Mighty Merloe

[silent bob]

Totally agree. Its more of a joke on a sad situation where we all likely wish there was some way to save the boat from him.

Yeah, but what to do with it? Most marinas can’t handle the big Tri‘s. Most boatyards can’t handle them, either. Most of the hardware isn’t available at West Marine. Then, a suit of sails are going to set you back well into the six digits. It takes two or more knowledgeable people, full time, to keep these monsters safe.

Now that I’m a bit more mature, I understand why Larry Ellison cut up Sayonara, and put USA-17 on static display at Oracle HQ.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Update time! This will be a long one as we got a lot of topics to cover: first, yes it is true I have been sick for the last 72hrs from eating Street food the day before we left Mexico! The cramps and pain has been intense but is subsiding daily. I am hoping to be out of bed by Monday! Next up, we are back in the good old USA! Feels good. Missed being here for 2 months. Just smelling the fluoride in the water brings peace to my stomach! The moment we landed, my phone exploded with so many missed calls, messages, birthday wish, happy new years, etc! It was nice to see so many people were wondering about us and sent nice messages our way. I am sorry to those who took it personal not hearing back to us when we were offshore and overseas for 2 months. Not having power onboard made it even more difficult to communicate let alone not having cell coverage for sometime in Mexico. But lets dive into the boat repairs, the program and future plans! For the Defiant repairs. Significant progress has been made in the hull repairs which has been one of the top two issues we needed to get squared away. It took about a week to get the damaged accessed to best of our abilities in Acapulco. This isn't Newport, RI or Annapolis, MD, so we had to outsource some of the work and communicate with people from all around until we came up with a solid - temporary- solution on the repairs. The work on the starboard side is about 90% of what we are hoping for and the Port Side that took the brunt of the collision is about 80% of what we hope. We are planning on letting the work stand for a week and then re-evaluate in Mid Feb. Several MOD and Maxi Trimaran teams have provided great advice, specs, and concepts to help with the work and it has been greatly appreciated! The real work will happen when we finally have a facility on the East Coast that can properly house our boat and has the staff that knows how to repair these types of boats. Next up, the dreaded engine. From day 1 it has been the cause of most of our issues. We had been warned she needed a complete rebuild. We slowly started the process back in Nov but we have decided to go for the full rebuild in Feb and March. We have a Lombardi 45hp Marine engine onboard that serves as our battery generator as well. The issue we have currently is our boat was setup for short - quick runs so there is no wind generator, no hydrogenerator and no solar panels. With only 2 lithium batteries onboard and the amount of electronics on board, we are constantly running the engine which adds to the engine hours. So during this time period, we are making the move to get a wind turbine installed to help with the charge. Because of the Defiants Apparent wind and speed, our wind turbine will work more efficiently than on slower boats. Next up will be a hydro generator but it won't be installed probably until the passage through the canal. After sailing the Defiant over 6,000nm, we have learned a ton about what she can and can't do right now. And that is the purpose of these runs to learn as much as we can and discuss it with people who know. Next up, the Radar. The Defiant didn't have a radar installed and there is no way that would have prevented the multiple collisions we have had over the last year but it does provide a great visual of what's going on around you. Next, the sails. Much talk about the status of the J1 and J2. They actually not as bad as they look furled. The leeches are where the damage is located down seams. They can be and will be pathed up as well. The main top batten was removed as it broke, but that will be replaced when the main comes off for repairs. Speaking of the mainsail, someone asked how many reef points we have on Defiant, right now just 2. The 3rd isn't fitted in the mast and the main only has 2 built-in. We will fix that as well once we arrive to the East Coast as it makes it very hard to sail the Defiant in heavy Seas and big winds when your choices are 2nd reef or drop the entire sail. The worklist has more notes but I will stop there and jump to the Dark Seas Project updates now: there have been some misconceptions and false things said about what we do and how we do it. The DSP isn't a take you sailing - sailing camp program. We haven't and don't take kids out sailing on the ocean. We visit yacht clubs, schools, centers and they come down to the boat for tours, STEM (former engineer) and other activities where they get to experience a F1 sailing boat that they would never have access to. In 2022 for example, we did a West Coast Tour and did tons of visits all over California and even flew to the mid west in Ohio, to the East Coast in NYC, Newport, and on and on. The responses from our work mean a lot and we will continue to bring the sport I love to the people I love. My sailing and passage making is what I do but isn't the only part of my life and goals. Final thoughts before I head back to the pillow, thank you. Thank you to everyone for being them and sharing both love and hate towards me, my team, my boat, my program and my partners. We see it and record it as it is part of the legacy of what we are doing. You never know how people feel about you until they have an opportunity to speak. I so wish I could show you all the incredible messages I get from Pro Sailors, Olympians, World Champions, Vendee Globe Sailors, and so on who love seeing an American Try to do this work on this level. It's not easy and I know there will be more ups and downs but ultimately, we will keep pushing forward and try to do the best we can - try to take care of everything we can - try to be a good role model for those who come next - we will keep trying and keep being us and hopefully, that will be enough. Enjoy the big game! Captain Donald Lawson

