EXTREME MEASURES FOR EXTREME SITUATIONS
When I had my Privilege 39 catamaran built in France, I had the factory install lifting chainplates on two forward bulkheads and two aft bulkheads on Exit Only. Wichard deck pad eyes were through bolted to the lifting chainplates, and we could lift Exit Only out of the water using the Wichard Pad Eyes and associated chainplates.
The Wichard Pad Eyes were rated at 11,000 pounds each. Whenever I wanted to lift Exit Only out of the water, all I needed to do was hire a crane to use thirty foot chains attached to the Pad Eyes, and they easily lifted Exit Only out of the water. There was no need for spreader bars or straps to do the lift. All we needed was four chains that were thirty feet long.
Why did I spend the money to install these lifting chainplates and Wichard Pad Eyes?
I knew that I was going to sail around the world on Exit Only, and I also knew that we would sail to many remote locations where there were no travel lifts. If we urgently needed to be lifted out of the water, these chainplates and Pad Eyes made the lift possible.
With these chainplates and Pad Eyes, I could be lifted out of the water anywhere in the world that had a twenty ton crane.
Exit Only was lifted four times in New Zealand using only our Deck Pad Eyes and lifting chainplates.
I lived in eastern Puerto Rico for five years, and I have been through more tropical storms and hurricanes than the average cruiser (when I had my Westsail 32).
After going through so many tropical storm and hurricane drills, it became clear to me that the safest thing to do in a hurricane was to lift Exit Only out of the water. That way I could not drag anchor, and other boats could not drag into me during a storm.
That is why I bothered to get those chainplates installed. It was part of my storm management strategy in remote corners of planet earth.
If a killer hurricane ever headed my way, I would lift Exit Only out of the water using a crane, and then I would securely attach Exit Only to planet earth by driving massive rebar stakes into the ground around the hull and tie Exit Only down to those rebar anchors.
I never had to do an emergency lift of Exit Only during our circumnavigation, but at least we were ready if such a lift was required.
I have a belt and suspenders approach to sailing offshore and around the world. I like to have options, and the lifting chainplates and Wichard Pad Eyes gave me options that most other yachts do not have.
Those Wichard Pad eyes are also strong points I can use to attach running backstays and halyards if I ever have a problem with my rigging that could cause me to lose my mast.
Lifting chainplates and 11,000 pound Wichard Pad Eyes aren’t for everyone.
They work well for me, and I am glad to have them on board.
So there you have it. Extreme measures for extreme situations.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
