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  #16  
Old 04-14-2010, 11:25 AM
corran corran is offline
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Alessandro di Benedetto at age 39 circumnavigated the world in a 20 foot catamaran which is a feat in itself...She also used solar cells and wind turbines to charge her batteries and I can imagine she also had an autopilot with radar. You pretty much have to in order to solo circumnavigate the world as you have to find some sleep sometimes. Oh my and she did it without a cabin. Ha Ha! Crazy... Amazing what people will do to fullfill a dream.


http://www.alessandrodibenedetto.net/

Benjamin
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Last edited by corran : 04-14-2010 at 11:27 AM.
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  #17  
Old 04-18-2010, 07:10 PM
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Well here is a gal that rowed her way across the Atlantic solo in just two months time. The article says she is 22 years old and she had 300 chocolate bars and 100 audio books along with her IPOD...And oh yes she must have had an IPONE to Twitter with since it says she also did that as well....She is now in the Guiness book of records to be the youngest person to row across the Atlantic. Remarkable what abuse the body will stand and a lot of sleep deprivation at that...I know she did not sail across but this article is related in that she did achieve another Guiness book of Records. She is apparently from Cleveland and her name is Katie Spotz.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100418..._atlantic_rower

Benjamin
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  #18  
Old 04-18-2010, 10:07 PM
corran corran is offline
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Ha Ha! It seems that Abby just learned that Kindles are just not designed for sea duty but other than that she is doing fine. She recently developed problems with her Kindle pad and it is no longer functioning due to a corroded charging port. I think also that Abby said she must work on getting her camera to work and is the reason she has not been forwarding photos lately at sea.

So from this lesson learned you do have to be carefull when you select electronic equipment to work at sea even Kindles and Cameras...Hopefully Abby has a backup laptop enclosed in a leak proof case...The reason I say that is in case her boat flips or is exposed to a lot of sea water.

Benjamin
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  #19  
Old 04-24-2010, 05:50 PM
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It seems our intrepid world circumnavigator Abby will have to make a pit stop at Cape of Good Hope to put in for repairs to her primary and back up autopilots. It is good she was able to finally make repairs to her main autopilot so she could continue on to the Cape of Good Hope to put in for repairs. Well Abby for now won't be able to claim that she made the trip unaided but she can still claim that she will be able to complete the round the world trip in a sail boat on her own pretty much. For a 16 year old it is amazing she made it this far on her own dispite her circumstances and was even able to conduct repairs of her own onboard. I am sure Abby has learned a great deal and some valuable lessons in this venture. Here is her statement to that effect.

Benjamin

I have some big news today. It's not necessarily good news, but the way I look at it, it's not bad either. I am going to be pulling into Cape Town for repairs thus ending my non-stop attempt. My whole team and I have been discussing whether or not I need to stop ever since my main auto pilot died. It's one thing to sail across an ocean with one well-working auto pilot, it's another to keep going with one that is not at all reliable.

It would be foolish and irresponsible for me to keep going with my equipment not working well. I'm about 10-14 days from Cape Town right now and though my auto pilot is working for now, we're all holding our breath and hoping it will last.

I gave it my best shot and made it almost half way around the world. I will definitely keep going, and whether or not I will make any more stops after this I don't know yet. I admit I was pretty upset at first, but there is no point in getting upset. Whats done is done and there is nothing I can do about it.

I know that some people will look on my trip as a failure because of this, and there really isn't anything that I can do about that. When you're surrounded by critics it can be hard to remember your own goals and expectations, you start to judge yourself by what other people are saying.

This is the experience of a life time. It's hard and sometimes down right terrifying, but I love it out here. My boat, my team, my sponsors, and you guys, my faithful followers are all great, and I am lucky to have you all on board. This whole trip came from a dream, a dream to sail around the world, and that is what I am doing - youngest or not, non-stop or stopping.

Abby
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  #20  
Old 04-24-2010, 06:13 PM
corran corran is offline
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It seems that Jessica has had a stormy awakening when her boat was knocked plumb over until the mast just touched the ocean and woke her up rudely when she got some bilge water slapped on her. It is all on her blog and you can read on her blog link below.

Jessica is almost home to Sidney now...Where she started from. She says she should be back by May 2nd.