 

[can-UK]

Can an Orma 60 use wind and/or hydro generators?? Surely the boat moves too fast for these to be realistic and reliable long term energy options.. maybe I'm wrong.

I'm guessing Volvo 65s used them so hydrogenerators are good to 20+ knots.

 

[solosailor]

After sailing the Defiant over 6,000nm

Did he already sail to Hawaii before heading to Mexico?

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Surely the boat moves too fast for these to be realistic and reliable long term energy options.. maybe I'm wrong.

Wrong.

The history of François Gabart's wind turbine on Macif

_ If you follow with the transmitted videos François Gabart's record attempt on Macif, you may have noticed his propeller spinning at the back of his central hull. This is a new type of wind turbine developed by Matthieu Michou. This brilliant engineer explains the genesis of this project.

www.boatsnews.com

Hydrogens are much more powerful but still suffer quite a lot from impacts/weeds/animal attacks/unreliability/cost issues.

Don needs very little of what he thinks he does. What he really needs is a bigger motor and 20 jerry cans of fuel on deck. And fenders - lots and lots of fenders.

 

[socalrider]

Next up, the Radar. The Defiant didn't have a radar installed and there is no way that would have prevented the multiple collisions we have had over the last year but it does provide a great visual of what's going on around you.

Not an expert, but didn't he hit an island? Wouldn't that have shown up on radar? Or an iPhone?

 

[Al Paca]

A boat hook might come in handy. A real long one.

 

[Will1073]

I feel super late to the party.

Is this American Rimas?

 

[MR.CLEAN]

I feel super late to the party.

Is this American Rimas?

rimas on 'roids

 

[munt]

I've only flown over but I've heard that sailing from Panama northward can be pretty difficult. Assuming he gets the boat in order and scientists invent a new type of radar which can detect large, rocky objects such as islands, what are the odds he can get the boat up the east coast of North America? Let's say you could pay a guy like Gabart enough money to make him try it on that boat singlehanded. He being the apex predator, right? I'm guessing he'd get it there but I doubt he'd enjoy it. Just the thought of trying to reef that main by myself, under duress at 3 in the morning makes my eyes water and some spittle drips out the corner of me grill. I sincerely wish the Captain a long and prosperous life and hope he uses his energy and charisma for good causes but I'm willing to wager one glazed donut that he doesn't get the boat out of Mexico.

 

[Hitchhiker]

Did he already sail to Hawaii before heading to Mexico?

Right? I question how he arrived at this mileage figure.

 

[Monkey]

Right? I question how he arrived at this mileage figure.

It’s simple really. If each hull sailed about 2,000 miles, when you add ‘em all together you get his numbers.

 

[Rasputin22]

I think since Don took over (Bought? Donated more likely) he sailed it to San Francisco from Newport where he smoozed the Yacht Clubs up there and did some 'promo' daysails. There was mention of sailing DEFIANT up to the Seattle area but the West Coast Tour sort of evaporated after hitting a Unidentified Floating Object in the Delta after which he beached the boat on Treasure Island for impromptu repairs. More Bay area daysails and then he and his wife departed for San Pedro but ran into Anacapa as detailed above. Then another stay at the boat ramp in Ventura or somewhere. Damage to port hull was pretty evident but he did get it back San Pedro and threw some tarps over the worst of it. The passage to Hawaii was supposed to happen from there but he and his wife got blown down to Acapulco where is is supposedly getting repaired with all sorts of support from the French Offshore Multihull teams and skippers. How that adds up to 6000 miles of sailing the DEFIANT since he has been at the helm is beyond me but he must have a different understanding of math than I do. Everything about this guy is a stretch of the imagination.

