Richard Allen

Richard Allen has sailed and raced throughout North America and the Caribbean for the past 20 years and now keeps his boat in Monterey, California. Richard lives in Denver, Colorado. He is currently president of Airways Communication Inc. The company specializes in Internet and online direct marketing. 
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Melting ice caps open up shipping routes

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by Richard Allen
By Kim Murphy
Los Angeles Times

Traffic is up, isolation down in Nome, Alaska

Most days in Nome, you are not likely to run into anybody you did not see at the Breakers Bar on Friday night. More than 500 roadless miles from Anchorage, rugged tundra and frigid Bering Sea waters have a way of discouraging visitors.

So it was a big deal when the World - a 644'long residential cruise ship with condos costing several million dollars apiece - dropped anchor during the summer for a two-day look-see.
 
“We never had a ship anywhere near this size before,’’ Chamber of Commerce director Mitch Erickson said. “My guess is they’ve probably been everywhere else in the world, and now they’re going to the places most people haven’t seen yet.’’


That’s about to change.

The record shrinking of the polar ice cap is turning the forbidding waters at the top of the world into important new shipping routes. 

Four other cruise ships also docked in Nome recently. The Coast Guard deployed its first small Arctic patrol vessels last year. Fleets of scientific research vessels steamed north all summer, while ships surveying the vast oil and gas deposits under the Arctic seabed have talked of using Nome as a base.
 
In fact, this town of 9,300 on the edge of the Bering Strait sees itself as the gateway to a newly accessible maritime frontier. Nome’s ship traffic is eight times what it was in 1990, and the town recently spent close to $90 million renovating its port to accommodate bigger ships.
 
To the north, Kotzebue would like to build its own deep-water port a few miles outside town. And Barrow, a remote Eskimo whaling village that sits at the very top of the continent, has had cruise ships full of German tourists and Coast Guard patrol boats docking near its rudimentary landing facility the past few summers.
 
“We can no longer assume,’’ Governor Sean Parnell said at a congressional hearing, “that the Arctic is an impenetrable barrier.’’
 
The coming shipping boom has intensified concerns about how to regulate maritime operations and protect one of the most fragile and least-understood environments on earth.
 
Binding international rules on what kind of vessels can operate in the Arctic do not exist. Nor do uniform regulations for routine waste discharges from ships, or reliable protocols for cleaning spills in extreme ice conditions.
 
Detailed terrain maps that meet international standards exist for only about 9 percent of the Arctic floor, and there are no reliable high-frequency communications systems.
 
The Coast Guard has just two operable ice breakers in its fleet, and its closest refueling station is 1,000 miles to the southeast in Kodiak, eight hours away by rescue helicopter should a cruise ship founder on an iceberg.
 
More than 6,000 ships now ply the Arctic waters, according to one of the first comprehensive studies of shipping in the region, completed by the international Arctic Council in April.
 
The fabled Northwest Passage - linking the Atlantic and Pacific across northern Canada - saw a period of ice-free navigation in 2007 and 2008. Climate forecasts predict there could be 120 or more largely ice-free transit days each year by the end of the century. And last year’s record-breaking ice melt for the first time opened the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage, above Russia, for several weeks.
 
The Arctic Council found that growing worldwide demand for minerals hidden in the Arctic is playing an even bigger role than climate change in the opening of new shipping routes in the far north.
 
Red Dog - the largest zinc mine in the world, about 90 miles northwest of Kotzebue - operates the only major US marine cargo port in the Arctic. Some of the largest ships in the world pull up off the mine’s barren stretch of frigid coastline, bound for markets all over the world.
 
Operators said they have no plans to expand operations or reroute their Europe-bound vessels through the Northwest Passage as part of their current operations. They currently travel south through the Panama Canal.

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UK. Actisense makes smarter connections to increase sales and expand in global marketplace

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by Richard Allen
By BYM 
www.bymnews.com

Actisense, the market leading marine electronics brand from Active Research Limited, based in Poole, in the UK has had a busy and exciting year with sales up 27% and opportunities to expand into new regions and markets.

Highlights over the last six months include Actisense producing a bespoke solution for distributing GPS signals on a fleet of over 600 buses in New South Wales, Australia. The transition from water to wheels has been a great success, with over 2,000 units ordered so far, the Actisense team is confident that this is just the start of diversification into other transportation fields.
 
