Joined
·
407 Posts
Episode #1: Painting a mast with Awlgrip Awlcraft 2000 paint. Our story begins here.
Paragon's North Atlantic Adventure
1 - 20 of 53 Posts
Joined
·
407 Posts
Paragon's North Atlantic Adventure #2: Replacing the Rigging
Episode #2: Replacing the Rigging
Join us during our refit of Paragon prior to pushing off from North Carolina. Today we started replacing all of the standing rigging. Every shroud and stay on Paragon has a Norseman fitting on each end. Norseman fittings are used to attach the wire to the turnbuckle, and they are reusable. In this week's episode, we removed and disassembled a Norseman fitting, measured an cut new wire, and started the assembly process.
These are the adventures of the 42 foot sailing vessel Paragon. Join us as we voyage over 6000 nautical miles from North Carolina to Iceland and explore many exciting ports along the way.
Thank you for sailing with us,
Drake and Monique
s/v 'Paragon' (Westsail 42)
Episode #2: Replacing the Rigging
Join us during our refit of Paragon prior to pushing off from North Carolina. Today we started replacing all of the standing rigging. Every shroud and stay on Paragon has a Norseman fitting on each end. Norseman fittings are used to attach the wire to the turnbuckle, and they are reusable. In this week's episode, we removed and disassembled a Norseman fitting, measured an cut new wire, and started the assembly process.
These are the adventures of the 42 foot sailing vessel Paragon. Join us as we voyage over 6000 nautical miles from North Carolina to Iceland and explore many exciting ports along the way.
Thank you for sailing with us,
Drake and Monique
s/v 'Paragon' (Westsail 42)
Joined
·
407 Posts
video: Disassembling, cleaning, and greasing sailboat rigging turnbuckles.
Joined
·
407 Posts
In this week's episode, we finished assembling our first shroud.
Joined
·
23,468 Posts
Any update on how you and Mo are making out in Iceland? I understand the winters there aren't really any more harsh than New England. Have you traveled to the States at all and is there much to keep busy (other than boat/video work). What is the window to head out?
Joined
·
407 Posts
Hi Minnewaska, we flew back to the US to visit friends and family and right now are in wonderfully warm Houston, Texas. A good friend in Iceland is taking care of Paragon while we are away. We plan to return to the boat in a few weeks and look forward to cruising the north coast of Iceland in April, then to the Faroe Islands, and we're not 100% sure of where we will sail to next. Norway, Ireland, England... but we'll figure it out.
I have been working full time on editing our videos, and we've got a great one coming up this Tuesday of Mark the rigger and I replacing the head stay inside the jib ProFurl roller furler. We've also been busy upgrading to better video and audio equipment, and buying many other things for the boat. We'll have 4 huge bags in cargo on the planes back to the boat!
We've also started publishing 2 videos every week, on Tuesday and now Thursdays too.
Joined
·
23,468 Posts
Love the vids. Glad to hear you're back in the States to warm a bit. New England has been frigid this year. Coldest I remember in decades.
All the best with the four bags, sounds like a ton of work.
All the best with the four bags, sounds like a ton of work.
Joined
·
407 Posts
Replacing the headstay wire inside the Profurl roller furler.
Joined
·
267 Posts
Hi Drake,
I noticed that you have adverts in the front end of some of the videos. If we watch through the advertisement, do you get more money? If you do I'll happily sit through them, very small price to pay for your great vid's. Normally I just click "skip ad" after the 5 or so second required run off, but if that's costing you I'll stop.
Your videos are truly professional quality these days and I can imagine the amount of time you spend editing and producing. Hopefully you can get back some of the investment in time and money in the production of these videos. I know you don't do this primarily to make money from it, but with the quality and quantity of videos you are producing now, you might get enough of a following to make pressing some DVD's or Vimo type distribution a possibility.
Lin and Larry are selling their boat and may be kind of retiring from cruising. Might Drake and Monique be the heirs apparent??
I noticed that you have adverts in the front end of some of the videos. If we watch through the advertisement, do you get more money? If you do I'll happily sit through them, very small price to pay for your great vid's. Normally I just click "skip ad" after the 5 or so second required run off, but if that's costing you I'll stop.