Lat 18 seems to have gotten some reality of the situation. The really weird thing was Don claiming that he and his wife were headed to the Galapagos Islands when storms and UFO's forced them into Acapulco. I guess his navigation is on another reality as well.

Not a good look...

 

[96elur]

Just in print a couple of days ago. https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/headwinds-facing-captain-donald-lawson-mighty-merloe-defiant/

 

[mpenman]

Man, you're not fixing that with paint and a little filler.
Who leaves port without a working engine or ability to charge stuff.

 

[96elur]

I think since Don took over (Bought? Donated more likely) he sailed it to San Francisco from Newport where he smoozed the Yacht Clubs up there and did some 'promo' daysails. There was mention of sailing DEFIANT up to the Seattle area but the West Coast Tour sort of evaporated after hitting a Unidentified Floating Object in the Delta after which he beached the boat on Treasure Island for impromptu repairs. More Bay area daysails and then he and his wife departed for San Pedro but ran into Anacapa as detailed above. Then another stay at the boat ramp in Ventura or somewhere. Damage to port hull was pretty evident but he did get it back San Pedro and threw some tarps over the worst of it. The passage to Hawaii was supposed to happen from there but he and his wife got blown down to Acapulco where is is supposedly getting repaired with all sorts of support from the French Offshore Multihull teams and skippers. How that adds up to 6000 miles of sailing the DEFIANT since he has been at the helm is beyond me but he must have a different understanding of math than I do. Everything about this guy is a stretch of the imagination.

Lat 18 seems to have gotten some reality of the situation. The really weird thing was Don claiming that he and his wife were headed to the Galapagos Islands when storms and UFO's forced them into Acapulco. I guess his navigation is on another reality as well.

Not a good look...

Hey there Raspy,
I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer. Assuming you have read through the thread posts, why are you unsure whether he purchased or the boat was donated to the DSP?
You mentioned that he ran into Anacapa. I'm sure that is an insult to his navigation skills but doesn't seem accurate.
The repairs during the beaching likely involved more than just throwing a couple of tarps over the damage, but again you are writing your own facts.
Re: "Got blown to Acapulco". Again, it seems that without consulting you first, he changed his itinerary to head to Maryland with a stopover in Galapagos.
Is any of this true? I will expect a bashing from you and never get my question answered. If you do decide to answer, then a simple yes or no will do.

 

[Rasputin22]

Are the Viking hull wraps on the bows new? Those guys look pretty DEFIANT but they sure look like blonde hair blue eyed berserkers from the Northlands but I guess they might have had black members of their raiding parties.

 

[Rasputin22]

Hey there Raspy,
I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer. Assuming you have read through the thread posts, why are you unsure whether he purchased or the boat was donated to the DSP?
You mentioned that he ran into Anacapa. I'm sure that is an insult to his navigation skills but doesn't seem accurate.
The repairs during the beaching likely involved more than just throwing a couple of tarps over the damage, but again you are writing your own facts.
Re: "Got blown to Acapulco". Again, it seems that without consulting you first, he changed his itinerary to head to Maryland with a stopover in Galapagos.
Is any of this true? I will expect a bashing from you and never get my question answered. If you do decide to answer, then a simple yes or no will do.

Well for starters 50' of rode in a kelp bed didn't do much to keep Don from dragging into the cliff on Anacapa. Keep reading dude. Not my facts...

 

[longy]

It's got three hulls so he multiplies distance sailed by 3??

 

[Wess]

Hey there Raspy,
I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer. Assuming you have read through the thread posts, why are you unsure whether he purchased or the boat was donated to the DSP?
You mentioned that he ran into Anacapa. I'm sure that is an insult to his navigation skills but doesn't seem accurate.
The repairs during the beaching likely involved more than just throwing a couple of tarps over the damage, but again you are writing your own facts.
Re: "Got blown to Acapulco". Again, it seems that without consulting you first, he changed his itinerary to head to Maryland with a stopover in Galapagos.
Is any of this true? I will expect a bashing from you and never get my question answered. If you do decide to answer, then a simple yes or no will do.

That ain’t fair. Captain Donald Duck has hung himself with his own rope and actions. For gosh sakes man just read the article you posted. And that is from the most forgiving PC source you could find no!? I would love to see him succeed and speak and act with integrity. The publicly stated vision as it relates to charity work (not the idiotic and clearly absurd record chasing) is admirable. But the more you look the more you find. And it ain't pretty to put it mildly.