The Boat
The boat is a 32' sloop, built the same month
that my daughter was born - May 1974 - by Bristol Boat Company
in Bristol, Rhode Island. It was designed by, Ted Hood. It is
9'6'' in beam, draws 3.5' of water and 7 foot with the centerboard
down. It weighs 11,500 pounds, and as I depart it will weigh about
13,000 pounds fully laden. It is rigged as a marconi sloop, carrying
about 480 square feet of working sail. On board will be mainsail,
genoa jib on roller furling gear, a storm jib, and a cruising
spinnaker. Hull speed is about 6.5 knots - seven miles an hour.
During the trip, I am hoping to average about 4.5 knots (a brisk
walking clip), about 100 miles per day, or about 32 days for the
entire trip
Inside the boat there are sleeping
accommodations, a toilet (head), a cooker, and an icebox. There
are two water tanks that will hold 100 gallons of water - enough
for 50 days for a single-hander. I'll carry extra jugs of water,
and when I approach Ireland, I expect that I will be able to replenish
with rainwater - I won't be dying of thirst.
