Yrvind is now on the Atlantic ocean. If you want to follow him you can do so by clicking the Tracker in the menu, or here Tracker
Yrvind at irish-TV
Roscoff
Yesterday we arrived at Roscoff in good time and found rooms and a parkinh place for the boat at an exelent hotel, Bellevue, at rue Jean d Arc.
Tomorrow at 18.30 our ferry bound for Rosslare in the republic of Irland departs. Roscoff is a nice place and we enjoy our stay here. Pierre Herve and his wife Maelle visit us. Pierre has illustrated my Manifesto. He brought me two spearguns. I could not by them in Sweden because they are criminal in Sweden.
Regards Yrvind and Beppe
On the road
On the road with the boat behind the car. Now at 45 knots. Next stop Lübeck.
UPCOMING EVENT
So far everything has gone well, very well.
The rollover test was succesful, to my relief, allthuogh some water came in thrugh the back and for hatches and through a the VHF antenna. The antenna is now dealt with, hopefully.
Only a small amount of water, maybee 5 liter or 2 US gallons at the most, found its way inside the brave Exlex. The water was collected in the for and aft compartments. They are not sensitive to water. The boat was at lest 1 minute completly upside down before the healaing rope was released and she was allowed right herself, wich she did very quickly. During coming capsizeses in the wild Roaring Forties I estimate that Exlex will stay upside down much shorter times. Myself, I was in the aft compartment. During the forst rollover I was in the bunk. There are sevaral videos of showing that experiment, for exampel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvdjEq3K93w
Monday 21 of May 2018 at 17:00 houers departure is planned from Mekonomen Västervik, Håkan will drive me to Ireland. I will be on place already at 16:00 houers for Q and A.
Adress Mekonomen, Allen, Västervik, Sweden
Everyone with a positive interest in small boat cruising are welcome.
Exlex is an experimental craft, she is very tender she is not very suitable for the planned voyage witch will be difficult by any standard. She was built as a daysailer and the reel boat was meant to be bigger but unfortunately I run out of money becouse no publisher wanted to print a manuscrips I had hoped would pay for a bigger boat, so brave Exlex willingly volentared to take on the big oceans. I have a model of next design with me. When the sky is grey and the wind contrary I will look at the model and get courage. Next design is 7.2 meters long 1.2 meters beam 0.2 meters draft. I am soon back from NZ to start working on her. This upcoming voyage is not a record attempt, nor is it a protest. It is an experiment being done to conferm my hypothesis of how a small, cheap, seaworthy, enviromentally frendly, low energy, shallow draft, cruising boat that can be propelled by wind with a small sail area and when the wind is absent by muscle power applied to an oar, even by elderly persons, shall be designed.
Best regards Yrvind
ROLLOVER TEST FULLY LOADED
On Friday 18 of May at 14:00 I intend to do a new rollover test to confirm the stability range of Exlex fully loaded.
In theory the boat should have even better stability fully loaded, but “show me”, to have experienced it will make me less worried.
To end up upside down would be cathastrophic.
All persons with a positive intrest in small boat cruising are welcome to watch.
Place: Västerviks båtvarv, Solbergsudde, Västervik.
A link to the first rollover test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdOgULeFTfM
Regards Yrvind.
Exlex on Swedish National TV
TIME AND PLACE OF DEPARTURE
Exlex depart is planned to be at 17:00 houers Monday 21 of May 2018 from Mekonomen.
Adress: Allen, Västervik, Sweden.
All persons with a positiv interest in small cruisers are welcome.
I will be there from 16:00 houers to ansver questions.
Regards Yrvind
GETTING CLOSE TO DEPARTURE
1 of May here in Sweden. Trees are getting green, the sun out and the sea blue. Time to go sailing. Departure is planned to 21 of this month.
Luckily most things are in there place. I am getting a bit nerveus as if something have been forgotten. I prepare for one year at sea, hoping for 300 days.
A new rollover test is planned for 18 of May 14:00. Not that I think its neccesary, Exlex should have even better stability now with all the food and water, but yacht design is complicated, so just to be sure.
It will be nice to know for sure that Exlex always will comes back after capsizes.
Below a few pictures. Click once or twice to enlarge.
Below my touthbrushes and bowl and waterbottle. Also a knife and a ratchet and Torx bits fitting the screws holding down the hatches.
The tracker inReach is positioned in the main cabin. I have tested to send sms texts 140 characters. I think I got the hang of it.
Trying out Blue Peter: All persons should report on board as the vessel is about to proceed to sea.
To be continued…
Regards Yrvind.
MORE WATER
Surprisingly food for 360 days took up less space than expected. This gives me the possibility to add more water. I have added four 12 liter jerry cans in the aft port hatch. Tomorrow I try to do the same on the port side. There is already about 47 liters but not so close packed.
More water at the aft end and low down will give the boat more stability and make her easier to self-steer down wind.
Besides that I will spend Easter antifouling the hull for a secound time.
Progress have been made on Next Design. She is now 7.8 meter long and 1.28 meter beam.
At 1.2 tons dispalacement and a waterline of 7.2 meters or 23.6 feet she will have an lenght displacement ratio of about 90 which is good for planing down wind in a good breeze.
She will also be small enough to yuloh with little effort even by an old man.
She has a strong flat bottom and a draft of 20 cm or 8 inches. She will be good for deep as well as shallow waters.
To bee continued…
Regards Yrvind
FOOD PACKED
Hello.
The food is now packed and repacked
To my great surprise it was more than enough space. Therefore just to be safe I have added 47 liters of water to the existing 56 a big increase. It feels good becouse the rainwater catching system is untried.
Electronics have arriveid 2 Garmin GPS with maps all the way to NZ. Also two Garmin inReach and I am testing one. Seams to work.
Above the food Exlex swalloved.
Click once or twice to enlarge.
To be continued…
Regards Yrvind