Over the past weeks we have been working as hard as ever to get this voyage on the water. Work is full steam ahead and I have high hopes we will be able to secure a main partner real soon.
Preparations for the journey are taking place in several different ways. First and foremost I am still sailing as much as possible and getting out on the water for training at every opportunity. Right now, that means logging crossings of the Straight of Juan de Fuca between the Olympic Peninsula and the San Juan Islands or Vancouver Island. I also plan on making a few more ocean crossings before taking on the big one so there is no question as far as experience is concerned.
As I've mentioned earlier, running on renewable, clean power is an extremely important part of the voyage. It is the way of the future and is the only way for me to generate electricity offshore without hauling massive amounts of fuel. So, my electricity will be generated by wind, solar and water.
Recognizing that solar would play a part in this, Flexcell (a manufacturer of flexible solar modules) will be partnering with the voyage by providing the necessary solar modules. They did the same thing with three of the boats in the last Vendee Globe, so I know I can trust their products to work in the rough southern ocean waters. You can check them out at flexcell.com.
I would also like to wish fair winds to Jessica Watson who left Sydney recently on her own global voyage.
We are working out all kinds of great ideas to incorporate into the voyage, which I will be announcing in the near future.
Thanks everyone for keeping in there though the long process of getting the funding and making the voyage happen.
All the Best,
Ryan
I just got back from the sailing trials on my family's 33 foot sloop to Southern British Columbia. The solo sail back across the straights of Juan de Fuca from Sidney to Port Angeles was a great sail. Sailing across the straights is a relatively short passage, but a solo sailor should never let distance be deceptive. If caught out in the wrong time you can get hit by nasty weather quite suddenly. At 48 degrees north sailing exposed to the cold waters of the north pacific can be quite exciting at times!
It started with a very calm wind coming from directly ahead. The autopilot was acting temperamental and seemed determined to steer the boat into James Island so I took the wheel for a while. Once into the straights the wind began increasing steadily until it reached about thirty knots. The autopilot worked after some adjustments so I was able to work on other tasks aboard.
All would be fine except the wind came from straight ahead and it was a long slow beat into the cold wind. For those of you who don't sail, going upwind as opposed to downwind is like the difference between fighting up a hill and coasting down it on a bike. You have to fight for every mile. In addition, the motion is much greater aboard and life becomes tiled as the boat is pushed over by the wind and waves. However, I was as happy as ever because this was the training I was looking for.
I made it into Port Angeles just as darkness began to fall. The only mishap was that one of the lines had wrapped around the prop but that was cut free with a knife attached to a boat hook.
The Timmissartok foundation has been very kind with their support of the voyage so I would like to thank them here. You can visit their site at timmissartok.com.
I am busy preparing to talk to the next potential sponsor so that's all for now.
Cheers,
Ryan
I have gotten a bunch of emails recently about some problems with the blog not showing all of the recent posts. I apologize for not all of them getting to the website recently. It seems that they were not saved before being published to the site, and I did not think to check the published version right away.
We are still working away at funding and sailing as much as possible in the beautiful waters of the Pacific Northwest. I will soon be leaving for some more training in southern British Columbia. I am still working at studying celestial navigation which is quite interesting and will provide a back up navigation method while at sea.
It seems all kids want to do today is sail around the world. When I first began planning the trip full time it was years before anyone else announced similar plans.
When Michael Perham finished sailing across the Atlantic, he announced plans to circumnavigate and Zac Sunderland had the same ambition two years later. This year Jessica Watson came up with the same idea and now others are following suit including a 13 year old, Laura Dekker, who is dealing with issues with the Dutch Government because of her age.
At first it may seem that the other sailors would be unwanted competition, but I don't feel that way at all. Young people need to get out there and experience the world----- for me it is fantastic to know that so many are going for their dreams.
As for my voyage, there is more interest all the time. I am working out ways to share the voyage through newspaper and magazine articles as well as video. We are currently working with renewable energy companies for sponsorship and to promote a sustainable future. This looks to be a promising place to get sponsorship, so keep your fingers crossed!
