Hi Everybody,
It’s been a busy time still trying to work everything out and get a lead sponsor for the upcoming journey. Fortunately, many people have been interested in the trip and it’s been wonderful to receive advice and encouragement from everybody.
In today’s world, it seems almost everything is accomplished trough some type of machine or electronic device, and one of the great things at sea on a sailboat is you travel using nothing but the winds and currents. To harness the wind and use it to propel you across oceans and around the world is a wonderful thing. With the world’s cities clogged with polluting cars and little accommodations for those who walk or bike, sailing is one of the best ways to get from one place to another without polluting or spending all your money on gas.
For those who wonder how I will navigate while at sea, I will be bringing a couple GPS units as well as a good old sextant. The main GPS will be connected to the boats electrical system, and will show my position as well as speed, distance, and other great information. The other GPS's will be back up for my main unit.
Since I don't want to rely on electronic equipment that can easily fail in the saltwater environment, I will use a traditional sextant as much as possible to find my position. This handy device measures the angle between the horizon and the sun or stars, which after some calculations can determine your position. That won't always be possible because of visibility or rough conditions, but whenever possible I will use the sextant to find my position.
When I head out, this site will be set up with a map that will show my hourly position. This will allow people to know where I am at any given time, and to gauge my progress as I sail into oblivion.
Yours for the Oceans,
Ryan