres to strict World Sailing offshore rules and all boats are inspected prior to the race to ensure compliance. Unfortunately, the cost of this safety equipment adds up quickly. If you would like to sponsor the purchase of any equipment to this campaign, please contact me. For example, the life raft alone will cost upwards of $4,000.
How Can You Help? I am actively seeking sponsors from companies who share the vision of this campaign and any introductions are valuable. Please help me spread the message for U.S. Patriot Sailing. Ultimately, the mission of this non-profit sailing team is what personally drives me every day to prepare for the Mini Transat.
Help Get U.S. Patriot Sailing to the Mini Transat!
This massive undertaking requires financial contributions from supporters who believe in this campaign. I ask for your support through this Go Fund Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/pgn-ocean-racing-in-the-mini-transat-race
Working down below on the boat during a cold January afternoon. In the process of removing the old wiring and re-installing all of the electronics.