Actisense is also delighted to have moved into Romanian markets and is represented by Navtron SRL. With such a depth of knowledge in the leisure and commercial markets, the Actisense brand is a perfect fit with the products and services Navtron offers in the region.   
 
In addition, Actisense have also introduced a range of new products for 2009, including the NGW-1 NMEA 2000 Gateway. The NGW-1 makes it possible to convert between NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 data. Actisense is delighted that 100 units have been sold while the product is still in beta testing and a further 200 units are already on order.
 
The NGW-1 will be demonstrated at the Actisense stand at METS 2009, along with the new NGT-1 NMEA 2000 PC Interface and a range of NMEA 2000 connectors.               
 
Phil Whitehurst, Managing Director, Active Research said, “Achieving the order from one of Australia’s largest transport companies has been fantastic and we anticipate more interest from other transportation businesses.  This has been just one highlight in a busy and exciting time for us. The much anticipated release of the NGW-1 next month means we have a lot to look forward to.”


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Mapping the Future of the Ocean - The Nature Conservancy

Friday, October 9, 2009 by Richard Allen
 Collaborative effort can improve energy projects. Moving in the right direction!

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — October 2009  —  Wind power. Tidal power. Wave energy. People have turned to the ocean for millennia for food, recreation, transportation and spiritual sustenance. We are increasingly turning to the ocean to meet our renewable energy needs.

How do we satisfy all these needs while maintaining a healthy ocean?

The leadership of the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health launched on Oct. 5 an 18-month collaborative process to develop a report that will inform future permitting and siting of renewable energy projects along the entire west coast of the United States.

The states of California, Oregon, and Washington, with support from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency, came together in 2008 to develop an Action Plan to improve our marine resources.

The three states, along with The Nature Conservancy, NOAA, and the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service hosted a two-day workshop in Seattle Oct. 5 and 6 to discuss what data, information and tools should be considered in siting ocean renewable energy projects.

“Our oceans are a vital resource,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “It is imperative we take care of our waters, and understand how future development may have an impact on wildlife and recreation. I am pleased we are bringing together a group of experts to identify thoughtful strategies to accommodate new uses such as renewable energy, while ensuring a healthy ocean.”
VIEW ENTIRE ARTICLE

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Boating Navigation and Safety

Friday, October 9, 2009 by Richard Allen
Skillfully navigating the waterways is not only rewarding, but essential to boating safety. Learn how to navigate the waterways using a marine GPS, compass, RADAR, and nautical charts, and boost your boating confidence by knowing the Coast Guard Navigation Rules.

• Navigation Center - US Coast Guard
• Boating Safety Resource Center - US Coast Guard
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Soul Sailing

Friday, October 9, 2009 by Richard Allen
By Wally Moran
Sail Cruising

There are sailors who have spent over twenty summers cruising Lake Huron’s North Channel. They’ll tell you it is always fascinating, still surprising, and still, unceasingly, continues to feed their souls. My first week-long cruise was in 1978, and I now spend up to 10 weeks each summer in the North Channel working as a charter skipper for the Canadian Yacht Charter fleet, introducing boaters to this magnificent cruising ground. VIEW ENTIRE ARTICLE
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United States Yacht Shows

Friday, October 9, 2009 by Richard Allen
Did you know that The United States Sailboat Show is the oldest boat show celebrating its 40th Anniversary and is recognized as the best and biggest in the industry for new, in-water sailboats? The Sailboat Show is followed by the 38th Annual United States Powerboat Show, the oldest in-water powerboat show in the country. Both show are held in October in historic Annapolis, Maryland. The newest show, The Annapolis Nautical Flea Market, held at the Navy-Marine Corp. Memorial Stadium will be a great place to find previously owned boats and well-loved nautical items. See you there!

United States Yacht Shows presents:
• United States Sailboat Show – October 8 - 12, 2009, Annapolis, Maryland
• United States Powerboat Show – October 15 -18, 2009, Annapolis, Maryland
• Bay Bridge Boat Show – April 22 - 25, 2010, Stevensville, Maryland
• Annapolis Nautical Flea Market – May 23 & 24, 2010, Annapolis, Maryland  
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Bismarck Dinius Found Not Guilty.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by Richard Allen
Thanks to our friends at Latitude 38.

