Saturday, May 22, 2010

Pictures from Sea Trial (aka Shake Down Cruise)

JD took these on our shakedown cruise. The first is at sundown the first day, already well offshore. The pole on the starboard quarter goes up to the wind generator. The pole on the port quarter goes up to the radar. That package you see on the port stern contains our "LifeSling" man-over-board rescue device. You'll notice that I am wearing an inflatable life vest. It inflates with the pull of a string. It also serves as a harness. I have a six-foot and a three-foot tether that connects me to a "jackline" (nylon strap) that runs the length of the boat on both sides. Our rule is that we clip on anytime we are outside the cabin. The second picture is of our approach to Charleston the next day. The safety netting helps keep the downed foresails on board as well as our bodies. The third picture, obviously taken from within the cabin, shows that we did not fully properly repack the LifeSling after our M.O.B. drill, On the left is the door to the "head". A back-up hand-held GPS is in my lap. You'll notice a platform just outside the companionway (the case for my cell phone and a line is on it). This platform covers our life raft and ditch kit. It is important to have these items in a place that is easy to get to in an emergency. The life-raft is a four-person, a vacuum-packed raft that, with the pull of a line, will automatically unfold and inflate itself. It has a sheltering room. The ditch kit includes signal flares, a signaling mirror, a GPS, a VHF radio, a fishing kit, emergency rations, some fresh water, and a water-maker that converts sea water into fresh water. Just inside the companionway is our principal EPIRB signaling beacon device. In an emergency we can push a button on the EPIRB and it will automatically send an SOS signal to a satellite showing our precise location, identifying exactly who we are, and triggering a rescue mission by the Coast Guard or whatever rescue is close by. Signals will also get forwarded to all ships in the area. I hope we don't have to use any of the emergency stuff, but it is comforting to know that we are prepared.