Motivational Gear
Sometimes it’s motivational just having the gear I might need to do something I want to do. The thing I want to do, in this case, is blue water/ocean sailing.
Been somewhat chained to the desk of VoyageTV as business at times will demand, but time to interject a little dose of diversity. Need to reacquaint myself with one of the reasons I’m working so hard in the first place. So sprung for a piece of gear, Crewsaver 190N, that one hopes to never use. But looking at my 3 year-old getting ready to be 4, I figure may as well dial-up the bad-day insurance with gear that is likely more than required, but I’d thank myself should I ever need it.
The 190 stands for Newtons and has to do with the force of buoyancy the vest has. It exceeds what most have (150 is common for off-shore), and that extra lift keeps one higher in the water. One aspect of the ocean that is mesmerizing to watch is the sheer power of weather. Seeing it firsthand my one focus is to simply stay in/on the boat. But the vest has an integrated harness which is important in that respect so you can tether yourself to boat when alone up top (on watch) or in weather. It has a spray-hood attached because that’s my other observation; if it’s raining and windy with seas even with a lifevest you’re spending a significant amount of time having water rolling across and over the top of you — that’s what it looks like would happen standing in the boat — I’ve fortunately never had to test this view.
Not sure that the vest is the whole answer but ordered it from the UK where it’s made and hope to be off-shore in the very near future. Here is the position to avoid at all costs.
Bagged….
I’ve had some pretty not so great bags over the course of a variety of years. And some good ones. Lately I’ve been looking to find a one that could do double duty; work + outdoor would be ideal but is a long shot.
the Office…
I wouldn’t recommend not watching where you’re going. But it’s hard to get away from the office — especially with a start-up like Voyage.tv — or any start-up for that matter. But I try to find a balance even if tied to a Blackberry (and an IPhone).
Taking the Tayana
Somehow squeezed in a trip from Ft Lauderdale to Savannah Georgia on 52 foot Tayana. Got to test iPhone navigation app by INavx. The navigation charts downloaded to the phone so you don’t need a cell signal to navaigate, just the GPS.
And there is just so much to know, and Tayana Captain (friend) is a fantastic sailor. There’s so much to know on a boat and any time with someone who’s sailed probably 35,000+ miles is really like Gold.
INavx worked well — hard to keep an iPhone on deck in wet environment though Aquapack can help. Still need a bigger electronic chart on the computer and ideally the same as what’s on the iPhone. Again ideally you’d want to plot waypoints on the bigger screen of laptop and upload them to iPhone, but can do on phone with patience. In any case, good to have another chart on board (and GPS). Just took ASA 105 which is kind of a throwback Navigation class — lots of pencils and erasers….but it all helps…especially blue water…harbors too.
Trip was 400 miles — did 10 knots with the help of the Gulf Stream and was back at desk on Wednesday.
