Here’s a recent article from our friends at the Kingston Whig Standard.

Nathan Baron

View the course…

Nathan’s quest to be Canada’s sole entry in the 2009 min Transat race to start in September continues….

The quest continues but as with many things in life not quite according to plan. Nathan fly into SYR and into the teeth of a northern winter on Sunday night. Boys and Girls Club sits up on the hard in Southern Florida. Its mast up and almost ready for another qualifying attempt in February. Who would have thought that sailing a 1000-plus miles would prove such a challenge. But a challenge it is.

The current thinking is that Nathan will return early in February and set off again. This time better prepared and more knowledgeable of the boat, the course and himself. Working too, in Nathan’s favour is the terrific network and team. When the going got tough, a great number of friends and fans mobilized to help Nathan through some tough patches. Nathan’s courage inspired us.

But the current of time is working against Nathan. Specifically the time to get the boat packed up and shipped to Europe where a second round of qualifications continue. But first things first…

Nathan and the minimus sailing team will regroup, rebound and relaunch over the next few weeks. Nathan is honoured to have you on-board. Stay with us, your support is important!

Hello supporters of minimus sailing team,

Here is what Alison reported Friday…January 23, 2009

Nathan sounded fantastic this morning! He had eaten his “stick to your ribs” breakfast of instant oatmeal and coffee and was looking forward to another great day of sailing. He is currently sailing under reduced speed in order to ensure that he has daylight when he hits the bank. At 4:00 this morning he took down his jib and began luffing the main to reduce speed.

After all of the miles he has traveled on this trip, the remaining 50 miles on the bank and 40 miles across the gulf seem “short” to him. He has had almost no ship traffic and seen no marine life. Nathan did say that it was a chilly night that had him wearing several layers of clothing including a fleece jacket, foul weather gear and a toque. I fear the Kingston cold will be a shock to his system when he returns…they are calling for another deep freeze in the days ahead!

Nathan is optimistic that he will arrive in Miami around day break tomorrow and speculates that he may have to do what he did last night and slow the boat down so that he can navigate the harbour in daylight. He will call in with his position late this afternoon so that we can alert Grove Key Marina of his arrival.

Click on the link below to get his latest position.

News Flash….

We also want to thank Roger Healey for offering $500 towards a new long-shaft engine for the boat. Roger has suggested that the engine cold be nicknamed “The Jolly Rogers Engine” as Roger Ware is the other contributor.

We have also had several other offers of support and a few donation commitments. We will have these posted to the website as soon as permission of the donors is received.

Thank you all again.

John

Good Morning Friends of minimus sailing and Boys and Girls Club of Canada,

The last few days have been a roller coaster ride. Here is what we know.

1. Nathan has confirmed that the batteries were to root cause of the problem. They were not holding their charge. - At least it is a simple answer. He is buying new batteries today.
2. Nathan will have to come back to Kingston before attempting the qualification sail again. His employer requires his presence at work next week.
3. He will attempt the qualification again in February - no exact dates have been set.
4. No word as to whether or not the Classe Mini will approve a modified route, so with the weather looking good, Nathan left for Miami this morning.

Some Great News just in yesterday! Roger Ware has offered to put $500 toward the $1000 cost of a new long-shaft outboard engine for Nathan’s boat and he offered Aeroplan miles to help get Nathan back down to Florida. Thank you Roger. This will make a big difference. As yo will recall he had to get a tow in to the harbour in Eluthera because the short shaft version of the 4 hp outboard he borrowed does not go deep enough in the water to get a good grip. The plan is to make sure this issue is resolved before he does attempts the qualifier again.

Matt White also donated aeroplan points. Thank you Matt!

By the time Nathan gets back to Miami he will probably sailed at least 1000 miles. Although they won’t count towards the qualifier, it is always good to have more miles under your keel when preparing for a race like the Transat.

Here’s a link to the weather he will be contending with…

Nathan is tentatively planning to fly home on Sunday.

More as we know it.

Weather forecast for today and next few days..
Rest Of Today
Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet near shore and up to 4 to 6 feet in the Gulf Stream. Intracoastal waters a moderate chop.
Tonight
Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Near shore…seas 2 to 3 feet. In the Gulf Stream…seas 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Intracoastal waters a light chop.
Friday
Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Intracoastal waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers through the day.
Friday Night
East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 feet or less. Intracoastal waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers.
Saturday
East winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 feet or less. Intracoastal waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers.

Good Evening Everyone,

Lots has been happening, it’s a fluid situation and we want to keep you all in the loop the best we can.

We had a meeting tonight to talk through the issues the minimus team is facing and work on solutions. It was a very productive meeting. I know I felt better afterward. There is still some information missing before we can determine the best course of action but we should know more in a few days. Nathan is keen to re-attempt the qualification as soon as possible.

