Southern Cross

[Howard Rice]

Re: Southern Cross

The Voyage of Southern Cross blog has been updated.

http://thepocketyacht.blogspot.cl

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[amish rob]

Re: Southern Cross

Howard,
Best wishes. I wish for peace and calm for your would and mind. Remember that stress is very destructive, and you will be under enough without imposing any yourself.

Enjoy this adventure. It sounds to be starting of exactly as adventures should!

Peace, Love, and Luck
Robert

[watson1990]

Re: Southern Cross

In your phot of your "STACK O" STUFF " you are bringing,I didn't see a set of golf clubs !! otherwise , i wish you well and i hope you [ or someone ] will keep us updated

[Daniel Noyes]

Re: Southern Cross

curious about the "running shrouds", and associated gear, how do they work? like running back stays? I am considering running backs for my Centennial build, Johnson did not have them, he just had a single set of shrouds... but the running backs would just be a double purchase to a cleat.

[Howard Rice]

Re: Southern Cross

Thanks. I also believe in peace of mind. I am practicing patience in all I do during the coming months. To not do so would invite trouble.

Howard,
Best wishes. I wish for peace and calm for your would and mind. Remember that stress is very destructive, and you will be under enough without imposing any yourself.

Enjoy this adventure. It sounds to be starting of exactly as adventures should!

Peace, Love, and Luck
Robert

[Howard Rice]

Re: Southern Cross

Thanks
Looks like the web site Below40south.com is going to post occasional updates. John Welsford will be penning them.

In your phot of your "STACK O" STUFF " you are bringing,I didn't see a set of golf clubs !! otherwise , i wish you well and i hope you [ or someone ] will keep us updated

[Howard Rice]

Re: Southern Cross

curious about the "running shrouds", and associated gear, how do they work? like running back stays? I am considering running backs for my Centennial build, Johnson did not have them, he just had a single set of shrouds... but the running backs would just be a double purchase to a cleat.

Hi Daniel

In the photo below you can see the running shrouds in use. If you look at the head sail luff tension you can see it is tight. The "running shrouds" (I call them that for lack of a better term, not true running back stays I figure due their location) sole purpose is to offer head stay tension. Each operates off of a small winch with integrated handle and a cam cleat for instant release. Running backstays would have been an issue to set up after each tacking maneuver and they would have been to far aft causing potential issues. So I have the running shrouds rigged through bronze turning blocks leading to the winches. Should I crack off down wind and the boom become pinned against a shroud I can quickly blow the shroud. As you can imagine in heavy air a boom forced against a fixed shroud could cause a capsize.

I have also added a few photos from here in Punta Arenas and a shot of the film poster. John Welsford and David Nichols have partnered up and are producing a documentary about my voyage. They have set my boat up with gopro cameras and I have agreed to shot film as best I can for delivery to them after the trip. Good on these guys for teaming up to make a small boat film and particularly one about a wooden boat.
There will be updates available for anyone interested on the Below 40 South web site- Below40south.com
Hope this helps.

Note:
I am now on the Strait of Magellan and yesterday purchased fresh food and loaded it aboard. This means I am hours away from setting sail. It has been a long development process.

Have a vision, decide on a boat design, build it, equip it, test it, ship it to one of the most remote places on the planet and then go for a sail. I did this all out of pocket and of course with so many friends pitching in to lend a hand. I am not the film, meaning I have no ability to gain anything from it. I just figured why not help John and Dave with the making of a film for wooden boat folks and for anyone else who might benefit by my experience.

I have been using the voyage to engage with three elementary schools over the past year and have done a number of live stream classroom lessons, I have one at 3pm today. I will be staying in touch with the three school groups via sat phone while I sail. Seems hundreds of 4th and 5th grade students are inspired and the teachers find the voyage to be a great teaching tool as the experiences of the small boat sailor touch on math, geography, science, culture, etc.

Glad to be a part of inspiring young minds. I had a teacher (5th grade) who changed the course of my life through inspiration to get out and live life as an adventure. Reckon if I am not giving then I am taking so I try to do a small part.

This will be my last post here for in a matter of hours I set sail south.

Thanks to all who have endured my posts here.


