Cheoy Lee 41"Astraea"

"Astraea" was delivered new to San Francisco in 1983.  However in the years since she has had a lot of miles under her keel.  When we bought her in 2005 she was rock solid, in good shape for her years, but she needed some repairs and updating.  Here is a documentation of the work done by Svendsen's Boat Works in Alameda from November 2005 to the present.  The work thus far reflects well over $150,000 in billings from Svendsen's.  It all adds up at $110 an hour!  This does not include the hundreds of hours that Bob and I have worked on her.  Click on each phase to see details of the work. 

Phase I:  November 2005 through March 2006.  Mast rebuild, new rigging, recoring the foredeck, new lifelines and lifeline stanchion bases.

Phase IB:  The work of Phase I continues.  From April 2006 through June 2006.  New bottom, new shaft, new prop, new cutlass bearing, and a new transom paint job.   

Phase IB Cont.  July 2006.  The work continues.  New B&G instruments, new bilge pump system, huge new holding tank system, and repair of previous grounding damage from the Caribbean. 

Phase II:  Electrica System Update, New Force 10 Stove, Bottom Rework Part Deux

Phase III:  Repowering with a new Westerbeke 44;  Cleaning and repainting of bilge;  Installation of new Furuno NavNet2 radar, GPS, and other electronics;  refinishing of cabin sole.

Phase IV:  Scheduled for Summer of 2009 just prior to going cruising.  This phase will include the installation of a Monitor Windvane with emergency steering, a Spectra watermaker, and (perhaps) an electric winch. 

Click here to see the extensive refurbishment of her brightwork. 

 

Some have "a dream" to sail around the world in their boat.  I prefer to think that I have "resolved" to do it. 

My life has always been about my work.  After graduating the US Naval Academy and being commissioned in the US Navy, I spent 21 years on active duty and retired with the rank of Commander.  After "retirement" from the Navy came the corporate world.  Over the past 14 years I have been a Chief Information Office and at the VP or Senior VP position in three large corporations.  It is now time to back off from work and follow my passion.  "No man ever said on his deathbed I wish I had spent more time in the office."  It is time to refocus my passion to ejoying what else the world has to offer.  Also, I miss the sea.  My time in the Navy included 14 years at sea during which  I sailed literally all of the Seven Seas and crossed all of the great oceans numerous times.  I have been around the world by sea.  However that was on large warships with large, professional crew.   I want to go back to the sea, but this time on my own boat, on my own schedule, and depending primarly on myself for everything I need.  I have been ashore too long.  This is something I need to do.

A myriad of details need to be worked out.  I have read countless blogs and books on world cruising, starting with Joshua Slocum's famous book, "Sailing Alone Around the World", which he published in 1900 which describes his adventure, the first solo circumnavigation.  The book starts with these lines:  "I had resolved on a voyage around the world, and as the wind on the morning of April 24, 1895 was fair, at noon I weighed anchor, set sail, and filled away from Boston, where the Spray had been moored snugly all winter. The twelve o'clock whistles were blowing just as the sloop shot ahead under full sail. A short board was made up the harbor on the port tack, then coming about she stood to seaward, with her boom well off to port, and swung past the ferries with lively heels. A photographer on the outer pier of East Boston got a picture of her as she swept by, her flag at the peak throwing her folds clear. A thrilling pulse beat high in me. My step was light on deck in the crisp air. I felt there could be no turning back, and that I was engaging in an adventure the meaning of which I thoroughly understood."

Captain Joshua Slocum was successful in this adventure in an old wooden boat he had personally rebuilt.  Nobody else had ever successfully done a solo circumnavigation.  He had no GPS, no accurate chronometer, no radio, no radar, no EPIRB, no life raft, few and primative charts, little money, and since nobody else had ever done this he did not have the advantage of the experience of others.  If he could do it under those circumstances, then I can certainly do it with my modern boat and all of her modern gear. 

The original cover of Captain Slocum's book, published in 1900.  I actually purchased an original 1900 edition of this book from an antique book dealer in New York and plan to take it with me on my cruise as a "good luck" talisman.  Who says we sailors are not superstitious!

Alone or with crew?  That is the question that I am now facing.  The ocean traffic of the world in Captain Slocum's day at the end of the 19^th Century was much different than the 21^st Century.  A century ago there were FAR fewer ships plying the oceans, and ships did not move nearly as fast as they do today.  However, despite the dangers, there are still many sailors plying the oceans as solo sailors.  There is a certain mystique and sense of adventure to the idea of solo sailing.  Astraea, outfitted with state-of-the-art GPS and Radar and perimeter alarm, AIS, auto pilot, and Monitor Wind Vane, is certainly capable of sailing herself out on the open ocean, and alerting me if anyone is in the area.  She also hoves to quite well.  However coastal solo sailing in the shipping lanes would be challenging and present a certain level of danger as sleep deprivation can be very dangerous. 

In September, 2009, Astraea and I will depart on our adventure with a complete and total refit, a new diesel, watermaker, and plenty of electrical power.  She will also carry countless gigabytes of music and movies and books on iPod's and computers.  She will have an Iridium satellite telephone for instant communications from anywhere in the world to anywhere else in the world.  In an emergency she will also have a Winslow Open Ocean six person life raft, EPIRB, and a comprehensive “ditch bag”.  Joshua Slocum would never believe the advances made in the past 100 years in comfort and safety for small boats.  For him to visit Astraea would be like me visiting some exotic space craft.

Bottom line, the idea of facing the elements and the sea and crossing vast distances of water alone is intriguing and exciting, even if a bit frightening.  Not to mention that the “bragging rights” would be huge.  However I am an outgoing and gregarious person and somewhat concerned that I might find it much less fun if there were no one along with whom to share the adventure. 

The ideal situation would be if my life partner of the past 27 years would make this trip with me.  However he has a phobia about being off shore and refuses to do any long open ocean passages.  He will remain at our house in Palm Springs, California, and provide shore support.  He will most likely fly in to various ports for visits and local sailing, but I am afraid that is about the extent of his desire to be a part of this voyage.

A few long time friends have also expressed a desire to do parts of the trip, and one is particularly serious about it.  Time will tell.  Having friends or other crew for short legs can introduce some logistical problems, also, as this would put me on more of a "schedule", as I would have to be in certain ports on certain dates in order to do crew changes and let people catch flights, etc.   Last minute local “Pick up crew” is available in most major ports, but it can be dicey going to sea with someone one doesn’t really know and have not had the chance to check out for experience and references. 

Oh, well, as Scarlet O’Hara expressed so eloquently in Gone With the Wind, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.  In the meantime I have to get Astrae and myself ready to go around this great big beautiful world. 

 

Click HERE for Pictures and Story of my April 2008 Sailing Adventure in French Polynesia 

These pictures will show you why I am ready to retire and take Astraea across the Pacific.  I cannot wait to return to these amazing islands aboard Astraea.