Hi Miguel. Yes, and there is a racing division that even cruising boats can enter. In opting for that you will be scored on a handicap so as to make things more equal, but the competition is fierce. And there are a lot more breakdowns as crews push their boats to the limit. But the cruising division is probably 75% of the boats, and for these people (us) we are more interested in getting across the pond with as few maintenance issues as we can. However, I have to say that it's hard not to get into a race mentality once you start and I think if we were to do it again we'd press harder when the opportunities arose.
Great episode. Love watching the prep description as well as the actual sailing. Your channel gives an equal balance to maintenance and sailing. Great to watch. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Robert. We try to show the life for what it is. Lots of highs, and a few lows, but not too many. As long as you keep up with the maintenance thing seem to go okay.
Guys, for me this has taken me away from this damn lockdown. Bringing back memories of crossing the pond myself,(on a cruise liner) I have crossed three times now and would do it again in a heartbeat Thank You.
Hi Beverley. Happy to assist! Do the crossing was a bucket list item if ever there was one. We were absolutely stunned when we finally sighted land after 19 days (see next episode this Wednesday). So much fun, and thanks so much for being with us.
The guy with the blue polo is obviously a time traveller. I'm thinking the 80s with that turned up collar...☺ Joking..kind of. Looking forward to this passage..you guys have come a long ways from when some questioned your motor usage..lol. Always enjoyable viewing !
Hi Peter. I have to say that if there was a drawback to cruising the Med it was that there was so little wind much of the time. This wasn't the case in the Aegean, where the winds howl through the summer, but the main Spanish, French, Italian coasts, and Greek (Ionian) islands, can suffer from a lack of wind a lot of the time. And let me tell you, the Caribbean isn't like that at all. You don't get the history and the insane architecture of Europe, but you sure get good wind. 15-20 knot tradewinds 24/7, and if you want to sail it's only a matter of putting up the sails.
Thanks so much for explaining everything in a way that common people can understand. And the down to earth attitude of your team is so endearing. Wish you a safe and spirited journey ❤️❤️
You bet James. Our core viewers are actual sailors and people who aspire to do what we do, but a lot of others are friends and family that don't spend a ton of time on the water. And we really do want to have it make sense to everyone.
It wouldn't have been the same without you and Max. Wendy and I are so grateful for everything you guys did. If we ever do it again, you'll be first to get the call. BTW, keep some time open to visit us (with your girlfriend) this winter in the Caribbean.
We did. the start times were generally assigned, but a lot of other boats ran to the front early and it looked crazy from the back. It's a trip that takes weeks, so we really weren't in the mood to damage the boat before even leaving. What you're seeing was pretty calm in comparison and no different than any recreation race start. No close calls, so we were happy.
It was incredible. We really didn't take into account how many wives and family members would fly in to be there for the departure. The number of people at the marina swelled by double in the last couple of days. You had to make reservations at restaurants that were miles away in order to get a table during the last week. Amazing.
That Oyster really does look like she's made for this type of sailing. Oyster must be loving the positive exposure! We'll probably not be able to afford something like that and have to go the mass-produced route. I know they're perfectly capable but yours really seems in her element.
Oyster definitely follows our channel. For us, we opted to get an older Oyster since the brand supports investment. In other words, since what you're buying from a builder is the reputation, hull, and joinery (all else is hardware by others), some brands will hold relative value if kept up. Most of the bigger semi-custom brands like Oyster, Hallberg Rassy, Swan, Amel, etc. are this way, although Oyster is special. As for production boats, they do know how to build an offshore boat, it's just that they don't do it that often. X-Yachts, Grand Soleil, Elan, and older Dehlers might work. You can almost select by displacement, although I also have a spreadsheet if you need. The reason these differences are so distinct is that the average buyer doesn't need an oceangoing offshore boat. These buyers are coastal cruisers at best, entertaining guests and hopping from marina to marina, rarely if ever going outside the weather window.
Nice mellow start. I have the same pole setup for the genoa and inner forestay. It works really well. Our boats are quite similar although I have got a full batten main.
Hi Robert. Yeah, it started out with moderate winds, but in talking to other who've done the trip this is typical. But it fills in next episode, and then really fills in with episode three.
Hi Steve. Thanks so much. I think my favorite (for real) is coming up (Part 3). As I edit I'm forced to watch each episode multiple times. And I'm still watching the two upcoming ones just for fun. They really capture the moment, and I hope the viewers feel the same.