I thank everyone for their help and for now,
Fair Winds,
Ryan
There have been a lot of questions recently about all aspects of the trip. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to answer all of them, but fortunately many of them are similar. Here's answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
Why sail around the world?
Sailing around the world is the ultimate challenge that a solo sailor can take on. Crossing oceans gives one great satisfaction at having achieved traveling great distances on a craft propelled by the wind. Circumnavigating the planet nonstop is a tremendous feat that takes a great deal of persistence and drive to achieve. Sailing around the world gives me the opportunity to promote a sustainable future with the boat as a perfect example of living simply and self contained. It also gives me the chance to encourage other young people to get out in the world and live life. Today's youth are tomorrows leaders and sitting behind a TV is a bad way to train for making a difference in the world! Most importantly, I am circumnavigating to prove to myself that the world really is round!
How long have you planned the trip? Were you inspired by Zac Sunderland or Michael Perham?
I have been dreaming of sailing across the oceans for over ten years (a long time at my age) and had been planning this voyage full time for two years before I heard of Zac or Micheal's attempts. Unlike their voyages that are financially supported by their families, I have had to raise all the resources for my trip exclusively through sponsorship. Naturally, the voyage timing coincided with the worst economic disaster since the great depression. Fortunately, I have still had the help of thousands of people all over the world. Michael and Zac were both driven by the same dream of sailing around the world as I am and I think their voyages are extraordinary. In the end records are not important, our voyages are about going for a dream and keeping at it until we have found our own success.
Why have you chosen to sail through the southern ocean rather than the much easier trade wind route?
The Southern Ocean is the most remote and expansive stretch of water on the planet. In every way, it is much more challenging to sail through than the warm waters found to the north. In addition to the cold, icebergs, ships and great distances between safe ports, the southern ocean has some extreme weather to deal with. Waves travel all the way around the globe without land to stop their progress. When they combine with one of the storms moving east through the roaring forties and furious fifties, they can reach alarming heights. For me, sailing around the world is about taking on these challenges that are both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Traveling nonstop means everything has to withstand months of wear without a refit and all repairs must be made at sea. Sailing the Southern Ocean route will also mean experiencing nature as few people ever get to do and will allow me to sail through the greatest liquid wilderness on earth.
What kind of weather do you expect to encounter during the voyage?
Weather at sea is an extremely complicated and it takes a great deal of knowledge to make the best decisions for routing your way across the oceans of the world. I have spent a lot of time studying weather and learning what to expect, and fortunately, I will have the help of Ocean Marine Nav. to strategically route my way around the world. Bob Jones has kindly agreed to provide routing for the voyage so we can make the best decisions when sailing through the roaring forties as well as the kinder but sometimes frustrating winds of the tropics.
Why is it taking so long?
Taking on such a expedition naturally means that all kinds of challenges will be met underway. Raising the funds for this trip has been a long and difficult path. Over the years I have been in touch with almost two thousand companies about supporting the voyage. For even the most accomplished adventurer or athlete obtaining sponsorship is an extreme challenge. For a teenager looking to take on the world alone, most companies don't take you seriously. However, with persistence amazing things can be done. The amount of support for the voyage and interest in the journey is incredible. I do not like to preach what is always said but you really can do anything if you are truly committed to it. I am 100% committed to making this voyage happen so look out Cape Horn, I'm coming!
How will you manage the solitude?
Alone at sea there will always be things to keep me busy. Along with keeping the boat in one piece and moving in the right direction there will be navigation, cooking (try making canned food look appetizing for eight months!), making repairs, reading, communication, writing, and all kinds of other things to do. The boat will be set up with the latest in communication equipment and this will allow me to keep in touch with friends, family, press and those following the trip. Compared to the challenges of solitude in the past, the wonders of satellites have allowed modern sailors to keep up with the outside world much easier!
Hi Everyone!
I've kept busy since my return from the crossing with the thousands of tasks necessary pull this trip together. Most recently, this has been working away at sponsorship as always and a whole menagerie of other jobs such as getting my radio license, catching up on emails, schooling, studying weather, getting equipment, contacting people and businesses and finalizing plans for the voyage among countless other things. I am making sure to get out on the water and train as much as possible as well because nothing replaces sea miles for readying oneself to take on the world.