At 11:30 this morning, the Lake County jury came in with their verdict in the trial against Bismarck Dinius: Not guilty of felony BUI resulting in death. Not guilty of BUI. And 11-1 for acquittal of operating with a BAC over .08. That charge was later dismissed by District Attorney Jon E. Hopkins, who finally saw the writing on the wall and then quickly fled the courtroom.
 
For those not familiar with the case, on the night of April 29, 2006, Bismarck Dinius was invited to go for a quick sail on Clear Lake aboard Mark Weber's O'Day 27 Beats Workin' II. Both had raced on other boats earlier in the day in the Konocti Cup, both had enjoyed the post-race party, and both thought a leisurely night sail would top off a great day. Several other people went along for the ride, including Weber's 51-year-old fiancée, Lynn Thornton.
 
Toward the end of the short voyage, those onboard heard a speedboat approaching — fast. In a matter of seconds, off-duty Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Russell Perdock's 385-hp Baja Outlaw had plowed into the starboard aft quarter of the sailboat, launched itself over the top of the cabin and landed on the other side, taking the mast and the life of Lynn Thornton with it.
 
Russell Perdock admitted to flying along that pitch black night at about 50 mph — to this day he insists that such a high rate of speed is perfectly safe when you can't see your hand in front of your face — but claimed the sailboat's running lights were not on. Those on the sailboat — as well as several witnesses onshore — said they were.
 
Sailors around the world were flabbergasted when Lake County District Attorney Jon E. Hopkins announced that his office would prosecute Bismarck Dinius for vehicular manslaughter and felony BUI that resulted in injury or death. Not the man driving a speedboat at unsafe speeds at night, not the skipper of the sailboat, but the man who happened to have his hand on the tiller.
 
For two years we've railed against this travesty of justice, as have the friends and family of Lynn Thornton. But regardless of the public outcry, the trial began on July 28. For three weeks, we've watched as Hopkins presented what we continue to believe was a preposterous case against Dinius. And today, after seven hours of deliberations, the nine-man, three-woman jury found Bismarck not guilty of the felony BUI charge, which if convicted could have landed him in jail for three years. After finding him not guilty, they then had to consider two lesser charges: boating under the influence and boating with a BAC over .08. They found him not guilty on the first charge and deadlocked on the second — 11 jurors wanted to acquit, with one holding out. The judge found that they were hopelessly deadlocked and ordered a mistrial on that count. Thankfully, Hopkins dismissed that charge.
 
Not to pat ourselves on the back too much, but we at Latitude broke this story to the sailing community — which led to much greater general exposure — and predicted this outcome from Day One.  Tell us what you think.
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A Sea Change

Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by Richard Allen
 








Check out the documentary film A Sea Change on Saturday, September 26 on the Planet Green Network at 8:00 pm (EST). A Sea Change is a project of Sailors for the Sea, and was created by Niijii Films. VIEW DETAILS
 
This poignant film tackles the probability of a world without fish should humans continue to act and behave environmentally as we have for the past century. You can learn more about the documentary on our website.
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Raymarine Partners with Ranger Boats

Friday, August 14, 2009 by Richard Allen
Electronics Leader Offers Systems for Premium Saltwater Boats
MERRIMACK, N.H., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Raymarine, Inc., a world leader in marine electronics, today announced a new opportunity with Ranger Boats, the nation's largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats. Raymarine electronics are now available as a factory-installed option on Ranger's Bay Ranger line of saltwater boats.
 
Raymarine is offering two different Flats Class electronics packages on select Bay Ranger boats, targeted at either inshore or offshore fishing enthusiasts. The optional Flats Class packages consist of either Raymarine's new C90 Widescreen Multifunction Display or the new A50D GPS-Chartplotter/Fishfinder combination unit. Both packages offer Raymarine's award-winning HD Digital fishfinding technology as well as the SIRIUS Marine Weather Service. The Flats Class electronic packages are named for the popular saltwater fishing television show of the same name hosted by Ray Van Horn and Captain C.A. Richardson, who fish exclusively on Ranger Boats with Raymarine electronics.
 
"We're pleased that Raymarine has chosen our legendary Bay Ranger models to platform and share this optional electronics package," said Ranger Boats President, Randy Hopper. "The spacious Bay Ranger console design works well with these units to give our family of owners even more opportunity to custom build the saltwater rig of their dreams."
 
Raymarine Flats Class packages are available on Bay Ranger 2000, 2200, 2310, 2400 and 2410 models.
 