Here are some possible options:

1. Repair/ replace the batteries and/or charging system, sail back to Miami and start again. The re- attempt could happen soon or in a few weeks depending on other factors such as Nathan’s employer, the equipment needing to be replaced, etc.
2. Obtain permission from the Classe Mini in France to alter the qualification route and set out from Eleuthra for a 1000 mile sail ending in Miami. This would depend on similar factors as above plus obtaining permission from the Class
3. Leave the boat somewhere in the Bahamas for a few weeks (we have had an offer of free dock space in Nassau) and return in February to re-sail the qualification route as specified.

What we need to know:

1. What is actually wrong with the charging system? - (Patrick Sherwin on the Island will be helping with this tomorrow hopefully)
2. Can Nathan get additional time off from work now or later?
3. Would the Classe Mini alter the Course?
4. Can we leave the boat in Eluthera or is Nassau or Miami better?

In any case, it looks like the weather will not be favourable to go anywhere until early Thursday morning. There is nowhere to go but upwind at present and this is an exercise in frustration as the boat is not really designed for extended periods of upwind sailing in heavy wind and large seas even if the auto pilot and charging system are working. The Mini Transat (race he is trying to qualify for) is basically all downwind sailing , hence the design of the boat.

How you can help?

1. Any thoughts or information you might have that would impact on the decision making process would be useful.

2. We need to find Nathan a way of getting or converting his outboard to a long shaft. He was forced to get a tow into the harbour at great expense because the borrowed engine he is using does not reach deep enough into the water to be effective in strong wind and choppy seas. Anyone have a 4 hp long-shaft outboard?

3. We also need to get him a gas powered generator as a back-up battery changing option.

4. Aero plan points in case he has to fly home before doing a re-attempt.

5. Finally he needs a set of outriggers for a 70 ft Sport Fishing power boat. His mast became entangled in some when he was towed in and now the owner is demanding he pay for the damage. Unfortunately, they can only be ordered in pairs. I doubt anyone has a set, but worth asking You never know.

Nathan should have a detailed report out in the next day or so. Internet access is limited so that has not been easy.

I spoke with him tonight. He is in good spirits but not able to do much without someone there to help. It is very windy and he is staying close to the boat to make sure it does not blow loose and get damaged.

Thank you again for all of your support. It means a lot to Nathan knowing that so many people are wishing him well.

More as we know it.

minimus sailing central

Please leave your comments and suggestions using the comment section…

Nathan explains his situation…

So many of you will be wondering why I did the big right turn just before the Ocean Safety Waypoint.

As the team have mentioned I was having trouble getting the boat batteries charged. I tried a number of things and nothing seemed to fix the problem.

The weather was looking heavy for the next few days and I was also getting out into the middle of nowhere. As you head to the south west corner of the Bahamas there are fewer and fewer settlements and the ones there are have very little in terms of services. (Which is saying something, because even in Eluethra there is not much here…)

So I had to make a decision, continue on or find a port where I could find some help with my electrical problems. Eleuthra was the best choice in the area, although it was a bit far away, at almost 160nm to land.

I must admit that I cried good and hard when I decided to bail. All I could think of was the generosity of all of our supporters who contributed money, time, expertise and enthusiasm. I couldn’t help but feel that I was going to be disappointing a great number of people by making that right turn. I especially thought of the kids at the Boys and Girls Club. I just hate to disappoint them. But at the end of the day, my job as the skipper is to get both the boat and crew home safe and sound and live to fight another day. I did that. The rest is just the cross I have to bare.

On the trip to Eleuthra I had some very heavy weather. I was sailing in a pretty sustained 25 knots and had periods of sustained 35knts sailing on a beam to close reach for a good 12 hours. The seas were huge and threatening and I had a storm jib and 3 reefs in the main, which is a very small sail plan even for the mini. I persevered and made it through, but it seemed to validate my decision to head back to harbour for help.

The team are already thinking about ways to re-start the qualification sail so we can get this done before we head off to Europe. It’s difficult to say exactly how all this is going to work. There are lots of factors and things to think about including finances, work at MTO and shipping arrangements for France. As soon as we figure out a plan, I’ll let you know.

I have to say a few words about the team here, because they have dealt with some pretty stressful and “interesting” situations since I arrived in Miami, and even before that. The main crew on this little adventure have been my wife Alison Fraser, John Curtis, George Jackson, Greg van Rossem, Jim Brown and Don Kerstens. They have helped to solve logistical problems, electrical problems, financial and administrative problems, all while I have been sailing and running around various ports. That is not even mentioning the usual team who have been helping to raise money to make all of this happen. If I have one talent it is to pick resourceful and smart people to help with projects. I was amazed at the efficiency and availability that everyone had for me while I was out sailing.

Alison in particular has been second in command on this one. We had our daily sat phone calls while I was out at sea and she was the one to write many of the posts that you have been reading on the blog and websites. George put it all together on the website. Alison has also been helping me get all of my Classe Mini Applications filled out and submitted while I was away as I had deadlines looming. Alison also had to keep things going on the home front, not to mention her usual busy days at school. The long and the short of it, is that with out Alison working tirelessly to help me get all of this sorted out, I would probably be sitting in Kingston right now wondering what I should do. I think she has slept about as much as I did while I was out at sea.