I've been touch with the builders of Contessa 32 sailboats who have been a great source of information, since that is the design I will be using for the voyage. Many people are wondering why I will be using such a small vessel for the voyage, but the reason I have chosen a Contessa 32 is because of their ingenious design and fantastic reputation. Contessa's have been sailed around the world many times and have made it through the worst weather on the planet unscathed. For a modest displacement boat with a 24 foot waterline they are quite fast and are also vessels that can easily be single handed in any conditions.
Nine boats were entered in the first round the world yacht race in 1968 including many radical new boats that incorporated the latest technology into their designs. Most of these vessels had countless problems with the integrated systems onboard and had to stop for one reason or another. In the end, the only boat that made it around was the 32 foot wooden ketch Suhali sailed by Robin Knox-Johnston. This is one great example of how seaworthiness and strength is much more important than size.
I am working with the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies to see how I can help out with their work while sailing through the remote parts of the Southern Ocean where humans rarely pass. The ocean at the bottom of the planet is a huge place and parts of it are hardly visited at all. The institute is performing studies to better understand the Southern Ocean's role in the Global Climate System, so it will be awesome to be able to do my part to help out with this effort.
That's all for now, I must get back to work!
Cheers,
Ryan
I've just returned yesterday from the Honolulu to Newport Beach, California passage aboard Ragtime. The trip was great and it was fantastic to be able to make the crossing on such a well known boat with great crew.
Due to the forecast at the time of departure, we were able to make the passage more direct for California rather than head due north as is usually required. Having said that, we still had quite an uphill battle, as we had headwinds almost the entire trip. Ragtime is designed as a fast downwind racer, so beating upwind meant relatively slow (for a raceboat) progress and a lot of slamming into the waves.
Many people would imagine that sailing across the oceans on a 65 foot sailboat would mean a luxurious cruise. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case as Ragtime is well known to be a 65 foot boat with the interior of a 25 foot weekend cruiser. She was built for speed not comfort, and considering that she was finished in 1966, Ragtime has not done bad at all and is still winning races such as the Sydney Hobart and the Tahiti Race.
Since boxed and canned food at sea can become quite tiresome after a while, we tried our luck at fishing during the crossing. Before leaving Honolulu, we stocked up on some high quality fishing gear in hopes of supplementing our diet at sea with some fresh fish. Luck was not with us however, and we made the entire crossing without catching a thing. It was a pity because we were all looking forward to a change from canned food and the usual sailing grub.
We did encounter one gale about two thirds of the way across, but most of the trip consisted of relatively light winds. Since it was a delivery, and we were on a schedule, that meant that we had to motor a bit.
Here's a few pictures of the trip and I will be sure to post some more when I get them all organized.
I am continuing to prepare for the voyage and work on the sponsorship.
Cheers,
Ryan
It's been a while since the last update so I will take the opportunity to let you all know what's happening.
I have continued to talk to sponsors and others interested in the trip. It is amazing to have so much interest and support coming from all over the planet.
I talked to Zack Smith with Fiorentino Para anchors and they have kindly agreed to provide both a sea anchor and a drogue for the voyage.
A sea anchor is a parachute like device that is attached to the bow during a storm. This keeps the boat in a safe position to the waves and allows them to pass without damaging the vessel. The sea anchor is sure to get a lot of use in the southern ocean and I will be lucky to have the best equipment to use.
Another technique to use in a storm is to run downwind with the weather but this can pose a few problems. When you run with the storm the boat can pick up speed and surf along the wave out of control. For a boat not designed for surfing this can cause the vessel to get knocked down or to broach. However, a small boat sailor can deploy a drogue to solve this problem. A drogue is very similar to a sea anchor but it is deployed from the stern of the boat and is used when running downwind with the storm. When the boat picks up speed this slows her down considerably and lets the waves pass safely.
On another note I am preparing to join the crew of Ragtime on the sailing passage from Honolulu to Los Angeles. To sail between these two points you usually end up sailing far to the north of a straight line to get the most favorable conditions passing around the North Pacific High.