About Ranger Boats
 
Ranger Boats, headquartered in Flippin, Ark., is the nation's largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats, including a series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest quality, strongest performing boats on the water.
 
About Raymarine
 
Raymarine, a world leader in marine electronics, develops and manufactures the most comprehensive range of electronic equipment for the recreational boating and light commercial marine markets. Designed for high performance and ease of use, the award-winning products are available through a global network of dealers and distributors. The Raymarine product lines include radar, navigation aids, instruments, fishfinders, communications, software and systems. Raymarine plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information about Raymarine in the USA call 1-603-881-5200 or visit www.raymarine.com.
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Rules of the Road Summarized

Friday, July 17, 2009 by Richard Allen
By Chief Warrant Officer Jim Krzenski

Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce
 
Collisions between boats are one of the most dangerous and frequently occurring mishaps on our nations waters. In 1996, 5174 boat collisions occurred nationwide. These collisions not only resulted in vessel damage but often resulted in serious personal injury or death. Often the collision will result in people on board being thrown overboard by the force of the impact.
 
Avoiding collisions on the water differs in many ways from avoiding collisions while driving in your car. The one contributing factor which is similar between boats as compared to automobiles is SPEED. It has been statistically proven that the number of collisions between vehicles, be they of the marine or roadway type, are reduced as speed is reduced.
 
Although the newer high powered boats can reach speeds comparable to those of an automobile, there are no seat belts or brakes on most boats. Boats can either alter course or reverse their engines. Similar to the rules of the road used to prevent collisions on our nations highways, there are navigation rules which are used to prevent collisions on our nation’s and the world’s waterways.
 
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Rules (International-Inland) publication can be ordered by calling the U.S. Government Printing office at (202) 783-3238. (You can also view them here) The 36 rules and five annexes contained within this publication are specifically designed to help you prevent vessel collisions. All mariners are required to know and responsibly apply these navigation rules when operating their vessels. Some of the most important rules contained within this publication are summarized below. 

Rule - 2, Responsibility, requires that due regard shall he given to all dangers of navigation and collision. This rule allows the mariner to depart from the rules as necessary to avoid the immediate danger of collision. This rule is often applied when the risk of collision between three or more vessels may occur. It is the mariner’s responsibility to take the necessary actions to avoid a collision.
 
Rule - 4 requires that every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout using sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the possible risk of collision.
View all details
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Coast Guard Contributes to Counter-piracy Mission

Friday, July 17, 2009 by Richard Allen
By Coast Guard Lt. Tony Migliorini
Special to American Forces Press Service

The Coast Guard is actively engaged in implementing the president’s counter-piracy action plan, senior Coast Guard officials said. Capt. Charles Michel, chief of the Office of Maritime and International Law, and Capt. Michael Giglio, chief of law enforcement, discussed the Coast Guard’s international counter-piracy efforts yesterday with bloggers and online journalists. 

“Piracy goes back many, many years -- many thousands of years, actually -- about the time that man started first taking onto the water in ships,” Michel said. “Piracy is essentially an act of violence or depredation conducted on the high seas from one vessel to another vessel for private ends. … That's the definition of piracy that's captured in both the 1958 Convention on the High Seas, of which the United States is a party, as well as the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.” 

Recent incidents of piracy off the coast of Africa have raised the awareness of the issue on a global level. However, Michel described the Coast Guard’s longstanding efforts to combat acts of piracy internationally. “Modern piracy really, at least in my world of work, has been focused primarily in Southeast Asia, in the South China Sea and in the Straits of Malacca.” 

The Coast Guard is an active member of the multinational Combined Task Force 151 conducting counter-piracy missions around the Gulf of Aden, Giglio said. 

“From my vantage point, my particular interest is ensuring the proper application of Coast Guard authority, competency and capability in support of the combatant commanders' requirements,” he said. 

CTF 151 apprehended seven suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Feb. 11, and nine additional suspected pirates were apprehended Feb. 12. 

“This is just one small example of the ways in which the Coast Guard and the United States Navy can partner to deliver a very broad mix of skills to address what is a pretty broad spectrum of threats in the maritime environment today,” Giglio said. 

The counter-piracy plan focuses on three lines of action, Michel said: prevention of attacks, responding to attacks and prosecution of pirates. Through the combined task force, he added, the Coast Guard is working to execute all three lines of action. 