Your videos are truly professional quality these days and I can imagine the amount of time you spend editing and producing. Hopefully you can get back some of the investment in time and money in the production of these videos. I know you don't do this primarily to make money from it, but with the quality and quantity of videos you are producing now, you might get enough of a following to make pressing some DVD's or Vimo type distribution a possibility.
Lin and Larry are selling their boat and may be kind of retiring from cruising. Might Drake and Monique be the heirs apparent??
Joined
·
407 Posts
Installing the Bowsprit, Stepping the Mast, and Hauling Out.
Joined
·
23,468 Posts
Any insight into why you chose Oriental and Sailcraft? They seem great, I'm just curious. Price, service, skill level, location? They seem to allow you to live aboard and DIY at will, that must also be a factor.
Your refit must have cost a fortune. I would think the bowsprit alone would ruin my day. If I recall, it was damaged by the joker you towed to Bermuda. I meant to go check this past season to see if she was still abandon in Newport harbor and forgot.
Love the vid. Once again.
Your refit must have cost a fortune. I would think the bowsprit alone would ruin my day. If I recall, it was damaged by the joker you towed to Bermuda. I meant to go check this past season to see if she was still abandon in Newport harbor and forgot.
Love the vid. Once again.
Joined
·
407 Posts
A tour of Paragon's Hull while in the travel lift just before launching in the water.
Joined
·
407 Posts
Pushing off from Oriental, NC to Begin our 6000 Nautical Mile Voyage
Joined
·
11 Posts
great video
Joined
·
407 Posts
Hi Minnewaska,
Thanks!
I first went to Oriental because Paragon was for sale there. 2 months later I sailed to the Caribbean for the winter... I wanted to do some major renovations to Paragon and kept thinking that Oriental was a really nice town.. Many northbound and southbound cruising boats stop there, and many cruisers fall in love with the town and end up retiring there. The waters around Oriental are wonderful for local sailing, there's a small public anchorage and free dock, there are a few nice marinas, a west marine, a chandlery, two great boat yards, a marine consignment shop, and more than a few canvas shops. There are also freelancers in the area that do everything almost everything to do with boats welding, painting, carpentry, engine work. It's a very small and quiet town with only a few restaurants, a small grocery store and a Dollar General. The majority of the population is closer to retirement age. I met a lot of really nice people there and made some great friends, and I always felt very comfortable and welcome there.
I look forward to publishing an interview series of Don and D from s/v 'Southern Cross' in Oriental. Like me, they came to Oriental to do a major refit of their boat and one of my favorite parts of their interview is all about Oriental.
Happy sailing,
Joined
·
17,467 Posts
Drake - I just saw this. Are you still in Houston? Our boat is in Kemah and we will probably come down next weekend (14th). If you guys are around I'd love to meet you.Hi Minnewaska, we flew back to the US to visit friends and family and right now are in wonderfully warm Houston, Texas. A good friend in Iceland is taking care of Paragon while we are away. We plan to return to the boat in a few weeks and look forward to cruising the north coast of Iceland in April, then to the Faroe Islands, and we're not 100% sure of where we will sail to next. Norway, Ireland, England... but we'll figure it out.
I have been working full time on editing our videos, and we've got a great one coming up this Tuesday of Mark the rigger and I replacing the head stay inside the jib ProFurl roller furler. We've also been busy upgrading to better video and audio equipment, and buying many other things for the boat. We'll have 4 huge bags in cargo on the planes back to the boat!
We've also started publishing 2 videos every week, on Tuesday and now Thursdays too.
Joined
·
407 Posts
aw shoot! Hi Smackdaddy, we just got off the plane 5 minutes ago in Keflavik, Iceland! About to go through customs. It would be great to meet you someday!
Joined
·
17,467 Posts
Bummer! No worries. Just let me know when you back to this part of the world.
Have a great time and keep the awesome videos coming.
Your pal,
Steve
Joined
·
407 Posts
1 - 20 of 53 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!