Loved the “Crossing” videos! In either Episode #106 or #107 Wendy mentioned that she was on night watch when she spotted the white buoy lights that stretched for more then a mile in the distance. Did you ever determine if this was a so called “Ghost” Drift Net or was there a large factory type fishing vessel also in the area that you may have spotted on radar? There are enough issues with crossing the Atlantic without having to also keep a lookout for unattended drift nets that could seriously affect your passage!
Hi Allen. We were off the coast of Africa and had been warned about the fishing boats, but were in fact unprepared for what we experienced, which appeared to be a minimum of 4 unlighted skiff type fishing boats towing miles of nets with flashing and solid lights every 20-30 meters. These became a sea of nets totally surrounding us. Eventually, we determined that we had to stop entirely to wait them out. Cruisers we met in the Canaries told us the game was to get you to foul their nets and then to demand money. But it seemed more like actual fishing, with the various boats somehow knowing each other and how far away they were from each other. One of the crazier passages.
Thank you for the detailed reply! I actually had a bad dream about this event “while sitting in the cockpit and having this evolve in pitch darkness”. Happy it came to a safe conclusion!
Call and change the airline reservations for one of her crew so they end up someplace far away. Then show up with your life vest and foul weather gear all ready to go. Who knows? It might work.
Hi David. Great to hear from you. We're trying to get a video out every week while we're back in the States. We'll see how things go once we're on the water. Got some good stuff coming up.
just figured out what made watching you is so great , Wendy is left handed, same as me and all the other magnificently talented people in the world , dont spread it around but LEFTIES can run the world and do it very quietly, cheers from Alister in Australia.
Hi Alister. Wendy is indeed a lefty. But in truth, lefties injure themselves much more often with things like power tools since they're always set up for a right handed world. But Wendy could definitely rule things. She's one of the smartest people I've ever met, and unfortunately knows it. Cheers to you as well.
Wasn't that awesome? It's the first and only fish we've ever caught. And after landing this one we really didn't want to put the lure back out lest we catch another. After 5 nights of Mahi Mahi, we were pretty done with it. But our taste for it returned once we were in the Caribbean.
This was a great episode Kevin. Do you think you really had something dragging on your keel at the start? It's very possible. Christian Williams put a gopro on a pole to check his bottom during his solo sail from LA to Hawaii and back. I look forward to your return. 🤝🤝👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Your friend from Syracuse New York
Hi Tom. It was odd because we'd never experienced anything like that. I had a lot more video but didn't want to belabor the point. But we had the engine run up to 1500 rpms in forward and still felt like nothing was happening. We were a bit worried that perhaps on of the blades of our feathering prop hadn't deployed properly, but later found out that that isn't possible. In the end I think we really did have a submerged bag of trash pressed against the leading edge of the keel. Once we reversed and started over, all was back to normal. As an aside, a lot of the boats have their hulls cleaned by local divers in Las Palmas prior to the start. Even a slightly cleaner hull makes a difference on such a long passage. Thanks so much for being with us.
I saw you sailing from the Canary Islands on a trip to the Caribbean) Forgot to ask where you ranked in the boat race in your class?) And according to tradition, greetings from snowy Russia) And 7 feet under the keel)
Another great video! I assume you have to extra crew to help out on watch etc? What do you do If someone has a heart attack or major medical emergency?
Hi Brett. Good question. For my Yachtmaster exam I had to take a marine oriented RYA First Aid class, which Wendy joined in for, so we both had recent CPR certifications. But when you get down to it, it's kind of scary to be that far away from help. If something like that happened, our first action would have been to email ARC Rally Control via our Iridium satellite system. We'd probably initiate a DSC distress Mayday call if we had imminent danger to life as well, but the range on VHF is low, like 20 miles. Once ARC control was notified of an emergency, they'd put the call out to the various navies and commercial traffic to see if something could be done. But in the end we'd probably be on our own until we got closer to land (within helicopter rescue distance).