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Photo-Deb Colvin
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Punta Arenas Chile- Strait of magellan in the back ground.
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In she goes.


My current home
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The film poster- Produced by David Nichols and John Welsford

[Howard Rice]

Re: Southern Cross

To friends here and those whom I have not yet met.

Tomorrow in the early dawn I will set out on the high tide.

My time here is short and so I am taking this moment to say Thanks to all who have shared in my vision of sailing a small wooden boat south on the Strait of Magellan.

For the Woodenboat public record:
I am not voyaging in an under 12 foot wooden boat to prove a point or discover anything other than in myself. I am simply curious about the region and my insignificant place in it. If there is an underlying mission then it is to communicate with kids via tracking and sat phone with updates as I voyage. For the past year I have been communicating with school kids and have found meaning in doing so. They are excited and each group now has a chart of the region and will be following my progress. Both John Welsford and I have been conducting live stream classroom sessions while he was here in Chile, which I will follow up with sat phone calls as I can.

I am quite intrigued by the challenge of managing a small boat here as I believe small does not necessarily equate with unfit or unsafe. A sound small boat in conservative hands can do some amazing things, it's all about patience. I am employing a specific voyaging strategy based on a previous small boat experience I had south of here that worked very nicely. I have built my small wooden boat for this endeavor because I believe it's smart. I can also field repair a wooden boat far more easily than one of other materials.

I do find it unfortunate that some label me an idiot, fool, self serving, a publicity hound or that they simply don't support me or what I am doing. I believe its the boat size that trips them up. Well I haven't asked for support and I happen to believe in small boats as mentioned. Naysayers will be naysayers, every initiative taken on in life has them. Dissenting opinion is important and if seen in a positive light can actually help make what we do stronger.

I have only been public about my plans to help the Dave Nichols/John Welsford film initiative. I am also shooting film and turning it over to them on my return, simple as that. I suppose going public means one must be ready for what comes with the territory of public scrutiny.

I have not asked for sponsorship yet at the same time I recognize how great it is that so much has been offered to me by those friends who perhaps see a grain of value in what I am doing or hope to make my voyage a little safer. I hope their lives are an iota richer because of this and I am thankful for each and every one of them.

Perhaps there is something of value in trying and even failing. I figure many folks just don't try. I may not get further than a mile out of Punta Arenas, who knows. The joy for me is in the doing and not the end result.

Big boat sailors voyaging in the remotest places on the planet are rarely labeled as stunt hounds. I just happen to believe that for this part of the world a small boat makes good sense. I may lack some creature comforts afforded by larger boats but I can also sleep well at night knowing I am tucked tight in a small cove or up on land somewhere and not hanging on hope at anchor as williwaws roar down out of the mountains.

There are many paths up the mountain of wisdom and freedom of expression. I respect them all as long as they are pure of heart and do not harm others. To each his own. I thank everyone here who has shown interest and perhaps gleaned even an ounce of inspiration from my little project.

Life is full of dangerous moments and risk. I believe the biggest risk of all is avoiding change and challenge. Frozen by fear many of us are not living out our dreams deferring them to someday. This is life and not a rehearsal, I figure it's best to get on with it, whatever our particular it is.

With respect to all from the SV Southern Cross.
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[Daniel Noyes]

Re: Southern Cross

looking good, Bon' Voyage!

just noticing in this last shot... (at her garboards) Scamp has a Clipper Bow

[David G]

Re: Southern Cross

I'll say it again Howard: Vaya con Dios!

[gilberj]

Re: Southern Cross

You go Howard. All the best. Your approach to it, and your voyage are inspiring to a lot of us. Looking forward to updates.

[JimD]

Re: Southern Cross

Good luck and bon voyage.

[Garret]

Re: Southern Cross

Yes indeed! Fair winds - well at least as fair as one can expect where you are!

[Peter Lord]

Re: Southern Cross

Howard, all the best and bon voyage. This whole venture is inspiring.
Peter

[Canoe]

Re: Southern Cross

I also wish you good weather and peace of mind, it seems you and your boat are well prepared so GO FOR IT!!

Greetings from wintery Germany,

Alan.