Coastal cruiser does nonstop circumnavigation

[blt2ski]

Here is a C&P off the jeanneau owners site, with a link to a fellow that solo nonstop circumnavigation of the world. So for those that say it can not be done.......in a coastal cruiser............

Marty

Glad to see Marian at BYM has provided the recognition Alain deserves:

BYM Sailing & Watersports News

Unsung hero Alain Maignan finishes round the world epic

Thursday, 12 April 2007

Yesterday, saw the end of an epic voyage that went largely unnoticed by most of the sailing world, partly because communications were in French, but partly because Alain Maignan is a modest, no fuss sort of guy, who approaches gales and gear failures with equanimity, so writes about them without a rant, or a moan.
Alain left La Trinité sur Mer to sail solo round the world, on Saturday October 7, 2006, accompanied by the local lifeboat, a flotilla of small boats and two large launches carrying hundreds of well wishers.

Three days later, he went through the first of many gales he was to encounter, but his calm description left no impression of hazard. Even when, on the approaches to Cape Horn, he had to steer for 10 hours, under storm jib, in 40 knots, the only way you knew how tough it was, was because he mentioned that extreme tiredness could make you hallucinate and gave an amusing description of seeing a horse and cart on the water.

Every couple of days, this intrepid man sent back words and pictures, describing the conditions, the wild life, the litter on the seas, or some small aspect of ocean life for the benefit of French school children who were following his adventure.

When Alain crossed the finishing line, at 14h 24 yesterday, after 185 days 22 hours and 03 minutes at sea, the crowds that saw him off were there to greet their hero.

Now, if you’re thinking that 185 days isn’t exactly record breaking stuff you’re right, but Alain Maignan wasn’t in an Open 60, nor even an Open 40, he was in a Jeanneau Sun Rise 34 – the sort of mass produced family cruising boat that “armchair” round the world sailors and racers often sneer about. What’s more, the boat wasn’t prepared for the voyage by a specialist yard, every bit of work was done in Alain’s back garden, by himself and friends. Then there’s his web site, that was frequently updated again by volunteer friends, and is packed with stories. Take a look at Alain Maignan fait son tour du monde | alainmaignan.sportblog.fr, even if you don’t speak French, you’ll enjoy the pictures and it might inspire some people to stop talking about sailing exploits and get doing!

Marian Martin

[zumzum]

Look...there's thousands of boats that size making it all year round...

One Janeau makes it...and thats a reason for news coverage, no doubt!! no one believed it would do it...that just shows how bad they are, one does it...lets get the news

Imagine Hallber Rassy doing the same, every time one went around the World!!!

[PBzeer]

It's very often said, about any boat, that the boat can take more than the crew. This tale would seem to illustrate that. But, to be more accurate, I believe it's usually stated that that isn't the sort of boat one WOULD take for a cirucumnavigation, not that you can't.

Fortunately, this tale had a happy ending, otherwise, we would never have heard about it.

[hellosailor]

Marty?
"So for those that say it can not be done.......in a coastal cruiser............"

Has anyone on this forum ever said it cannot be done?
Has anyone at all said it cannot be done?

On the contrary, I think we all know that you can circumnavigate solo on a log with a junk sail made from a bedsheet, if your luck doesn't run out. The fact that he had to spend ten days on the helm and was hallucinating that way simply proves what many of us have also said:
That extended solo cruising is dangerous because you cannot keep a legally sufficient watch, if nothing esle.

Many lighter boats have made the trip safely, it is not news anymore. Nor is it news when they don't make it--because their luck hasn't been so good. Skills help, but they won't make up for luck once you go delusional from exhaustion.

[Mike244]

I've been Following Donna Lange since Ken Barnes lost his boat in a storm at Cape horn.

She's getting ready to be slammed by some pretty heavy stuff.

Donna Lange the Musician, the Sailor

Mike

[sailaway21]

Hear! Hear!
Well stated Hello

[Valiente]

I would rather do it in a beefed-up and safety-proofed coastal cruiser than in an Open 60, actually. He must be a hell of a sailor.

[sailingdog]

Donna Lange's boat, a Southern Cross 28 is a very seaworthy boat... and she seems to have taken great pains to outfit it properly and get herself up to the task as well.

Circumnavigations have been done in many improbable craft, but does that mean it is wise to do so... not really. In many cases, the reason they did well is they were lucky... and there have also been cases where someone picked a very suitable bluewater boat, spent the time getting it outfitted properly, had the skills and the training, and was never heard from again.

I think, in some ways, the reason you hear about the people making the journey in very improbable boats is that the gods do truly watch out for fools...

[Omatako]

This excerpt sort of puts the thing into some perspective. It's from John Vigor's writings and refers to his "black box" theory:

In 1986, when I started fitting out my own 31-footer, Freelance, for a voyage from Durban to the United States, I reduced the Fifth Essential to a simple system of accident prevention. In the Freelance corollary to the theory, every boat possesses an imaginary black box, a sort of bank account in which points are kept. In times of emergency, when there is nothing more to be done in the way of sensible seamanship, the points from your black box can buy your way out of trouble.
You have no control over how the points are spent, of course; they withdraw themselves when the time is appropriate. You do have control over how the points get into the box: you earn them. For every seamanlike act you perform, you get a point in the black box. Points come in so many ways it would be impossible to list them all. But I can send you in the right direction.
Let's say you're planning a weekend cruise down the coast, and time is precious. You have been wondering for some weeks if you ought to haul out the bosun's chair and inspect the masthead fittings. It has been a couple of years since you checked everything up there, but it would mean delaying your departure by an hour, maybe more, should you have to change a shackle or something.
If you finally give in to the nagging voice inside you and go aloft, you earn a point in the box. If you don't take that trouble, your black box will stay empty. If you sniff the bilges for fumes before pushing the starter button, you'll score a point, just as you will for taking a precautionary reef at nightfall or checking the expiration date on your rocket flares.
Thinking and worrying about what could happen is also a good way to earn points - if the wind started blowing into your quiet anchorage at 40 miles an hour and the engine wouldn't start, or whether you should put a couple of reefs in the mainsail before you climb into your bunk, just in case.

I found this a fascinating concept. If you want to have a better look at it, you'll find it here: Good Old Boat: Vigor's Black Box Theory by John Vigor

Cheers
AA

[sailingdog]

Andre-

I'm a big fan and believer in Vigor's Black Box theory....