Hi Kim. Since I try to answer all commenters honestly and with real responses, I'll do so here. We always get a few "thumbs down" on our videos. But there are also enough of these viewers that write to us of their discontent that I feel I can extrapolate. Mostly, these complaints fall into the category of constructive criticism, usually concerning wind noise in the videos. But the rest are almost 100% expressing envy, one of the seven deadly sins (it's deadly because it's toxic). Usually it has something to do with "rich people" lording their good fortune over the poor peasants, as if everything is about luck. But of course it's not like that in real life. The "peasants" are in fact small business-people who rely almost exclusively on tourism for their livelihoods, and are now in the process of living their worst nightmare, where through no fault of their own the business is closed or being ordered to function at half capacity while the majority of the tourists stay home. As for Wendy and I, neither of us were born to money. Yes, our families were middle class and somehow managed to send us to college, but as for buying a boat and setting off to sail the world, that was an operation that took decades of saving and planning. And for better or worse, we met relatively late in life and didn't feel we had the time left to raise a family. Believe me when I say that that was something that stung for Wendy (but it was a decision I left to her). Had we chosen to have kids there's no way we could ever afford what we're doing. I'll close by saying that I feel sad for the people who glibly degrade a free to watch TH-cam video put together by a couple just wanting to share their lives with family and friends. These are folks who undoubtedly are angry at the world and don't have any happiness in their lives. I suspect they spend most of their time in a chair watching airplane and train crash channels.
Hey Guys, I really enjoyed your episode and watching the catch of the large Mahi , one of my favorite fish dine on. I was wondering about how you found additional crew for the crossing, did you go to crew finder.com or some other place to find competent crew help. Robert North Star
Well first of all, if you need crew Luis will jump at the chance for long passages and especially a full time pro-skipper position. But for us it was simply that we'd met Max a couple of years earlier and kept in touch. He'd done the 2018 ARC and was asking us if we needed anyone. Luis is a friend of Max's, so that's how we got our crew. It was an odd situation in Las Palmas. In most business transactions, the market has already established the roles of the participants. But not so here. A third of the skippers and crew were paid, another third were crewing for free (the adventure), and a further third were paying to be there. I would never arrive that late in the process and not have the crew situation taken care of. Crewfinder wouldn't be a bad way to go, although I know the girls have a tough time of it since so many guys are using it as a pseudo dating app, hoping that a cute crew member might morph into a girlfriend (which does happen sometimes). There are also the "hitchhikers" you see on the docks in Gibraltar and Las Palmas around October and early November. These folks are often couples looking for a ride, and most have some experience sailing or cooking. They tend to look like hippies since they have no money and occasionally camp on the beach, plus they are completely unknown quantities. Very hard to tell how they'll work out. I'd say ask around to other skippers for advice on crew they might know. You can also peruse crewfinder and really drill down on the people you see. Or write me for Luis' contact info ;-)
Hi Brendan. Got it. But nobody was paid. Max and Luis were there to share the adventure and paid their own entry fees. Yes, I paid for their food and drink while they were in Las Palmas, but that was because Luis in particular had to take time off from work and didn't have a big bank account back home. But otherwise they were joining as guests. We were certainly happy to have crew to share the watch schedules, but we had no interest in novices. Prior to our arrival in Gibraltar, Wendy and I had logged nearly 9,000nm doublehanded aboard Talisman over 3 years full time on the water, and we are a sailing couple. But I have to say that after as many long passages as we've done, having crew to share the watch schedule is a big thing. It's the difference between enjoying a passage and struggling through it and arriving exhausted. With more than a couple days of 3-on, 3-off, our preferred watch schedule, there is no night or day. You are jet-lagged and sleep deprived and not nearly at 100%. Anyway, episode 2 of 3 posts tomorrow and we hope you'll still be with us.
@@SailingTalisman well that's very cool, and if you ever in the future and like I said in the beginning no insult intended, I'm I'm a very highly mechanical man, there is nothing on your boat that I cannot fix, I am easy to get along with, if you ever need any volunteers in the future, I am at your service, like I said before I find how polite you people are is very refreshing, my sailing knowledge though is very limited and I would be using the opportunity to gain knowledge because I intend on buying my own sailboat and navigating the world
@@SailingTalisman So cool to hear your response, but can I ask you more questions? I'll take the silence as a"yes" 😏😁😂 Last summer we were supposed to sail a Bavaria 56 with a 2.4m draft, casting off from Marina Alimos, just outside of Athens, but Covid happened😩, so we had to use the voucher (non rufundable charter) for this year and we booked for a little later in the summer, from mid Jul through end of Aug, very much into the meltemi season. After I saw your episode of the winds in Mykonos, and thinking of our event of manualy droping a second anchor at 2am in a total dark with winds at 40 kts/h, not exactely my definition of having fun 🤦♀️, I've been "Navionic-ing" and "googling" like crazy for the last 2 days, evem if I love the privacy of anchoring, I think docking is the best choice if we are dealing with meltemi. Any tip with website or how to book marinas from the US? PLEAAAAAAASE !!!!!!!! Thanks 😃
@@travelbirdmarciasilva-mart6827 Well, navigator Wendy advises sticking closer to Athens, and be sure to discuss an itinerary with your charter company. There's nothing wrong with you telling them you'd prefer to keep clear of the Meltemi, which blows strongest in the center of the Aegean. Make sure to book a day at Zea, east of Athens a bit, perhaps on the back end of your trip. This will mean that you're near home base at the end, and not stuck somewhere far away. Sail the islands of Kea, Kythnos, and Serifos. We also would advise not venturing out into the middle of the Aegean, like near Mykonos. Anchoring will be safer most of the time, assuming you can do so. In much of Greece the problem is that it gets deep very quickly. Only anchor in relatively shallow water,
@@SailingTalisman Thank you so Much for all the info, you guys are fast in responding 👍👍👍. I guees I will have to highly consider saying goodbye to my original itinerary that would take us all the way to Crete and hopping the islands on our way back to Alimos. Once again, thank you so much. Stay safe and having fun always ☀️⛵️✌️
There are some things beyond my logical comprehension: 1) sails to be used, 2) chemistry and 3) the stockmarket. Alas, one more: women (though I've been married to the same one for 55 years).
