Safety Matters

In addition to the sails, Phil also recently acquired some important safety equipment for Prairie Gold’s offshore adventures.

The first purchase was a life raft from Life Raft + Safety Equipment (LRSE) http://www.lrse.com/ located in Tiverton, RI. It was really interesting to see the life rafts that they had inflated in the back of the store, and to get an idea of what the rafts would look like once inflated.

A look at some of the large (50 person) rafts inflated at LRSE used commercially.

The raft Phil purchased is made by Winslow http://www.winslowliferaft.com/ and is the offshore ultralight 6-person life raft. As Phil said, it does seem a bit strange to invest in something that you never want to use! Good thing he and Dustin got a chance to try this one out!!

Dustin (left) and Phil (right) in the Winslow life raft at LRSE.

Phil also bought a para anchor which is used to dampen waves breaking on the boat by creating a flat, oil like slick on the ocean surface. This calms the slamming motion of waves against the boat, providing a more comfortable and safer boat ride.

Phil selected the off-shore para-anchor from Fioretiono http://www.paraanchor.com/pro.offsanchor.html.

A Sail for Every Occasion

Today – 83 days to go – we moved another step closer with the acquisition of our new sails. We went and picked up from Doyle sails http://www.doylesails.com/lofts/doylesailmakers/ a 90% genoa, an asymmetric spinnaker (see beneath) and a gale sail. These will add to the existing 135% genoa we already have as our headsail.

The spinaker spread out at Doyle sailmakers.

Taking a look at the spinnaker in the hallway at work! Check out that sock!!

Phil inspecting the storm sail.

Prairie Gold to go Offshore!

First we should start off by describing the main purpose of this blog: to document the anticipation, preparation and finally the expedition of the boat Prairie Gold and her crew on their first off-shore adventure together. Although Prairie Gold is a young boat (purchased by Phil and Yolande Haydon in November of 2008) she logged over 1200 nautical miles (nm) her first season, with her eager captain Phil, and first mate Yolande. Hence it only seemed a natural extension that in her second season she should undertake an approximately 1200 nm journey from the US East coast to Bermuda!

Picture of Prairie Gold sailing in the Boston Harbor.

Prairie Gold is named for the company in which Phil was a partner, called Prairie Technologies http://www.prairie-technologies.com/ which specializes in 2-photon microscopy systems. She is a Catalina 350 mkII, chosen by Phil as a cruising boat that would allow comfortable sailing both for coastal cruising with the opportunity for blue water sailing. She was purchased through Eastern Yacht Sales http://www.easternyachtsales.com/, in Hingham MA, and spends most of her nights at the Constitution marina The Constitution Marina, in Boston MA.

Sunset over downtown Boston during a night sail on Prairie Gold.

Her first off-shore or blue-water excursion will be as a part of the Bermuda cruising rally http://www.bermudacruisingrally.com/, which sails from Mitchell Park Marina in Greenport New York http://www.greenportvillage.com/mitchellpark.html to St. George's Harbour in Bermuda, docking there with Bermuda Yacht Services www.bermudayachtservices.com.

For this journey she will be directed by Capn’ Phil and crewed by Dustin and Rochelle Hines, and Phil’s wife and first mate Yolande (~85% convinced). Over the next 85 days until we set sail for Greenport Long Island we will document the preparation of Prairie Gold and her crew, and continue to document the rally thereafter. Hope that you enjoy these treasures from the Prairie Gold, and wishing you all fair winds, following seas, and long may your big jib draw!