One Girls Ocean Challenge

September 28, 2019

Ahoy there! Tim here, posting an update from Diane. It’s been a while… Good to see Diane offshore again.

On the weekend Diane was at Universal Marina, up the Hamble river, just below the bridge. Lots of jobs to get done as always with boats. Ryan and Diane are bending on the cruising main. Yep, that’s a big sail.

A whole lotta cruising main to hoist!

And Ryan needs to get part way up the mast before hoisting the sail: Diane is grinding.

Diane grinds a halyard to get Ryan partway up the mast.

One little problem. Depth is showing an error message. Key piece of intelligence needed, and not just for going down river to get out of Southhampton. Plus we got some new things: lifering and storage bins. We are very close to going.

September 23, 2014

Look what arrived perfectly in time for my flight! #HellyHansen

It’s the AEGIR Race Jacket and  Skagen Offshore Bib Pants

At the last minute I was able to set up a training run for after my trip to the Canaries via Malta and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.  Pip is doing the Transat Jaques Vabres and I will get to do a training run with Pip to bring the IMOCA 60 back to England from Brazil after her race!  6000 Miles from Brazil to England double handed!  #feelalive !  We leave Brazil early November as soon as Pip has finished the TJV and should arrive to England early December….But to do it right, I need to have the right gear and some awesome inspiring food!

Seems for the first time I will be super warm and dry with my @hellyhansen gear.  I’ve tried many brands over the years but never seen the results like I am seeing with HH.  Even in my Mini sailing days I always had to bring a spare set of fowlies and had to devise a way to dry out my gear for when it soaked through.  This time as we approach the cold temperatures of England in December I will be warm and dry!!!

The other thing that keeps you warm is food.  Not just a warm cup of tea or a warm pot of freeze dried, but specifically a warm well calorie and taste managed bag of scrumptiousness.

A few years ago I was wandering the boat show in Montreal.  As is often the case, there was a company offering food samples.  Well, as a sailor you know you never turn down food!  So I stopped and tried some food in a pot.  It was good…..really good.  I started chatting up the owners and what I thought was some kind of catering company was actually a freeze dried food company!  All I had seen was the pot cooking on the single burner and went in for the taste test.  I was super impressed with the taste.  But I wanted an unbiased second opinion.  So I sent in my friend for a taste test to get their opinion.  They came back saying “Oh wow, this is fantastic!  I never would have guessed it was freeze dried food!”  I was sold, but I didn’t have any upcoming adventures at the time.  A year later I came across them again and since then have been building a nice little relationship with HappyYak.  On a boat it is easy to get cold, wet and demoralized.  The Hungarian in me knows that good food not only generates energy and warmth but it also generates peace of mind.  Thirty days at sea is no easy task on a 6o footer.  I’m looking forward to doing it with good calories, good taste and good karma in my food!  Thanks Happy Yak!

Diane

Sept 5, 2019

Two fantastic adventures on the horizon to pack for.  First up is an education opportunity.  I love teaching people how to sail and how to be better sailors so they can love sailing just as much as I do.  Next week I will be in Kingston teaching two groups cruising on a 30′ cruiser.  A little fun dodging through the islands, playing with current and sitting on anchor at night and watching the world go by. My entire bag of gear can fit in this 50L Helly Hansen bag.  The only thing not in the bag is my fowlies.  The other two bags are teaching equipment.  Let’s see how big a bag my students bring!

Then the action is going to really ramp up.  30′ is going to grow into 60′ and a little 2000 Mile run from England to the Mediterranean for the RORC Middle Sea Race.  Challenger is a Volvo 60′.  She is a great old boat and a fine example of if you take care of your ride, your ride will take care of you. This reminds me of the line in Master and Commander.  She’s a fine boat….in her prime. With older boats (or boats in their prime), comes a completely different approach to sailing than something you may jump on to charter.  Challenger is a simple boat that only has the things she needs….good old hard core sailing!  No autopilot, vast galley, showers, cabins, microwaves…….  Just good old tough proper sailing.

The adventure begins!

Diane