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_bl...z_from_Customs/

Benjamin
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  #21  
Old 05-02-2010, 11:42 PM
corran corran is offline
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Abby Southerland is within 500 miles of Cape Town where she will do a pit stop and will meet her brother Zack who is also a world circumnavigator and they will both restore Abby's sail boat autopilots so the boat will last the rest of the voyage. Zack is bringing some parts with him and is meeting Abby in order to help her with the port authorities there in Cape Town in Southern Africa. Right now Abby is experiencing pretty normal weather and is coping just fine now that she restored her own main auto Pilot by aligning it and fixing the hydaulic leak that was occuing there.

As for Jessica, she has just rounded the Southern Cape of Tasmania Island and will be heading north on her final leg to Sydney Australia on the Eastern Coast of Australia. Jessican unlike Abby has been experiencing some very rough weather and has one storm followed after the other so you can imagine she is rather soaked and tired and is probably tired of sleeping in a wet bed. She will be glad to hit shore in Sydney at long last have a nice hot shower and get some decent sleep for once without being tossed around. Jessica has also been experiencing some sleep deprivation during these past storms but she seems to be coping well with it.

I figure that Jessica and Abby will both have no problems the next few days...But Jessica is probably a bit sore and stiff from fighting the seas to keep her boat afloat and at the right angle to the waves. You can't imagine how tiring that is. I have already posted Abby's and Jesssica's blogs so you can track both progress on their blog websites...

Benjamin
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Last edited by corran : 05-02-2010 at 11:45 PM.
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  #22  
Old 05-07-2010, 05:09 AM
corran corran is offline
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Here is a video of Abby's arrival in Cape Town, South Africa for her repair pit stop on her boats navigation suite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih64okvGVnQ

Benjamin Rhoads
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  #23  
Old 05-16-2010, 07:22 PM
corran corran is offline
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Looks like Jessica Watson finally completed here round the world cruise in her Ella's Pink lady sail boat which is pretty much the same configuration as Abby's boat but there are some differences. It is really remarkable for a 16 year old to complete a round the world excursion unaided, and alone there at sea during the 7 months she was at sea. She did not stop at any port so she can indeed claim credit for completing the voyage in Sydney Australlia her home port. I am sure that she is receiving a hearty congratulations from everyone in her country and outside her country, Also from New Zealand since she is a citizen there also. Like Laura Dekker of the Netherlands, Jessica has dual citizenship. Here is a final clip from Jessica as she crosses the finnish line.

Official Jessica Watson Blog

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Across The Line
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Hi everyone just a really quick update to let you know I’m across the line and have had the most amazing day (mega mega under exaggeration!). I ended up crossing the line a few hours late, to a totally overwhelming welcome, way way beyond anything I’d ever imagined. It would take a very long time to tell you all about it, so I’ll save that for another time. Seeing everyone again and finally getting those hugs was really something special!

I’ll keep writing this blog for a little while, to tell you all about how I’m finding life back on land, but I have a feeling that there’s going to be just too much to tell so you’re going to have to wait for the book!

Thanks again to everyone who’s sent me a message and was thinking of Ella’s Pink Lady and I out there, It made all the difference.


Well that’s it from me because there’s fresh food to eat, more hands to shake and pretty soon a big non-rolling bed to sink into. What a day!


http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_bl...cross_The_Line/

Here is a video of Jessica checking in as she approaches the harbor of Sydney Australlia. She is being congratulated for her voyage by Premiere Kristina Keneally and Minister of Ports and Waterways, Paul McLeay. Also Jessica's Mom Julie was there to congratulate her for the completion of her long voyage and the achievment of her dreams.

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_we...ng_Draws_N ear.

There is also a picture of Jessica being hand carried onshore of course by Mike Perham, Jesse Martin, Brian Caldwell, David Dicks and Jon Sanders. All of whom have completed a global circumnavigation cruise like Jessica just has. Even Abby congratulated Jessica from Cape Town South Africa where she is currently repairing her boat and will complete her round the world cruise after finnishing repairs this coming Tuesday.