The first line of action to combat attacks is prevention. The primary means of prevention include the hardening of targets, the establishment of a maritime security patrol area and international diplomacy, Michel said. 

One of the primary roles of the Coast Guard personnel assigned to the combined task force, Giglio said, is to provide training in evidence-collection practices and procedures to ensure a complete case package, which facilitates prosecution. 

From a legal perspective, the issue of prosecuting pirates in international courts is complex, Michel explained. “The challenges are pretty daunting, because you may actually have, for example … Coast Guard and Navy personnel involved with [Somali] pirates who may have attacked a Panamanian vessel with a Filipino crew being tried in a Kenyan court.” 

However, processes now are being put in place to effectively deal with the prosecution of pirates. 

“We are in the best shape we've ever been for Horn of Africa pirates with the establishment of a [memorandum of understanding] with one of the regional partners that will allow us to bring those pirates ashore and, if the evidence can be tied up correctly, prosecute it in a Kenyan court,” Michel said. 

Michel emphasized the importance of dealing with the piracy issue. Even though “your chances of getting taken by pirates in that area are actually pretty small, should we tolerate that type of lawlessness and criminal activity and the nefarious results that can happen by the introduction of money and people being held at gunpoint?” 
U.S. Department of Defense News
 
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Did You Know?

Friday, July 17, 2009 by Richard Allen
C-Weather is an exclusive weather download function of PC-Planner for use with MAX charts. Weather information can be transferred from PC to compatible chart plotter via memory card. 
 
The weather data includes temperature, wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, weather conditions (sunny, clear, cloudy, and so on), humidity and visibility. A five-day forecast covering a 180X180 nautical miles will be downloaded. For more information contact: Orders or any product questions can be submitted to us-order@jeppesen.com.

Please remember to note plotter information on all orders. If you would like to receive tracking information, please also include an email address that we can include in our UPS system.
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Burning Question: What Can I Do to Make My GPS Work Better?

Friday, July 17, 2009 by Richard Allen
By Cliff Kuang
WIRED MAGAZINE

Whether you're heading into the wild or down the road, it's hard to find a better electronic sidekick than a GPS. (Well, you know, other than a cell phone.) NavTeq, which provides electronic cartography for the likes of Garmin and Magellan, says GPS unit sales doubled in 2008 (after tripling in 2007). Still, even savvy gadgeteers sometimes can't locate their device's true potential.
 
Because a GPS has to receive a signal from space, physical impediments like skyscrapers, cliff faces, and even trees can stump it. Reception is less of an issue with the ultrasensitive chipsets in newer models, but if the walls are closing in on you, take a cue from a time when navigation systems weren't the streamlined panels they are today: Hooking up an antenna will make use of even the most tenuous celestial connection. There's a port on the back of most GPS devices for jacking in.
 
But don't drop $50 on extra hardware until you've made sure the problem isn't operator error. The worst time to power up your GPS is when you actually need it. Before you set out, find some wide-open sky and give your silicon guide a couple of minutes to itself. Newer units have detailed tables that tell them where the satellites will be at any time of day, anywhere in the world; they just need a single clean sync to get oriented. If you wait until you're in the woods, the receiver will have to scan the heavens with no inkling of where to start.
 
You'll also want to remember that a GPS is not a compass: It runs on software. Like your PC, it needs to communicate with the mother ship periodically. Vendors refresh firmware and maps on a regular basis, sometimes even daily. These updates deliver new bits of data that significantly affect your gadget's accuracy. But if you live in the boonies on a road named after your sister-wife, don't expect NavTeq to come a-knocking with its survey equipment. Fortunately, most companies make it easy to update your own maps. Usually it's as simple as plugging into your home computer, dropping a couple of pins in Google Maps, and clicking Save.
 
If you own a new TomTom, it's even easier. You can edit maps on the unit itself, though you might not have to: Some of the company's navis update themselves. TomTom's IQ Routes software takes data from every person who uses the company' gadgets and readjusts its assumptions about which roads you should use and how long a given route will take. It will even change its own maps.
 
See, it's not that hard: Your GPS may use NASA technology, but getting the most out of it isn't rocket science. view WIRED
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A Toast to Marvin

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by Richard Allen
This sailor took to the sea with Polaris as his only navigation instrument. 


