Undoubtedly for the leaking to stop. If he waits two more days, I predict reality will have set in and we'll see a longterm postponement of the departure due to the unfavorable weather conditions and passing of a Southern Ocean weather window.

I think he's waiting for the king of the crab people to bless his voyage.

Blog Update

Report on Latitude38 from yesterday's in-depth sea trials, complete with new pics:
Latitude38

good pics here, but i think you have to sign up to see them

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=67506

He was trying to duplicate the Brossard Tri... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Check the port just above the water line.

We've got ecsape hatchs on Afterburner...they are oval cutout in the hull above waterline...but are fiberglass panels secured from the inside with a large stainless dog systems. Those portlight hatches are not to be used below waterline.

when your escape hatch becomes a liability.....

A few guys at SA have called the coasties and looks like the floating swiss army knife will be inspected by Uncle Sam. Interesting twist.

I hate that he's getting such a bashing, but if noone intervenes this will turn out very badly.

Too bad, he has invested a lot of work and money.

Come on, Pete. If he had just followed some kind of simple, proven design like a Wharram, even with all the aluminum, he would stand a hell of a lot better chance. I personally don't think he deserves any pity. And this is coming from a lifelong do-it-yourselfer/hacker...

Right On Dude!

A few more posts like and I'll give you a 5 star rating <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

This is a must read article on SA from a photojournalist at the scene of the launching. She was allowed on board and got some excellent shots. Her impressions as a fellow sailor just send chills down me spine

" 'When are you envisaging putting on the nets?' 'No nets. I don't trust them.' David said as his Filipino mother-in-law shook a bottle of holy water at the inside panels of the outer hulls. 'I've had them fail in the past.'"

SA Article <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

All joking aside...I hope he doesn't poke his bow under the Gate in this. Way lesser weather has killed many sailors and sunk well founded cruising yachts just a few miles from where he's anchored. The Bay and the Patch and Bar are nothing to screw around with. I've seen barreling waves 5 miles out of the gate that you could drive a city bus through. If he leaves in these conditions, my vote is he doesn't make it to mile rocks.

854 PM PST WED FEB 13 2008

.SYNOPSIS FOR THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST AND BAYS INCLUDING
MONTEREY BAY...GULF OF THE FARALLONES...AND CORDELL BANK NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES...
[color:"red"]
STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS [/color] WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO A
TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT CREATED BY HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST AND AN INVERTED TROUGH OVER THE CALIFORNIA COAST. WINDS
WILL DECREASE BY MID MORNING ON THURSDAY AS BOTH THE TROUGH AND
SURFACE HIGH WEAKENS.



POINT ARENA TO PIGEON POINT 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-
854 PM PST WED FEB 13 2008


[color:"red"]...GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM PST THURSDAY...[/color]

.TONIGHT...N WINDS 25 TO 35 KT WITH [color:"red"]GUSTS TO 40 KT...[/color]
DECREASING TO 15 TO 25 KT LATE TONIGHT.

[color:"red"]COMBINED SEAS 13 TO 17 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 15 SECONDS.[/color]
.THU...N WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.
W SWELL 10 TO 13 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
.THU NIGHT...N WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT.
W SWELL 8 TO 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

There are not too many factory built 50 foot tri's or cats I would want to take out in that weather! But if this guy thinks he's going to sail his tin can tri in that...well, it will be a short trip! Can the Coast Guard send him a bill for the rescue or will our tax dollars pick up the tab? I wonder what he could get for all that metal if he sold it to a scrap yard and bought a real boat... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

If we all just believe in him... he can do it (just like Tinkerbelle)

good luck to the guy , it aint pretty , it aint clever, but the guy,s living HIS dream, what life is all about, if you're lucky , if he comes a cropper he can only blame himself and thats not soo bad, if he pulls it off its a big reward for him and he can bounce around on his balls like space hoppers for the rest of his life ,

Takes all to make the world go round .

If my belief in his chances were worth a dollar, and he could go around the world on my belief, He won't make it 5 miles out of the bay.
His wife and his mother in law seem to be very supportive, kinda makes me wonder how much his Life Insurance Policy might be worth. Tripping along a little further down that path, kinda makes you wonder what his insurance carrier might think if they knew what he was planning and looked at his equipment.
There is a reason insurance premiums are based on "risk factors" like cholesterol levels and tobacco use.
Anyway, I believe that the Coasties might wanna have him sign a disclaimer allowing them to charge him for any rescue efforts made on his behalf, and make him post a bond to cover those costs before they even let him out of the harbor.
Fiscal realities might prove more discouraging than safety concerns.
But hey, I live in Colorado, what do I know.

Stephen

Hey, I found the dude that I was talking about in earlier posts. Jesse Martin.
He's the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the ball.
He did it in a 34 foot boat (not 7 meters as I recalled).
I watched a documentary on Discovery about his trip years ago. Pretty interesting stuff.


We should let reason aside for the moment, and believe in this guy's dream. Other ppl are OD'ing on drugs, I really hope he makes it. If he does I'm gonna have a tattoo done referring to him and show it on the forum.

http://books.google.com/books?id=P8ZW-se...gGr-kRVk7g#PPP1,M1
http://www.jessemartin.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Martin

Now I'm thinking...which one is more stupid, him or me...

Actually, Hobie and Performance cat are going to be modeling their new line up of F-18's on this tin can cat. The flat bottom is far superior in 'getting on the step'.... more so than any other design thus far. The wave pierce design of the bow is far superior to the N20..... (think Bizmark, crashing thru the North Atlantic)....

He will be taking the lead role in Morelli and Melvin designs.....

the inter20 used to drive me nuts when it slammed over the chop, what will this tri be like on a choppy light wind day?