So now I have to deliver the boat back to Miami and figure out what we are going to do next. Communicating via the internet is virtually impossible here in the Bahamas, so we will have to re-group and figure out what we are going to do once I return to Miami.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement at this tough time in the campaign. Your emails of support and encouragement have really helped to keep me going and I just can’t find the words to let you know what all of this means to me and my team mates. (Sometimes they need just as much encouragement as I do.)

More from me when I get back to Miami.
n

Here’s the latest from John Curtis and Alison Fraser at minimus team central…

Good Morning All,

It has been a tense few days trying to figure out the battery problems on board Boys & Girls Club of Canada. After the first fix of bypassing the controller the batteries did take on a charge but were not able to be fully charged and seemed to discharge faster than they should.

After battling for nearly two days with this problem Nathan decided it was not safe to continue on the designated course. The wind had increased substantially and with the auto helm not entirely reliable, he took the decision to head to a sheltered spot where the sea would be calmer so he could do more trouble shooting. This has involved sailing back toward the islands he had just come from. He expects to reach Rock Sound on the Island of Eleuthera later today. He is about 30 miles away now. (9 am Saturday)

There are several possible explanations. Don Kerstens has contacted a friend, Patrick Sherwin from Cape Eleuthera Institute. Don met Patrick on his travels down in the area. Patrick happens to be a solar equipment installation specialist who works as a teacher at the Cape Eleuthera Institute. What luck!

I spoke with Nathan yesterday just after he had decided to head for shelter. He was feeling terrible about disappointing all his supporters. He really felt he was not going to be able to complete to journey. I told him not to worry about us, that his safety was much more important and that we would just have to deal with things one at a time. I told him that this is just another test and that working through this has become his goal for now. He seems to have refocused well and made good progress towards Eluthera yesterday and last night. Well done Nathan! I know it was not an easy night.

Alison spoke to Nathan this morning and reported the following:

I just got off the phone with Nathan. He sounded great, looking forward to getting into port! He is 30 miles off the coast of Eleuthera and looking forward to arriving at Rock Sound.

The wind was 30-35kts all night but has now dropped to 20kts. He had in 3 reefs and had the storm jib up.

It is uncertain at this time if he will be able to continue this attempt at the 1000 mile qualifier without outside assistance (eg. new battery or other parts). We will know more later today after Nathan has had a chance to rest and eat.

Stay tuned….More as we know it.

Nathan continues trek around Bahamas

Alison from minimus team central reports…

Hello All,

John Curis and I had a great session at the B and G Club in Kingston tonight, what wonderful kids!

Nathan is having difficulty with power that unfortunately was not resolved over the course of today. Currently, he does not have enough power to use the auto-helm. After a variety of phone calls two plans have been developed:

Plan A: After talking with Rick from Quantum Energy, tomorrow once it gets light, Nathan will try to bypass the charge controller into the main battery which (fingers crossed) could solve the problem and then he will be able to continue sailing.

Plan B: If Plan A doesn’t work, Nathan will go into Arthur’s Town on Cat Island for assistance/parts/problems solving.

Nathan is in very good spirits. There is only a whisper of wind so he does not have any sails up and is using this opportunity to study charts, enter coordinates etc. Despite this latest challenge, his is feeling relaxed and optimistic.

Thanks for your ongoing support!
Alison

Nathan completes ‘first’ leg….

Here’s an up-date from minimus team central…

As you have all seen by now, Nathan has completed the first leg of his journey–fantastic! Something to be celebrated for sure! The wind remained light last night and he was beating into it, which made for a rather rough night. Today, he was slightly cracked off the wind and the breeze was bigger. He was still rocking and rolling quite a bit, but at least making more significant headway. Nathan said that for the first time, he felt a little sea sick today, likely because of the inconsistency in the wave action (short chop, long swells).

Weather updates from Chris Parker have been spot-on, which has been great for Nathan. Chris tells him that by Friday the wind will be around 30kts, gusting up to 40. In preparation for this, Nathan has checked over the boat and storm sail and has tried to grab some extra sleep and food. Nathan is in good spirits.

During the evening/night he tries to conserve power where possible, just to be on the safe side. Nathan reports that at this time in the trip, things are just starting to get wet to the point where they are unlikely to dry until after the trip. His changes of clothes are sealed up in zip-lock bags, so he has dry clothes to change into on “special occasions” (the plan was a new ‘outfit’ for the start of each leg). He is trying to keep the interior of the boat well organized and neat. He fine tuned his system after the Bermuda trip and was feeling good about the system he had developed.

Here’s wishing Nathan a safe night, we are all thinking of him!
Alison

Nathan Baron gets across the fast moving Gulf Stream!

Canada’s Nathan Baron is in the early stages (legs) of a circumnavigation of the Bahamas in his 21′ sloop called the “Boys and Girls Club of Canada”. Nathan and the minimus sailing team are working to be Canada’s sole entry in the 2009 4500-mile solo race from France to Brazil starting in September.

Charge on Nathan.