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GryphonSolo2 Record Attempt Update
August 27, 2015

GryphonSolo2 Record Attempt Update
August 27, 2015

Hello Friends-

I am writing with an update on the preparations for myself and my faithful sailing stead GryphonSolo2 towards our upcoming Round-the-World, solo, non-stop record attempt. Much work has been accomplished and much more needs to be done as we are about 77 days out from the projected departure date of early November on a favorable weather window from Newport, RI.

I have been sailing quite a bit and everything on the boat is going pretty well at the moment, but the key to success in this venture will not only be speed, but durability and longevity.

The record I am trying to beat is 137 days and the distance is about 27,000 nautical miles so I will need to cover over 200 miles a day to best the record. However, as they say, "you can’t win if you don’t finish”, so getting around the world in one piece and crossing the start/finish line of Castle Hill in Newport in March 2016 is the goal. The laundry list of upcoming work includes:

A thorough review and replacement as needed for every rope on the boat, of which there are many!
Commissioning and testing of the watermaker/desalinator capacity and power needs
Lengthy sea trials to determine onboard energy useage and the ability of my solar and hydro-gen systems to keep up without resorting to the engine to charge the batteries
Research and purchase of dehydrated and other food for 130 days at sea\
Procuring digital and paper charts to navigate around the world
Selecting clothing and foul weather gear for the extreme variety of temperatures and weather I will experience
Preparing a satellite communications plan (voice and data) that will not break the bank
Working on the route with Commanders Weather

Check out this article in "Windcheck Magazine” via the link below for more background and detail:

http://www.windcheckmagazine.com/joe_harris_to_attempt_40_foot_monohull_non_stop_solo_around_the_world_record?utm_campaign=aug_24_enews&utm_medium=email&utm_source=windcheck

Lastly- please "Save the Date” of Saturday November 7^th to attend a "Bon Voyage” party at Newport Shipyard in Newport, RI to check out the boat, have some good food and drink and hear from some knowledgeable speakers discussing the upcoming record attempt- yours truly included. More details to follow.

Cheers
Joe