@@jay_leng Your complaint is generally that we shoot most of our video with action cameras (we have Hero3+, Hero5 Black, Hero7 Black, Hero8 Black, and a non-action camera Lumix DFC-FZ1000 DSLR). But the big complicated cameras don't do well for very long in a marine environment and we like to have something easy to use that's just sitting around. The fisheye is much reduced these days on GoPro cameras, but not 100%. There are settings that eliminate it, but only by reducing the field of view. Your lens might be available for the Lumix, but not the usual cameras we use.
@@SailingTalisman Many thanks for your prompt reply. I like your vids and expect less barrel distortion and shaking. A proper mirrorless camera plus a good lens nowadays can improve a huge lot. Or, maybe try a good phone camera. Of course, action cams are always must😁
Well thanks I guess, but not needed. We take comments as they come. But I think the real issue is that if there was a perfect boat design out there, all the boats would look the same. But there's hardly a design decision that doesn't give with one hand while taking away with the other. Talisman balances these pretty well in my mind, but the production manufacturers still occupy 90% of the market, and people vote with their wallets.
No, we've done our fair share of racing. But there's no upside to being first off the line. The ARC YB Tracker modules they give you for the passage mark your start time as you cross the line. Yes you will "feel" like you're behind because other boats might be in front of you, but once you arrive in St Lucia the computers calc elapsed time for each boat. You'll see how we do coming up in Part 3.
Very cool to go along with you and see the sail set up and the dolphins. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks much!
Great vlog, racing, starting, fishing and cooking your catch 👍 that’s living ⛵️😍
Thanks Justin!
Beautiful ... lindo !! ;) people forget this is not a match race is an enduro race!!
Hi Miguel. Yes, and there is a racing division that even cruising boats can enter. In opting for that you will be scored on a handicap so as to make things more equal, but the competition is fierce. And there are a lot more breakdowns as crews push their boats to the limit. But the cruising division is probably 75% of the boats, and for these people (us) we are more interested in getting across the pond with as few maintenance issues as we can. However, I have to say that it's hard not to get into a race mentality once you start and I think if we were to do it again we'd press harder when the opportunities arose.
Great episode. Love watching the prep description as well as the actual sailing. Your channel gives an equal balance to maintenance and sailing. Great to watch. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Robert. We try to show the life for what it is. Lots of highs, and a few lows, but not too many. As long as you keep up with the maintenance thing seem to go okay.
Guys, for me this has taken me away from this damn lockdown. Bringing back memories of crossing the pond myself,(on a cruise liner) I have crossed three times now and would do it again in a heartbeat Thank You.
Hi Beverley. Happy to assist! Do the crossing was a bucket list item if ever there was one. We were absolutely stunned when we finally sighted land after 19 days (see next episode this Wednesday). So much fun, and thanks so much for being with us.
The guy with the blue polo is obviously a time traveller. I'm thinking the 80s with that turned up collar...☺ Joking..kind of. Looking forward to this passage..you guys have come a long ways from when some questioned your motor usage..lol. Always enjoyable viewing !
Hi Peter. I have to say that if there was a drawback to cruising the Med it was that there was so little wind much of the time. This wasn't the case in the Aegean, where the winds howl through the summer, but the main Spanish, French, Italian coasts, and Greek (Ionian) islands, can suffer from a lack of wind a lot of the time. And let me tell you, the Caribbean isn't like that at all. You don't get the history and the insane architecture of Europe, but you sure get good wind. 15-20 knot tradewinds 24/7, and if you want to sail it's only a matter of putting up the sails.