You may or may not have time to make plans to attend the afternoon celebration that Ralph Harvey and Phillip Miller are planning for May 17 at Red Bank Battlefield  National Park, along the shores of the Delaware River in New Jersey. Chances are good, though, that their friend and the man of the hour, 93-year-old Marvin Creamer, will be on hand, just as he was 25 years earlier when he and his crew dropped anchor there, having just sailed his 35-foot steel-hulled cutter Globe Star around the world without using a single navigational instrument—no compass, no sextant, no electronics, not even a wristwatch. 
 
The voyage began 17 months earlier on a cold December day when Creamer and crew left Cape May, New Jersey, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. His landfalls would include Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand, and, after rounding Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands before he arrived home in New Jersey some 30,000 miles later.
 
Creamer was a geography professor at New Jersey's Glassboro State College who retired in 1977. He was intrigued by such voyagers as the Vikings and the Phoenicians, who used their eyes and know-how to observe wind and waves so they could cross oceans. By the early 1970s, he decided to delve deeper into this fascination, and he answered the cruising itch by buying a 30-foot ketch that he sailed from Cape May to the Azores and back. It was during long night watches that he found that he could steer quite well by watching Polaris rather than the compass. In three more Atlantic crossings by 1980, he honed his ability to determine latitude by relying on the Pole Star and longitude based on dead reckoning. 
 
The ketch was replaced soon enough by Globe Star, and plans were made for the record-setting circumnavigation. After completing his journey, Creamer wrote several stories for CW. In one from November 1985, "Surmounting Cape Horn," he describes the crew's storm-wracked start from Hobart, Tasmania, bound for Valparaiso, Chile. He recounts sailing eastward, noting that clearing the Horn was "a necessity" but "seeing it was highly desirable." As they approached the tip of South America, he reasoned, "We could find the required latitude by noting the intensity of the twilight at the time of the December solstice. If we were far enough south to clear the cape, the sun would set, twilight would occur, and the sun would rise."
 
Though they sailed through the Roaring 40s and severe weather with a broken tiller and badly damaged steering vane, Creamer describes the sail as "a jolly romp on the ocean." Once safely home, when he reviewed position signals that the crew broadcast daily to the ARGOS satellite system to allay coast guard safety concerns, he found that after sailing 3,874 miles from New Zealand, their latitude as they approached the Horn was off by only seven miles and their longitude, which they'd based on wind and speed observations, was misstated by just 110 miles. These days, we sail in a cocoon of electronics. Where Creamer and his crew looked for changing wave patterns, sea life, and water color to foretell land, we monitor plotters and fuel gauges and hope that the battery bank remains charged long enough to get us where we're going. And still, it's easy to get lost out there.
Story — By Mark Pillsbury  Cruising World                                  
 
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Find out why the Volvo Ocean race is actually called the Volvo Ocean Race!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by Richard Allen

Meet Volvo

 

If you ever have been wondering why an offshore round-the-world sailing race is named after a brand that focuses on engine-powered means of transport and construction… well, here’s our answer:

The race tells an inspiring story about dedicated individuals and teams who with passion, energy and endurance, climb the “Mount Everest of sailing”. The Volvo Ocean Race also is one of the very few truly global sports events - taking place on 4 different continents, involving multi-national, multi-cultural teams and support teams. In short, it perfectly mirrors the world we live in at Volvo every day.

At Volvo, we are in the businesses of transport – the transport of people, construction material and goods. Transport plays a crucial role in the development of a society and its economy. However, we also know that transport – and we with it – is part of a problem that is one of the major challenges of our times: Energy consumption and its effect on our planet’s climate. Ever since its inception in 1927, Volvo has been sensitive to its environment, conscious that if the industry is to be part of the problems, there is an obligation to be part of the solution.

Therefore, at Volvo, we have for decades now also been in the business of building cars and vehicles with greater energy efficiency and less environmental impact - whether on the factory floor, on the roads, the construction sites, the seas and the skies of the world, Volvo’s three core values – Quality, Safety and Environmental Care are all intertwined, and Volvo is dedicated to the quality of the air that we breathe, the safety of our surroundings, the protection of the environment. That is one of the reasons why we like sailing!

The Volvo brand is shared between Volvo Group and Volvo Cars – welcome to explore our worlds! 
volvooceanrace
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Volvo Ocean Race — Undeniably the world’s premier global race and one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by Richard Allen
The Volvo Ocean Race is an exceptional test of sailing prowess and human endeavour which has been built on the spirit of great seafarers - fearless men who sailed the world’s oceans aboard square rigged clipper ships more than a century ago.
Their challenge back then was not a race as such, but recording the fastest time between ports. This meant new levels of pride for themselves and great recognition for their vessel.
 
