Abby Sunderland departs Marina Del Rey tomorrow, Saturday the 23rd. A press conference is scheduled for 9:30 AM, with the departure at 11:30 AM.

I don't know if anyone here is close to Marina Del Rey, but thought I'd mention it in case anyone wanted to see her off.

Best wishes little lady!

latimes.com/media/photo/2009-12/51062628.jpg

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"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.

8 days in, and she's heading to shore at Cabo San Lucas with electrical problems. Bummer. Abby's Blog

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"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.

Yes it is a shame that she is having to put in. She wont be able to break Jessica record of non assisted.

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Just read the blog. She isn't getting the power out of her solar/wind that her team estimated??!?!!?

I'm sorry, but her team should have done the math. They really let this girl down.

It's dead simple to calculate an onboard power requirement, slightly oversize an electrical system to meet that requirement and have extra power to spare.

There is no reason she should have taken off without anyone taking the time to do a power budget for her boat. It's one of the first things anyone does when they contemplate being away from a dock for extended periods of time.

After more reading, I am wondering why they didn't do a shakedown sail of this boat before they sent her around the world?? WTF???

If nothing else they should have put a Honda 2000 on board just for a backup. I agree her team has let her down big time. What else have they missed. Besides bad choice of boat. Seems they were in to big a hurry to break Jessica's record.

Why can't she shut down some of her systems that she doesn't need all the time to recharge her batteries with her solar/wind system.

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Not sure if you guys read all her blogs...She's had little wind, and not much sun. No windvane either, so running the autopilot full time I guess??? Lot's of electronics too... Abby Sunderland's Boat - Wild Eyes

Abby says she will start again from Cabo, and it can still be a non-stopper from there..... Maybe her big brother ought to offer her INTREPID!

__________________
"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.

Ralph,
How can it still be a non-stopper. She was to sail non stop from MDR around the world non stop and back to MDR. She'll have to sail back into Cabo and not MDR to make it a non stopper.

Why no windvane? Seems that would have been one item they would have included. She could have sheet to tiller steering to take some of the load of the elec. system running the auto pilot. I'll have to read more from her site.

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She will just re-start from Cabo and end there is my assumption, not CA....

__________________
"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.

Yep, just found this...Abby Sunderland Sailing into Port | YachtPals.com

__________________
"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.

Jessica is doing a great job, but she's still 2000NM from the Cape of Good Hope. It's far from being a record just yet...she's still got to finish.

I do think maybe there was somewhat of a rush with Abby's boat though. They haven't had Wild Eyes very long, and this is now a race against time (age).

Also, if you check the 2008/2009 Vendee Globe, you will see that only 11 skippers finished....18 did not. These girls are sailing the same waters, and Abby's boat is similar to the Open 60's (much more complex, so maybe not a fair comparison ?). I'm no expert, so anyone please correct me if I am wrong.

__________________
"Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
--W.C. Fields

Hunter 36
s/v FUGUE
Kemah, Tx.