Thanks so much for explaining everything in a way that common people can understand. And the down to earth attitude of your team is so endearing. Wish you a safe and spirited journey ❤️❤️
You bet James. Our core viewers are actual sailors and people who aspire to do what we do, but a lot of others are friends and family that don't spend a ton of time on the water. And we really do want to have it make sense to everyone.
Great episode, loved the wild life, safe sailing.Thanks for sharing, Paul D UK
Thanks Paul. It was a blast. I've watched all the episodes multiple times and they never fail to bring back great memories.
It's so nice to remember these wonderful days!!!
It wouldn't have been the same without you and Max. Wendy and I are so grateful for everything you guys did. If we ever do it again, you'll be first to get the call. BTW, keep some time open to visit us (with your girlfriend) this winter in the Caribbean.
That's a crazy way to start your sail. Hell, just wait an hour or so. Good luck!!!!
We did. the start times were generally assigned, but a lot of other boats ran to the front early and it looked crazy from the back. It's a trip that takes weeks, so we really weren't in the mood to damage the boat before even leaving. What you're seeing was pretty calm in comparison and no different than any recreation race start. No close calls, so we were happy.
What a fantastic departure with all the people cheering you guys. As usual, I enjoyed every minute of your episode. More, please ... ;-)
It was incredible. We really didn't take into account how many wives and family members would fly in to be there for the departure. The number of people at the marina swelled by double in the last couple of days. You had to make reservations at restaurants that were miles away in order to get a table during the last week. Amazing.
Awesome! Looking forward to the next...
Hi Robert. Tomorrow!
Welcome back, wish you a enjoyable passage !
You bet! It was great.
Really enjoyed that - thanks - fair winds!
You bet David.
Now looking forward to part 2. Congratulations and fair winds!
It's a good one. We broke the passage into 3 episodes, each one a little different. So next Wednesday.
That Oyster really does look like she's made for this type of sailing. Oyster must be loving the positive exposure! We'll probably not be able to afford something like that and have to go the mass-produced route. I know they're perfectly capable but yours really seems in her element.
Oyster definitely follows our channel. For us, we opted to get an older Oyster since the brand supports investment. In other words, since what you're buying from a builder is the reputation, hull, and joinery (all else is hardware by others), some brands will hold relative value if kept up. Most of the bigger semi-custom brands like Oyster, Hallberg Rassy, Swan, Amel, etc. are this way, although Oyster is special. As for production boats, they do know how to build an offshore boat, it's just that they don't do it that often. X-Yachts, Grand Soleil, Elan, and older Dehlers might work. You can almost select by displacement, although I also have a spreadsheet if you need. The reason these differences are so distinct is that the average buyer doesn't need an oceangoing offshore boat. These buyers are coastal cruisers at best, entertaining guests and hopping from marina to marina, rarely if ever going outside the weather window.
Nice mellow start. I have the same pole setup for the genoa and inner forestay. It works really well. Our boats are quite similar although I have got a full batten main.
Yeah, that's the performance rig. Having full battens really helps the sail shape, and you'll never see a race boat with in-mast furling.
Nice start with breezy winds
Hi Robert. Yeah, it started out with moderate winds, but in talking to other who've done the trip this is typical. But it fills in next episode, and then really fills in with episode three.
Envi time, have a great passage guys, enjoy.
Hi Bill. It was a great trip. So much fun.
Excellent Thank You. Looking forward to more.
David Down Under.
Hi David. We have two more episodes coming up (posted on Wednesdays). And thank you so much for the kind words.
Wow that looks spectacular! Good luck!
Thanks Andreas. It was a great trip.
A very enjoyable video... 👍🙂
Thanks R.E.
Great episode! You're living the dream of many :)
It sure seems like it a lot of the time. We've had a blast this past year. Thanks so much for watching and being with us.
Maybe your best video ever! Thanks
Hi Steve. Thanks so much. I think my favorite (for real) is coming up (Part 3). As I edit I'm forced to watch each episode multiple times. And I'm still watching the two upcoming ones just for fun. They really capture the moment, and I hope the viewers feel the same.
All caught up now, within 2 months thanks to Covid and a hip replacement. Love the channel and the information you provide. Hi from Aus!
Hi Ian. Thank you so much for the kind words. You'll have another episode tomorrow.
Love you guys, stay safe.
You bet Paul. So happy to have you.
Loved the “Crossing” videos!
