Today

      The road of the sun Alain Gerbo

Alain Gerbo – legend of France. Not only was he the first of the French to go sailing around the world alone, he was able to tell this talentedly.

And Gerbo proved: it is not necessary to be a sailor, a real "sea wolf", to make such a trip.

Read in our "coronavirus" project –

https://www.yachtrussia.com/articles/2014/12/24/articles_79.html

56 Today # 10086
                                                    
      
    

Chief Editor

Yesterday

      Zhuillon again hit the road
      Last night, Moscow time, the 63-year-old skipper Francis Zhuillon and four members of his crew, leaving the IDEC SPORT max trimaran from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), headed for Shenzhen (China).

The third stage of Zhuillon’s record tour is very short – only 870 nautical miles. It is planned that IDEC SPORT will cover this distance in three (maximum – four) days, depending on wind conditions. It is worth noting that on the path of the trimaran there are many islands and fishing boats.

Recall that the first stage – 8800 miles from the town of Port Louis in France to another Port Louis on the island of Mauritius – IDEC SPORT overcame in 19 days, 18 hours, 14 minutes and 45 seconds. The second stage – from Mauritius to Ho Chi Minh City (3975 miles) – was completed in 12 days, 20 hours, 37 minutes and 56 seconds. As for the fourth stage, it will be 13,000 miles of the classic Tea Race from Hong Kong to London.

80 Yesterday # 9762
                                                    
      
    

Chief Editor

March 28, 2019

      Month on the road. The flight is normal.
      How is the blind yachtsman Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, who, together with his friend Doug Smith, sailing on a 13-meter yacht from the USA to Japan? 6000 nautical miles, by the way.

Things are going well. Today, March 28, is a significant day: The Dream Weaver (the so-called Iwamoto and Smith yacht) crossed the international date line. By the way, yesterday, the day was also significant: exactly one month passed from the start in San Diego. Initially, travelers planned that their odyssey would last 60 days, but now, as Iwamoto wrote in his blog, they hope to reach the Japanese coast even faster.

Well, this is great news for everyone who cares about Matsuhiro and Doug. Well, if you still have not heard about them, skipping our previous publication, allow yourself to repeat something. Especially since this story is amazing.

Six years ago, in June 2013, Mitsuhiro’s intention to go to Iwamoto to sail 6000 nautical miles from the USA to Japan was written by sailing publications all over the world. Because Iwamoto is blind. He lost his sight in his youth.

At the same time, we emphasize that he is an experienced yachtsman. Together with him on board the 9-meter yacht was a Japanese television videographer, who was to capture all the main points of the trip.

However, on the sixth day it was all over: a whale crashed into the yacht (which was fixed by the underwater camera), and after a few minutes the boat went to the bottom. Fortunately, Iwamoto and the operator managed to move into the liferaft …

The psychological trauma that Iwamoto then received (he, we note, lives in the USA) was the hardest. Crossing the Pacific was his cherished dream. In addition, he spent most of his money on preparing for the trip, and there was simply no money for the second attempt.

So everything would have remained a dream if one day Iwamoto did not meet with businessman Doug Smith (an American who, on the contrary, settled in Japan). He was not at all experienced, novice yachtsman. But he, too, had a dream – to perform some noble act.
Smith (he, like Iwamoto, 52 years old) bought a new 13-meter yacht, which he called The Dream Weaver and with his money fully prepared her for a long trip. In recent months, he has been training hard to improve his yacht skills, and …

February 27, The Dream Weaver with Iwamoto and Smith (both 52 years old) on board departed San Diego. They stand at the helm in turn, but the Japanese are mostly at night. Himself darkness, you know, not a hindrance.

May God bless them to reach Japan. This story should have a happy ending.

Travel site across the Pacific –

https://voyageofinspiration.com

Expedition Tracker –

https://www.furunotracking.com/#!/spectate/race/RlBqSzE1NTEyNTgxMzM3MzE

215 March 28, 2019 # 8879
                                                    
      
    

Chief Editor