The spirit that drove those commercial sailors along the web of trade routes, deep into the bleak latitudes of the Southern Ocean and around the world’s most dangerous capes, emerges today in the form of the Volvo Ocean Race, a contest now seen as the pinnacle of achievement in the sport.
 
The first edition of this sporting adventure came in the wake of two remarkable sailors of the last century, Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, men who drew worldwide acclaim for amazing solo voyages around the planet. Inevitably their success led to talk in international sailing circles of a race around the world for fully crewed yachts. It became a reality in 1973 with The Whitbread round the World Race, the longest, most demanding and perilous sporting contest the world had known.
 
Dangerous it was. In that very first race three competing sailors were lost after being washed overboard during storms. This led to the inevitable call for that inaugural contest to be the last, but the desire for unbridled adventure and great competition led to the race being staged every four years.
 
The re-badged Volvo Ocean Race was run for the first time in 2001-02. Today it is, quite simply, the ‘Everest of Sailing’.
 
During the nine months of the 2008-09 Volvo, which starts in Alicante, Spain in October 2008 and concludes in St Petersburg, Russia, during late June 2009, the teams will sail over 37,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Goteborg and Stockholm.
 
Each of the seven entries has a sailing team of 11 professional crew, and the race requires their utmost skills, physical endurance and competitive spirit as they race day and night for more than 30 days at a time on some of the legs. They will each take on different jobs onboard the boat and on top of these sailing roles, there will be two sailors that have had medical training, as well as a sailmaker, an engineer and a media specialist.
 
During the race the crews will experience life at the extreme: no fresh food is taken onboard so they live off freeze dried fare, they will experience temperature variations from -5 to +40 degrees Celsius and will only take one change of clothes. They will trust their lives to the boat and the skipper and experience hunger and sleep deprivation.
 
The race is the ultimate mix of world class sporting competition and on the edge adventure, a unique blend of onshore glamour with offshore drama and endurance. It is undeniably the world’s premier global race and one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world. 
volvooceanrace
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Yachtswomen Smash Britain and Ireland Sailing Record

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by Richard Allen
Dee Caffari and her team become fastest to complete 2,500 nautical mile challenge
An all-woman crew today became the fastest to sail around Britain and Ireland.

Record-breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari, 36, skippered the 2,500 nautical mile challenge on board her 60ft yacht Aviva, taking six days, 11 hours, 30 minutes and 53 seconds. The team, which included fellow British sailors Sam Davies, 34, Miranda Merron, 39, and Alex Sizer, the boat captain, crossed the finish line off Ventnor, Isle of Wight, at 8.40 am. Caffari, who became the first woman to sail solo and non-stop both ways around the world in February this year, now has two more records to celebrate.
 
She and her crew today beat the outright record of seven days and four hours set in May 2004 to sail around Britain and Ireland by 17 hours and 16 minutes. They also smashed the all-female record of 10 days and 16 hours, set by Davies and her crew on board Roxy in June 2007. Caffari and Davies are experienced round-the-world sailors and became good friends when they both completed this year's Vendée Globe.
 
German sailor Isabelle Joschke was planning to take part in their latest adventure but pulled out when the eventual start date clashed with another race. The crew had been on standby for more than a week, waiting for the best weather, before Aviva set sail in an anti-clockwise direction as the forecast suggested this would be the fastest route.
 
The British coastline features some of the world's most technically demanding waters, with ever-changing weather, strong tidal flows and adverse land effects. Shipping and other obstructions such as oil rigs in the North Sea are also potential hazards. Caffari, as skipper, had overall charge while Sizer, 34, as boat captain, was responsible for Aviva, fixing any problems and making sure everything worked as well as possible. Caffari, from Titchfield, Hampshire, said: "We are really, really pleased and I am so proud of the boat and the girls, the right team together.
 
"We are quite relieved to finish because we are pretty tired and need a shower and some rest.
"It was six days of great sailing with the girls, we had a ball. The weather was difficult at times but when it was wet weather and bumpy it was fast, which was good for the miles. "All of us wanted to achieve the same thing and were there for each other to make it happen. We had an ambition to beat the record but by the extent we have is an awesome achievement." Davies, originally from Hayling Island, Hampshire, said she was glad to have beaten her last record, which was set in less than ideal sailing conditions. "I was pleased to have that record but almost embarrassed about how long it took us," she said. "I'm really pleased that we now have the record for women or men. The most important thing is it's the outright record.
 