In either Episode #106 or #107 Wendy mentioned that she was on night watch when she spotted the white buoy lights that stretched for more then a mile in the distance. Did you ever determine if this was a so called “Ghost” Drift Net or was there a large factory type fishing vessel also in the area that you may have spotted on radar?
There are enough issues with crossing the Atlantic without having to also keep a lookout for unattended drift nets that could seriously affect your passage!
Hi Allen. We were off the coast of Africa and had been warned about the fishing boats, but were in fact unprepared for what we experienced, which appeared to be a minimum of 4 unlighted skiff type fishing boats towing miles of nets with flashing and solid lights every 20-30 meters. These became a sea of nets totally surrounding us. Eventually, we determined that we had to stop entirely to wait them out. Cruisers we met in the Canaries told us the game was to get you to foul their nets and then to demand money. But it seemed more like actual fishing, with the various boats somehow knowing each other and how far away they were from each other. One of the crazier passages.
Thank you for the detailed reply! I actually had a bad dream about this event “while sitting in the cockpit and having this evolve in pitch darkness”. Happy it came to a safe conclusion!
Excellent. Extra interest as my daughter is doing this year's ARC. I hope that she has some crew issues and that she needs me to come along...
Call and change the airline reservations for one of her crew so they end up someplace far away. Then show up with your life vest and foul weather gear all ready to go. Who knows? It might work.
Living the dream!!!
Hi PJ. Indeed. It's been an incredible ride.
Look at the ocean curve! That's how it looks every time I go out into open water!
It's amazing to see.
Excited for Part 2!!
Next Weds.
Haven’t seen you guys for quite awhile 😎
Hi David. Great to hear from you. We're trying to get a video out every week while we're back in the States. We'll see how things go once we're on the water. Got some good stuff coming up.
Nice one.👍
Thanks Norman.
just figured out what made watching you is so great , Wendy is left handed, same as me and all the other magnificently talented people in the world , dont spread it around but LEFTIES can run the world and do it very quietly, cheers from Alister in Australia.
Hi Alister. Wendy is indeed a lefty. But in truth, lefties injure themselves much more often with things like power tools since they're always set up for a right handed world. But Wendy could definitely rule things. She's one of the smartest people I've ever met, and unfortunately knows it. Cheers to you as well.
Nice fish
Wasn't that awesome? It's the first and only fish we've ever caught. And after landing this one we really didn't want to put the lure back out lest we catch another. After 5 nights of Mahi Mahi, we were pretty done with it. But our taste for it returned once we were in the Caribbean.
This was a great episode Kevin. Do you think you really had something dragging on your keel at the start? It's very possible. Christian Williams put a gopro on a pole to check his bottom during his solo sail from LA to Hawaii and back.
I look forward to your return.
🤝🤝👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Your friend from Syracuse New York
Hi Tom. It was odd because we'd never experienced anything like that. I had a lot more video but didn't want to belabor the point. But we had the engine run up to 1500 rpms in forward and still felt like nothing was happening. We were a bit worried that perhaps on of the blades of our feathering prop hadn't deployed properly, but later found out that that isn't possible. In the end I think we really did have a submerged bag of trash pressed against the leading edge of the keel. Once we reversed and started over, all was back to normal. As an aside, a lot of the boats have their hulls cleaned by local divers in Las Palmas prior to the start. Even a slightly cleaner hull makes a difference on such a long passage. Thanks so much for being with us.
I saw you sailing from the Canary Islands on a trip to the Caribbean)
Forgot to ask where you ranked in the boat race in your class?)
And according to tradition, greetings from snowy Russia) And 7 feet under the keel)
Hi Paul. Sorry, you'll have to wait for Part 3 ;-) BTW, it's snowing right now here in Colorado (we're hauled for hurricane season).
Another great video! I assume you have to extra crew to help out on watch etc? What do you do If someone has a heart attack or major medical emergency?
Hi Brett. Good question. For my Yachtmaster exam I had to take a marine oriented RYA First Aid class, which Wendy joined in for, so we both had recent CPR certifications. But when you get down to it, it's kind of scary to be that far away from help. If something like that happened, our first action would have been to email ARC Rally Control via our Iridium satellite system. We'd probably initiate a DSC distress Mayday call if we had imminent danger to life as well, but the range on VHF is low, like 20 miles. Once ARC control was notified of an emergency, they'd put the call out to the various navies and commercial traffic to see if something could be done. But in the end we'd probably be on our own until we got closer to land (within helicopter rescue distance).