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_we...In_Good_Company

Benjamin
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  #24  
Old 05-22-2010, 06:28 AM
corran corran is offline
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Looks like Abby is now underway from Capetown to finnish out the rest of her round the world tour on her sail boat... Wild Eyes...She has many new pictures and also some U-TUBE videos that you can see on her website so you can see some of the repairs that have been done to her boat. but they have made her navigation system even more reliable and much easier for Abby to adjust or recalibrate if need be because she can now adjust it from two different locations. I guess that has been a learning lesson and there are many things you can learn while at sea what is best for your boat. Abby even got two improved Wind Turbine generators that produce more amperage and will not break so easily and if you have seen Jessica's website you can see that was one of the problems she experienced is the breakage of her wind turbine blades. I guess Jessica did not have any problems with her navigation suite but Abby continued to have problems all the time...Hopefully that has been corrected now...Only time can tell now...

Abby does have many great photos of her boat and I can imagine that is a great boon for any sail boat enthusiast...Those boats sure are expensive though.

Benjamin
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  #25  
Old 06-10-2010, 05:41 PM
corran corran is offline
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I just heard some bad news about Abby being lost at sea and her personnal locator beacon had been manually activated. That could mean that she is trouble in the midst of stormy seas. I would call them light stormy seas but they could have picked up all of a sudden. So it is anyones's guess for now about Abby's condition. From the below report they have sent out search and rescue craft to find her but will take 40 hours to get to her remote location out in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Below is the report... I am hoping and praying for Abby Sunderland and hope she pulls through on this emergency.

Benjamin

We spoke with Abby early this morning and learned that she had had a very rough day with winds up to 60 knots and seas 20-25 feet. She had been knocked down several times but was handling things well. The wind had subsided to around 35 knots which she and Wild Eyes are quite comfortable with.

We were helping her troubleshoot her engine that she was trying to start to charge her systems. Satellite phone reception was patchy. She was able to get the water out of the engine and start her up. We were waiting to hear back from her when American Search & Rescue authorities called to report having received a signal from her emergency beacon (EPIRB). We initially thought that the signal was sent automatically from her water-activated EPIRB and that it had been activated during one of her knockdowns. As we pulled the paperwork from her EPIRB registration, we learned that the signal had come from her manually activated EPIRB.

We were referred to Australian Search & Rescue and while we were on the phone with them another signal came in from her handheld PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). Her water-activated EPIRB has not been activated so we are hopeful that the boat is still upright.

We are working closely with American, French and Australian Search & Rescue authorities to coordinate several ships in the area to divert to her location. There are several ships in her area, the earliest possible contact is 40 hours. We are actively seeking out some sort of air rescue but this is difficult due to the remoteness of her location. Australian Search & Rescue have arranged to have a Quantas Airbus fly over her location at first light (she is 11 hours later). They will not be able to help her other than to talk via marine radio if they are able to get close enough. Hopefully, they will be able to assess her situation and report back to us.

Abby has all of the equipment on board to survive a crisis situation like this. She has a dry suit, survival suit, life raft, and ditch bag with emergency supplies. If she can keep warm and hang on, help will be there as soon as possible. Wild Eyes is designed for travel in the Southern Ocean and is equipped with 5 air-tight bulkheads to keep her buoyant in the event of major hull damage. It is built to Category 0 standards and is designed to self-right in the event of capsize.

Thank you for all of your kind emails and calls. We appreciate your prayers and support.

We will update as soon as there is some news.

Laurence, Marianne and Team Abby
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  #26  
Old 06-10-2010, 06:34 PM
corran corran is offline
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Here is a news link that confirms Abby's plight in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
I am wondering now weather Abby got separated from her boat and wasn't wearing a lifeline. I hope not but from this news article that could be the case. If it is she is in dire trouble as those waters are cold and she could suffer from hypothermia. Not a good place to be floundering in and especially since it takes two days just for search and rescue teams to find you.

Benjamin

Link: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog...early+two+days/

Rescue of teen sailor Abby Sunderland could take nearly two daysBy: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com
Teen sailor Abby Sunderland, who today made international headlines by requesting a rescue via various distress-signal units, is in a portion of the southern Indian Ocean that is so remote it could take nearly two days for a boat or ship to reach her position.

Sunderland, 16, had been a little past the halfway point in an attempt to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.

Helicopters reportedly do not have the fuel capacity to reach her but a crew aboard an airplane from Australia hopes to arrive at the position issued via her EPIRB satellite positioning device at daybreak (she's 11 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time).

