I appreciate all of the opinions out there about my upcoming voyage, and realize that most who question my attempt do so out of concern for my safety. I would like to make it clear that I am taking all the necessary safety precautions, and will not leave until I am fully prepared for the upcoming challenges. Sailing offshore is in many ways safer than life ashore, and in many ways less so. I am acknowledging the dangers, and finding ways to minimize unnecessary risk.
On another note, I have two new important supporters:
Remote Medical International has agreed to provide a custom medical kit for my needs at sea. This will be really important in case of emergency, and could very well save my life when I am weeks away from the nearest port.
Beam Communications has signed on to provide my communication and tracking system at sea. This includes a sat phone and free call time to keep in touch with friends, family, supporters, media, etc. The racking system will send my position from the boat hourly, and will be set up to this site so you can see exactly where I am at any given time. They also will give me a back up battery so if all other electronics fail, I can still call and let everyone know I'm alright.
I had been hoping to leave in early September, but it looks like a more likely date will be early October. This will allow more time for careful preparation and to do more sea trials off the Washington, British Columbia coast. Although its not quite the roaring forties, the 'graveyard coast' offers challenges of its own like rocks and fog.
Cheers,
Ryan