Who would unlike this video, I mean really! Just plain rude,be happy for them,I got the goosebumps just watching how excited they are to leave.💜👍🎉🎉🎉🥃🍷
Hi Kim. Since I try to answer all commenters honestly and with real responses, I'll do so here. We always get a few "thumbs down" on our videos. But there are also enough of these viewers that write to us of their discontent that I feel I can extrapolate. Mostly, these complaints fall into the category of constructive criticism, usually concerning wind noise in the videos. But the rest are almost 100% expressing envy, one of the seven deadly sins (it's deadly because it's toxic). Usually it has something to do with "rich people" lording their good fortune over the poor peasants, as if everything is about luck. But of course it's not like that in real life. The "peasants" are in fact small business-people who rely almost exclusively on tourism for their livelihoods, and are now in the process of living their worst nightmare, where through no fault of their own the business is closed or being ordered to function at half capacity while the majority of the tourists stay home. As for Wendy and I, neither of us were born to money. Yes, our families were middle class and somehow managed to send us to college, but as for buying a boat and setting off to sail the world, that was an operation that took decades of saving and planning. And for better or worse, we met relatively late in life and didn't feel we had the time left to raise a family. Believe me when I say that that was something that stung for Wendy (but it was a decision I left to her). Had we chosen to have kids there's no way we could ever afford what we're doing. I'll close by saying that I feel sad for the people who glibly degrade a free to watch TH-cam video put together by a couple just wanting to share their lives with family and friends. These are folks who undoubtedly are angry at the world and don't have any happiness in their lives. I suspect they spend most of their time in a chair watching airplane and train crash channels.
Hey Guys,
I really enjoyed your episode and watching the catch of the large Mahi , one of my favorite fish dine on. I was wondering about how you found additional crew for the crossing, did you go to crew finder.com or some other place to find competent crew help.
Robert
North Star
Well first of all, if you need crew Luis will jump at the chance for long passages and especially a full time pro-skipper position. But for us it was simply that we'd met Max a couple of years earlier and kept in touch. He'd done the 2018 ARC and was asking us if we needed anyone. Luis is a friend of Max's, so that's how we got our crew. It was an odd situation in Las Palmas. In most business transactions, the market has already established the roles of the participants. But not so here. A third of the skippers and crew were paid, another third were crewing for free (the adventure), and a further third were paying to be there. I would never arrive that late in the process and not have the crew situation taken care of. Crewfinder wouldn't be a bad way to go, although I know the girls have a tough time of it since so many guys are using it as a pseudo dating app, hoping that a cute crew member might morph into a girlfriend (which does happen sometimes). There are also the "hitchhikers" you see on the docks in Gibraltar and Las Palmas around October and early November. These folks are often couples looking for a ride, and most have some experience sailing or cooking. They tend to look like hippies since they have no money and occasionally camp on the beach, plus they are completely unknown quantities. Very hard to tell how they'll work out. I'd say ask around to other skippers for advice on crew they might know. You can also peruse crewfinder and really drill down on the people you see. Or write me for Luis' contact info ;-)
Good luck in Fair sailing but not interested in anybody that can hire crew to get it done for them no insult intended
Hi Brendan. Got it. But nobody was paid. Max and Luis were there to share the adventure and paid their own entry fees. Yes, I paid for their food and drink while they were in Las Palmas, but that was because Luis in particular had to take time off from work and didn't have a big bank account back home. But otherwise they were joining as guests. We were certainly happy to have crew to share the watch schedules, but we had no interest in novices. Prior to our arrival in Gibraltar, Wendy and I had logged nearly 9,000nm doublehanded aboard Talisman over 3 years full time on the water, and we are a sailing couple. But I have to say that after as many long passages as we've done, having crew to share the watch schedule is a big thing. It's the difference between enjoying a passage and struggling through it and arriving exhausted. With more than a couple days of 3-on, 3-off, our preferred watch schedule, there is no night or day. You are jet-lagged and sleep deprived and not nearly at 100%. Anyway, episode 2 of 3 posts tomorrow and we hope you'll still be with us.
@@SailingTalisman well that's very cool, and if you ever in the future and like I said in the beginning no insult intended, I'm I'm a very highly mechanical man, there is nothing on your boat that I cannot fix, I am easy to get along with, if you ever need any volunteers in the future, I am at your service, like I said before I find how polite you people are is very refreshing, my sailing knowledge though is very limited and I would be using the opportunity to gain knowledge because I intend on buying my own sailboat and navigating the world
@@SailingTalisman PS I can pay my own way
Where is the Brazilian flag? :)
Oh, the Brazilian and Portuguese flags were there. But Talisman is flagged in the USA, so we don't raise them. Such a great time!