The Sunderland parents, Laurence and Marianne, had not at the time of this post gone outside to meet with reporters in front of their home in Thousand Oaks, Calif. But this afternoon they issued an update on Abby's blog.

It stated that it the EPIRB unit issuing a signal was one that has to be activated manually. Presumably this is the unit attached to her survival suit. Another signal had come from a hand-held Personal Locator Beacon, or PLB. The water-activated EPIRB unit did not activate, which might mean her 40-foot vessel, Wild Eyes, is afloat and upright.

It's not clear if Abby is on the boat, in a life raft or in the water. She is wearing a survival suit designed for emergency situations. The water temperature in the area is in the low to mid-50s, according to recent reports.

Of the aircraft en route to her position the Sunderlands stated: "They will not be able to help her other than to talk via marine radio if they are able to get close enough. Hopefully, they will be able to assess her situation and report back to us."

Earlier in the day, Zac Sunderland, who last July completed a solo-circumnavigation of the planet in a 36-fot sailboat, issued this comment to KNX radio in Los Angeles: "We're still trying to figure out the rescue situation. Right now we're trying to figure out if there is any faster way."

The Sunderlands are in touch with American, French and Australian search-and-rescue authorities.

Abby, a high-school junior who had dreamed of sailing around the world since she was 13, has a big red heart painted on the bottom of her white keel. If her 40-foot cruising sled, Wild Eyes, has capsized and she is clinging atop the hull, maybe this will make her more visible.

The Sunderland parents were part of a large prayer vigil earlier in the day.

-- Image of Abby Sunderland courtesy of Lisa Gizara/Gizara Arts
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  #27  
Old 06-11-2010, 04:53 AM
corran corran is offline
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I have some good news about Abby and some bad news. First off Abby is safe and apparently Abby's boat had suffered some major damage at sea as she has lost her main mast and will probably have to be towed into port, probably in Australlia... I am sure they will do repairs to her boat there so she can continue her voyage home...The only thing I can think of that would damage her mast like that is that she had too much sail up with a storm front hit her and could not get her sail down in time. Those are the risks you take when you are at sea though...

Benjamin

Link: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog...maged+sailboat/

Abby Sunderland is alive and apparently safe aboard her damaged sailboatBy: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com
Abby Sunderland, 16, is alive and apparently well, floundering in rough seas in the Indian Ocean without a mast, but safely aboard her 40-foot boat and awaiting the arrival of rescue ships.

An Australian plane with 11 trained observers found Sunderland, who on Thursday had activated two emergency distress beacons signaling an international rescue attempt, not long after daybreak Friday. Its crewmade contact with her on a marine radio channel.

The mariner from Thousand Oaks, Calif., who had been attempting to become the youngest person to have sailed around the world alone, had lost has mast and rigging after her vessel apparently rolled in heaving seas. Her position is extremely remote, more than 2,000 miles from Australia and Africa.

"I was envisioning all sorts of nightmare situations," Marianne Sunderland, Abby's mom, said when reached via phone at her family's home in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Marianne and Laurence Sunderland, and six other children, had remained in their home, refusing to talk to reporters, until they had learned the fate of their daughter.

Marianne did not talk to Abby but Abby told the airplane crew she "was fine" and not badly hurt.

A rescue has not been made, however. The nearest ship bound for her position is about 30 hours away, but fierce winds and seas that had been upwards of 40 feet are abating. Australian, American and French search-and-rescue authorities are cooperating in the rescue attempt.

-- Image courtesy of 2010 Lisa Gizara/GizaraArts.com
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  #28  
Old 06-12-2010, 07:11 PM
corran corran is offline
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It seems that Abby is now safe on a French Fishing Vessel Ile De La Runion on Saturday afternoon (Saturday morning PDT). and may be making her way back to Reunion Island, east of Madagascar , that is still not certain yet... Abby's family would still like to salvage the demasted wild eyes and bring her back home but they don't know if they can raise that much money to bring it home. They would have to replace the main mast and all it rigging which is a very expensive proposition in itself. It is really tough to throw away a 200,000 dollar boat. However Abby's family is really happy she will be able to return home safely now and has already thanked those that helped out Abby, who was stranded in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Benjamin
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