Atlantic crossing “West-Ost”: Only eight more days!

Dear Readers,

as you have already seen alone in the new design of the website, There are lots of news. I'll start up front:

Many a reader of YACHT is in recent months frequently dropped my name in the eye - I have certainly achieved a lot surprised mails, as it is because, I for some time in each issue emerging ... The explanation: After my studies in shipbuilding Kiel I moved to Hamburg, for some months where I'm doing a long-term internship at YACHT. An exciting and varied job, to the I - it should allow the global economy - would love to do more. As I have found myself writing makes any event a lot more fun, as constructing hatch covers on container ships.

News number two you have probably already experienced the new website: Almost three years after I had sold my Maverick in Charleston and have begun to return to Germany by plane, it should now be a second part of the adventure.

Just over one and a half years I have at Hanseboot 2007 Egmont Friedl met, whose nodes are sure some readers have book on the shelf. Egmont was on show at the YACHT as workshops on Rope-and sailor knots, I told the passing crowd of my journey on Maverick. We shared a micro.

Egi and I stayed in the same hotel, Room to Room. On the way to Mass every morning, he told me, that he had seen a few months ago-two Colin Archer-like boats in the U.S., but could not decide, which he would like to buy. One evening I heard him then call in the next room in English, a few minutes later there was a knock at my door: “Come, I'm inviting you to dinner. I have just bought a boat!”. He had a Westsail 32 decided. An incredibly sturdy and seaworthy boat.


A year passed. From time to time I received postcards from the first to the Probetörn “Gavdos” in the Chesapeake Bay, then from the Mediterranean, in which Egi with his second boat, an open Drascombe, according to the islands and ersegelt.

A few months ago I received an e-mail then with a great offer: “Atlantic west-east two-hand?”

On these pages you will be able in the coming weeks to follow our journey. And not only here - Egi is also on www.emf-sail.com an equivalent result logbook, so that you can experience the adventure of two angles.

At the 16. June, our plane to the United States. From then on there will be regular updates. But even in the last days before I will report on the preparations.

Across the Atlantic, we also have the opportunity, daily to send a new log entry. The company Smartsatcom, me already on my last transatlantic crossing (much to the delight of my parents!) was supplied with a satellite phone, also present us with a full set for this trip, including e-mail connection to the laptop available.

Marinepool is also back on board and provide us with a full package with giant sea- Clothing and harbor. But the install of the package was better than the presents at Christmas! 😉 Für die Atlantiküberquerung haben wir ein neuartiges Stretch-Ölzeug an Bord, which has already proved this past weekend on the Baltic Sea to be enormously convenient and waterproof.


Read how in recent weeks over again in the media was, to the majority of GPS satellites will soon be replaced due to aging. They are about 20 Years old, and when you think back, which computer generation ago 20 Years was currently reading, as you can imagine, that it is high time. Since the exchange is lagging a little behind schedule, The first satellite will now shot up in autumn, but be in orbit for three years should, may occur in the next five years to less accurate position information, because of the exchange is not enough satellites are in the sky at the same time. Therefore I would like on this trip in addition to handheld GPS again to remember the old times back and determine the positions of the Atlantic by sextant. To that end, I SVB Davies one sextant provided. In this photo you can see me in my room with dry runs. Is very simple, the sun to set on the roof of the house next door ...


Latest news is the, I have once more become recidivism:

Perhaps some people just read the cover story of the YACHT, in the above “Internet for sailors” was reported. In it, I gave my history with the boat purchase on Ebay for good. Even before the book was published, I was surfing the Internet via mobile phone, when suddenly an old Hurley 22 sailed across the screen. I offered - and got the same evening a text message from the auction house.


Since I am now the owner of a 1967 built Hurley 22, we “Fläckbäsh” have baptized, because it seemed to me like a flashback: Instead of, I again own, larger boat for a new journey around the world buy, to my boat again seem smaller and older are. In fact, there is still a lot to the boat to make, one remembers him at the age of. But it is a great base for trips across the Baltic Sea, I have so far only to “Southern Funen” know. For this fall and the coming summer 2010 So is exploring the Baltic areas planned, until I sometime back together can save a little bigger boat. Wilfried Erdmann was on a visit on board in Kopperby on the Schlei (my summer berth) certainly very impressed by the small boat: “If necessary, you can always put it off again.”




But first, it is now first on the “Gavdos” over the North Atlantic. I would be very happy, You like to welcome you aboard this website may!

Many greetings from Kiel,

John

P.S.: Is exciting to follow currently the site www.beluga-racer.de (Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme on their last leg to Portugal) and www.einhandsegeln.de (Uwe Röttgering with its great yacht FANFAN! during the OSTAR races to Newport).