@@SailingTalisman So cool to hear your response, but can I ask you more questions? I'll take the silence as a"yes" 😏😁😂
Last summer we were supposed to sail a Bavaria 56 with a 2.4m draft, casting off from Marina Alimos, just outside of Athens, but Covid happened😩, so we had to use the voucher (non rufundable charter) for this year and we booked for a little later in the summer, from mid Jul through end of Aug, very much into the meltemi season. After I saw your episode of the winds in Mykonos, and thinking of our event of manualy droping a second anchor at 2am in a total dark with winds at 40 kts/h, not exactely my definition of having fun 🤦♀️, I've been "Navionic-ing" and "googling" like crazy for the last 2 days, evem if I love the privacy of anchoring, I think docking is the best choice if we are dealing with meltemi. Any tip with website or how to book marinas from the US? PLEAAAAAAASE !!!!!!!!
Thanks 😃
@@travelbirdmarciasilva-mart6827 Well, navigator Wendy advises sticking closer to Athens, and be sure to discuss an itinerary with your charter company. There's nothing wrong with you telling them you'd prefer to keep clear of the Meltemi, which blows strongest in the center of the Aegean. Make sure to book a day at Zea, east of Athens a bit, perhaps on the back end of your trip. This will mean that you're near home base at the end, and not stuck somewhere far away. Sail the islands of Kea, Kythnos, and Serifos. We also would advise not venturing out into the middle of the Aegean, like near Mykonos. Anchoring will be safer most of the time, assuming you can do so. In much of Greece the problem is that it gets deep very quickly. Only anchor in relatively shallow water,
@@SailingTalisman Thank you so Much for all the info, you guys are fast in responding 👍👍👍. I guees I will have to highly consider saying goodbye to my original itinerary that would take us all the way to Crete and hopping the islands on our way back to Alimos.
Once again, thank you so much. Stay safe and having fun always ☀️⛵️✌️
only 0.0027 millimetres.
There are some things beyond my logical comprehension: 1) sails to be used, 2) chemistry and 3) the stockmarket. Alas, one more: women (though I've been married to the same one for 55 years).
They are all mysteries, it is true.
'the souls of dead sailors'.
Wow, that sounds bad. Hope they aren't us.
Sailing Yacht Talisman_____ The dolphins, I mean 🐬🐬🐬🐬
@@burlatsdemontaigne6147 Oh, that's better. You had me scared there for a minute. The dolphins were so cool.
Still using your funny fiisheye lens
Sorry you're disappointed.
@@SailingTalisman You can google "laowa zero d" for some amazing lens, "d" for distortion I think.
@@SailingTalisman Or you search "Laowa 9mm f2.8" in youtube, prepare to be amazed.
@@jay_leng Your complaint is generally that we shoot most of our video with action cameras (we have Hero3+, Hero5 Black, Hero7 Black, Hero8 Black, and a non-action camera Lumix DFC-FZ1000 DSLR). But the big complicated cameras don't do well for very long in a marine environment and we like to have something easy to use that's just sitting around. The fisheye is much reduced these days on GoPro cameras, but not 100%. There are settings that eliminate it, but only by reducing the field of view. Your lens might be available for the Lumix, but not the usual cameras we use.
@@SailingTalisman Many thanks for your prompt reply.
I like your vids and expect less barrel distortion and shaking. A proper mirrorless camera plus a good lens nowadays can improve a huge lot. Or, maybe try a good phone camera.
Of course, action cams are always must😁
What's going on??? Something fishy...
Arrrgh. Fishy alright!
:)
Deleted my comment. While I still feel the same way about the video my comment was snarky and unnecessary. Best of luck to you.
Well thanks I guess, but not needed. We take comments as they come. But I think the real issue is that if there was a perfect boat design out there, all the boats would look the same. But there's hardly a design decision that doesn't give with one hand while taking away with the other. Talisman balances these pretty well in my mind, but the production manufacturers still occupy 90% of the market, and people vote with their wallets.
That was a lousy start, at the end of the fleet. You need more practise at racing.
No, we've done our fair share of racing. But there's no upside to being first off the line. The ARC YB Tracker modules they give you for the passage mark your start time as you cross the line. Yes you will "feel" like you're behind because other boats might be in front of you, but once you arrive in St Lucia the computers calc elapsed time for each boat. You'll see how we do coming up in Part 3.