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!

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…

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.

The journey of a 1000 miles begins with the first hoist…

Canada’s Nathan Baron has set sail this morning to circumnavigate 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.

The weather looks light but favourable for his crossing of the Gulf Stream.

Forecast as of 10:04 am EST on January 11, 2009
Coastal Waters From Deerfield Beach To Ocean Reef, Fl Out 20 Nm-
Waters From Deerfield Beach To Ocean Reef, Fl Extending From 20 Nm
To The Territorial Waters Of The Bahamas-
Rest Of Today
Southeast winds around 5 knots. Seas 2 feet or less.

Tonight

Southeast winds around 5 knots. Seas 2 feet or less. Intracoastal waters smooth. Slight chance of showers.

Monday

Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Intracoastal waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers.

Monday Night

Northeast winds around 10 knots becoming southeast. Seas 2 feet or less. Intracoastal waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers.

Tuesday

South winds 10 to 15 knots becoming southwest 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 feet or less building to 2 to 4 feet. Intracoastal waters a moderate chop. Chance of showers.

Actually, it’s more like it touches bottom.

Latest new from our fearless solo sailor…
Hello Friends,

Right off the bat, I want to thank James Brown. James has been following the emails and called me up the other day to say “Just go check into a hotel somewhere, you need your rest before you go”. He then called the hotel and got a preferred rate and chatted with the Hampton Inn’s General Manager, Israell?????. It makes a huge difference having a bed to go home to at night. I met Israel this morning and he was extremely gracious, offering to take care of any of my needs. I’m so grateful to both Israel and the staff at the hotel who are putting up with my flaky sailor ways.

Got the boat in the water first thing this morning, just after high tide. A little sketchy as the water wasn’t really that deep where the forklift was to drop us in the water. I quickly moved the boat out of the mud an into a better slip. It’s low tide now and I am really close to touching bottom. I am really looking forward to the water coming up a little, I’ll feel a bit more relaxed then.

The weather outlook is changing a bit. Right now the GFS model shows that Sunday will be the better day to depart, but I will have to talk with Chris Parker tonight and see what he thinks. The dock talk on the Gulfstream ranges from downright scary to “awe it’s not that bad.”. I can’t help but be really nervous about the first sixty miles of sailing. One thing sailors are really good at is telling scary stories and everyone seems to want to tell me those stories right now…
Broken gear

Had the usual last minute things go wrong. I stepped on the mast head wand in cabin today and broke off all of the cups. This is the instrument that goes at the top of the mast and gives us wind direction and and speed. A pretty vital piece of gear. So I spent a bunch of time mixing epoxy and trying to get it all glued back together. Still working on that one. I also have to drop a new halyard now that the boat is back in the water. Hopefully I can combine all this into one trip up the mast.

I also got the new logos on the boat for the Limestone Learning Foundation LLF this morning. This is the charitable arm of the Limestone School Board, and I am very please with how they look. I haven’t had a chance to talk much about the LLF. The work that the foundation does to support learning opportunities for kids dovetails beautifully with the Boys and Girls Club and I am just so happy to be able to support and encourage kids in any way I can. Thanks to Kathy Crothers-Leverrette who has been so enthusiast in getting this communitty partnership going. /i’m looking forward to sharing these experiences with the folks at the LLF.
Thinking of the kids
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Boys and Girls Club and the LIT group while I am down here. Besides the nice weather there is something for almost everyone. I was thinking today about Liam would really dig all of the history down here. We don’t learn enough American history in Canada, and I bet he would like to see the mix of old and new down here. I was also thinking of Caitlan who would just love Cocoanut Grove. There is a restaurant here that has an artists loft on the second floor where the artists work and can sell there work right there in the restaurant. (Maybe a business idea for Kingston…)

I was also reminded of Rookie by one of the fork lift operators, Tony. He’s a little guy with a lot of spunk who is constantly giving orders to the rest of the crew. It’s a lively bunch that run the marina and Tony sees to make sure that everything is running smoothly. A great reminder that you can work hard and still have fun. I love hanging out in boat yards as they are almost always an eclectic group of cultures and languages, and you are just as likely to hear someone cursing in Spanish as you are English or french.

So we are getting very close to the off. I’m a bit nervous about everything but feeling pretty good about the boat and the preparation for the trip. The last minute frustrations are always there, but they always will be. You just have to deal with things as they come and hope that your luck will hold out. I still have my fingers crossed…
NB

Nathan save $$$$… sleeps in boat in parking lot
Nathan is finally on his way to Miami - well sort of. He is sleeping in his boat for a second night in the parking lot of a Wal Mart in Scranton Pennsylvania.

There were some last minute hick-ups in the travel plans and suddenly Nathan had no vehicle and no driver. Ever resourceful, Nathan shared his problem with his team and our community in the hopes that someone would have some ideas. Not long after he put out the calls, several options emerged. This is a critical skill for anyone who takes on a big project with more enthusiasm than money. Well done Nathan!

Ultimately, David Wilby of Pride Marine came to the rescue and was able to drive Nathan and his boat to Pennsylvania last night where Nathan meets his next ride all the way to Miami with his friend Caj (still researching a last name).

The story doe not end here. Unfortunately Caj was held up and Nathan is now spending another night on the boat. In good spirits, Nathan’s explained over the phone to his wife Alison that “it will be better tonight. It should stay above zero degrees inside the cabin tonight”. Apparently, last night was a full-on “mini” winter camping experience. Thank goodness the Starbuck’s across the street opened at 7:30 am! Who knew winter camping and an early morning Starbuck’s run would ever be part of the same story.

The thing I like best about this little story is how this project has inspired our community to help in whatever ways they can - some with money, some with time, some with ocean sailing experience, some with powerful tow vehicles, etc. The best part is that none of these specific forms of community support could ever have been predicted in advance when Nathan first shared his dream with us, but somehow it all works out and we are making it happen. Marvelous!

The next leg of the Journey should be straight forward - drive to Miami and set up the boat.

We will let you know when he arrives and can share stories of warm breezes and palm trees.

On Friday the Classe Mini released the first version of the Transat 6.50 entry list, and I was releived to see my name under the DCQ entrants.

There are seven foreigners competing for DCQ spots and two compeitors have already qualified. So now it’s a race for the remaining compeitors to get all of their qualificaitons out of the way. (For foreigners, the first to fufil all of the qualification obligations, goes to the top of the list.)

We have a lot of work to do, but we are trucking along, right on schedule.

Next up: 1000nm Qualification sail. More on that in a bit.

Transat 6,50 Marintime de Bahia (aka the mini transat…) NOR was posted yesterday as was the entry application. This means we finally have the dates for the MT:

Skippers must be in La Rochelle by September 3
Race Start: September 13
Second Leg: Start on Oct 3
Expected arrival in Brazil:– Oct 21
Awards in Paris on Dec 2009

Link the the documents (PDF) is here.

Very exciting times for me as we see things coming together for our time in Europe. More on this in a bit.