HI All... Michael Chammout here, Mulan. Just logged on and read the posts.. amazing to hear others' accounts of this epic event. I saw a couple of questions regarding Mulan's issues, and my ribs!
This was my 1st adventure into the deep blue, and singlehanding it to boot.. Trepidation would be an understatement! I had done the 2 previous SSS Farallone races, and was pretty excited to take this on: qualify for SSS TransPac, maintain/improve (?) series standings, and mostly, see if I like it out there!
I've been gaining experience using the NKE Autopilot, recently upgraded with a working control head, and going through all the other boat systems to get Mulan seaworthy.. I thought. This has been a steep learning curve at my level of experience/knowledge. In the SSS Farallone Race I experienced AP failure due to low battery voltage and discovered spent batteries, so had recently installed 2 Group 27 AGM's, and a Voltek battery monitor.
The start was a bit hairy, as my 2nd jib halyard became detached from the mast base and was swinging around in the breeze trying to bean me until I just pulled it up to the shives... so much for thinking I had made everything perfect! Omen? Going out the Gate was great... Main reefed, #3 jib.. fun dueling and crossing tacks with Bob on Surprise! out to Pt. Bonita.. Then things got real... very real!
My strategy was to stay as N as I could manage, hoping to maybe get out ahead by the Farallones and take advantage of the predicted northerly wind twist, maybe then coursing a rhumb line to the Longitude turn around. This actually played out amazingly well... I basically landed on the island, and footed-off a bit to the perfect line... heading 270W at 35 degrees of apparent wind.. Wow, I was stoked, game on! However....
As everyone experienced.. the gnarly conditions were very intense, and new for me. Mulan is a sturdy girl, and we could handle beating into the heavy wind and swell.. it was the southern swell and resultant maytag thrashing that was creating the physical challenges. I've been prone to seasickness in the past, but doing much sailing the past years I've gotten pretty over it. No issues in the Farallone races, or occasional fishing trips.. as long as I stay above deck. I was very reticent to pre-medicating as I felt I needed all my wits, but did bring some oral Zofran tablets. Mostly hand steering at the helm I could see the occasional stacked-up southern monster swell coming outta the corner of my eye and deal with it, however, the few times I needed to go below to check the battery monitor or change clothes I couldn't see them coming and the boat would just spin to port, drop out from under me and I'd go flying. I've never experienced this before and didn't anticipate the 1st few times it happened... one particularly hard smack-down landed me badly on a wood ledge on the cabin floor and turns out I cracked 2 ribs on my left flank... friggin painful. Also, after 45 seconds going below I would become violently seasick... weird. Took 2 zofran, threw up.. took 2 more.. threw up again. This repeated 4 or 5 times and I finally just piled on several layers and resigned to staying on deck for the night, bringing water and snacks with me... Advil too. It was dusk at this point and the wind settled somewhat into the mid 20's.. which seemed pleasant by comparison!
I'd been tracking my new battery monitor, getting down to 12-ish volts.. started the engine and resumed hand-steering. after half hour, snuck a peek.. What? 11.8V's! Hmmm... shut down everything.. all electronics, music (yeah, I know!), and increased RPM's to 1500 for another half hour.. no change in charge. Little red charging light also not on.. dang! No bueno. Kicking myself... all those early, formative years with old beater cars, how many times when a battery goes does the alternator soon follow? then the starter? McFly... why didn't I replace the 12 year old stock alternator when I installed new high-charge-drawing fresh monster batteries??? I just didn't have it in me at that point to rip up the settee's and removing the engine cover looking for a loose wire or easy fix.. the wind was ramping up again, approaching 30, with accompanying sea state, and I'd throw up any time I was below more than a couple of minutes. I was also worried that my ribs may worsen, maybe a bruised kidney even, and the risk of becoming physically impaired in extreme sea conditions wasnt prudent.. no battery charging to run autopilot (or play music, haha).. time to head back.
Coming back through the washing machine was ok.. got some beautiful pics of the sun setting over the Farallones which are posted on my Bookface, and a whale spyglasses me.. holding about 10 feet out of the water for 4 or 5 seconds just eyeballing me from 30 yards away. He then followed me for 10 minutes, spouting every minute or so.. I think he like the blues music! Hit the CYC dock around 1 am, almost ran into the parked Tiburon Ferry I was so lulu at that point.
Follow up: Yes, fried alternator and 2 broken, extremely painful ribs... just today the pain seems to be just starting to get better, yaay. Hoisted the main for Friday beer can, 2 practice tacks and the boom broke at the connection to the mast gooseneck... glad I wasnt another 50 miles offshore when this happened! Sheesh Maybe reassessing the concept of running with scissors!
I'm out of town July 20-27th... am really hoping the awards meeting can be scheduled some time other than that week, would love to hear everyone's stories and honor those tough-as-nails comrades who stayed out there for several days in those conditions... whether they won, finished, or simply made it back in one piece! Lots to learn, indeed.