Many people imagine the high to be a permanent weather system allowing sailors to be slingshot to their destination. In reality it is constantly changing position and you have to position yourself in just the right place for getting ideal conditions. If you get too close to the center of the high you can find you can find yourself becalmed for days at a time. On the other hand if you are too far away you can lose the favorable wind or get stuck in a low coming from the north.
I look forward to testing my navigational skills on the passage and getting a taste of some exciting North Pacific weather!
All the best,
Ryan
For those following other young solo sailors, Zac Sunderland and Micheal Perham (both around 17 years old) happened to be in Cape Town, South Africa at the same time for a while which is quite ironic considering they are both sailing completely different routes around the world. Interestingly, Minoru Saito, a sailor from Japan who is attempting to become the oldest circumnavigator also stopped in South Africa for a while and they all enjoyed sharing a few yarns. The press has had their excitement too!
Michael was attempting a nonstop circumnavigation aboard his open 50, but equipment failure has forced him to stop three times so far. This is one example where having simple but reliable systems on board would be much better than trusting temperamental electronics. He is however continuing to sail his boat into the Roaring Forties soon.
Well, I worked like mad to get everything ready for the delivery from New Zealand to Hawaii. It took a lot of effort to get the necessary details taken care of with flights, schooling, communication, etc., but it looked like everything was falling into place. That is until shortly before departure when we discovered that my passport was no longer valid. This may be a minor problem for most, but not so much for a sixteen year old who was due to fly alone one way to New Zealand.
There was actually some chance with getting an expediter to take care of the details and issue an emergency passport, but that fell through when they sent the wrong form and there was no time to get it all taken care of before departure. That was that.
Despite these challenges, there is hope to join leg two of this delivery from Honolulu to LA on the same boat. This would mean not sailing as far, but the route would still offer some challenges. Sailing from Hawaii to the mainland, one has to go over the North Pacific High, and this usually means passing over Forty degrees north where some exciting weather can be experienced. There is also a tendency for storms to develop off the coast of California, which could make for a wet arrival.
In the mean time I will continue working with sponsors and hopefully fit in a few sailing days as well.
Cheers,
Ryan
I'm due to head down to New Zealand in a week or so to help sail a boat 5,000+ miles from Auckland to Honolulu. This is another delivery with Brian Caldwell, and I am very thankful for him inviting me to sail with him again. This trip will start at the edge of the Roaring Forties, so we van expect some more extreme weather this time!
The boat we will be sailing is Ragtime, a Spencer 65 which was built in New Zealand in the 1960's. At the time, she was one of the most innovative boats, and is a bit of a legend in her homeland. She went straight from construction to offshore racing, and made some incredible victories over the years. She has sailed in 15 transpac races, more than any other boat, and is still winning against boats 40 years younger. Most recently, Ragtime sailed the race from LA to Tahiti in 10 days corrected time!
It will be fantastic to be back on the water, especially on such a great boat! That's all for now, but I will keep you updated as plans progress.
Fair Winds,
Ryan
In the time since returning from the crossing to Hawaii it has been all work; mainly continuing the search for sponsorship, but also training for the voyage and catching up on schoolwork.
As always I am inspired by the many people who have offered their time and resources to helping get this voyage on the water. I may sail alone, but this journey is possible only because of the many people involved.
I am proud to announce two new sponsors: Hire a Boat New Zealand who kindly donated two EPIRBs and Urban Green Energy who are signing on as a main green energy sponsor. The EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacons) are one essential item that every sailor hopes to never use. In case of disaster the EPIRB sends a signal that is picked up by satellites and informs the Coast Guard of your position. This technology is now reliable to within a few yards of the boat's position and has saved many sailors who would otherwise have surrendered to the deep.
Urban Green Energy is a company dedicated to promoting wind power---very relevant to my voyage as I will travel all the way around the planet propelled exclusively by the wind. Other environmentally friendly companies are encouraged to become involved in the carbon neutral lap of the world.
I hope you all are enjoying a great start to the New Year!
Fair Winds,
Ryan Langley