"That's the beauty of offshore racing. There's no division between boys and girls, you are all racing on equal terms. We can perform just as well as the guys."
 
The voyage was ratified by the World Speed Sailing Council.
Story — guardian.co.uk Photograph: Chris Ison/PA

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Jeppesen Marine Provides Electronic Navigation Support for "Around the Americas" Voyage.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by Richard Allen
Jeppesen Marine is providing advanced navigational software and C-MAP MAX Pro cartography for the Around the Americas 24,217-nautical mile, yearlong journey.
 
By providing advanced navigational software and C-MAP MAX Pro cartography to the 13-month Around the Americas expedition, Jeppesen Marine is doing more than helping a small crew of adventurous sailors safely circumnavigate the Americas aboard a 64-foot sailboat. Jeppesen Marine is helping raise awareness of critical ocean health issues and educating thousands in the scientific community and general populace as the Ocean Watch visits 31 ports in 11 countries on its 24,217-nautical mile, yearlong journey. 
 
In actuality, the Around the Americas project — a joint venture of Seattle’s Pacific Science Center, the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Lab and Sailors for the Sea — has the potential to reach millions more people worldwide through the media and online. In addition to face-to-face meetings and discussions with educators, scientists and the media at each of the scheduled port stops, voyage organizers will provide direct access to voyage updates through web-based field reports and create bi-lingual educational materials available free to classrooms, after school programs and homes. The scope and nature of this ambitious educational voyage is certain to attract widespread media exposure everywhere the Ocean Watch travels, as well as around the world. A film and book about the expedition are also planned. 
 
The Around the Americas expedition is scheduled to depart Seattle, Washington during June 2009, and return to Seattle sometime in July 2010. The planned route will take the Ocean Watch through the Northwest Passage, down the United States East Coast, around Cape Horn and up the United States West Coast. Her crew will consist of Mark Shrader, project director and captain; David Logan, first mate; Herb McCormick, watch captain and marine journalist and David Thoreson, watch captain, cameraman and photographer. During certain legs of the journey, they will be joined onboard by various scientists, educators and other VIP guests. 
 
“We’re honored to play a role in this important expedition and proud that our electronic charts will be used to help guide the crew of the Ocean Watch,” said Michelle Buckalew, senior marketing manager, Jeppesen Marine. “On this ambitious voyage for environmental education, these sailors will navigate remote waters rarely encountered by boaters. The group’s selection of Jeppesen Marine as electronic chart provider to support this challenging journey is testimony to the accuracy, detail and feature-rich performance of our marine cartography,” added Buckalew. 
 
The crew will be navigating using Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral MAX Pro navigation software operating C-MAP MAX Pro cartography. This is Jeppesen Marine’s most advanced electronic chart platform for recreational marine use, with a host of specific features beneficial to the crew of the Ocean Watch. These include the ability to overlay real-time and 10-day weather forecasts onto the charts, Virtual World 3D display for detailed three-dimensional presentations of land and sea contours, and 2D and 3D satellite photo overlays. This system also provides instant online access to Notice to Mariner chart changes on a weekly basis — providing the Around the Americas sailors with the most accurate and up-to-date electronic navigation charts available. 
 
For more information on the Around the Americas expedition, and to follow the journey as it unfolds online, visit www.pacsci.org/aroundtheamericas. 
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U-boat sunk in Potomac joins marine preserve

Thursday, April 30, 2009 by Richard Allen
By Leonard Sparks
Capital News Service

The carcass of a World War II-era German submarine has rested for 60 years on the bottom of the Potomac River in southern Maryland, visited only by sport divers and marine archeologists.
 
But now Maryland officials charged with protecting the U.S. Navy-owned U-boat are moving to add it to a new federal system of protected marine areas being created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
 
"It's nice to be part of a larger scientific system," said Susan Langley, underwater archeologist for the Maryland Department of Planning. "It's sort of bragging rights for Maryland."
The submarine's location, designated as the Black Panther Shipwreck Preserve, is one mile west of Piney Point Lighthouse in St. Mary's County.  View entire article
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