Some Interesting stuff from Doug Graham, written after the race and published on the Yankee Dolphin 24 website:
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February 4, 2008
It has been twelve years since that adventure. I have been building and sailing 12’ San Francisco Pelicans for racing and cruising since then. I chose a Dolphin because I like the traditional look, and I wanted the potential to cruise. I didn’t like the expense of the marina year round, and I enjoy working on my boat at home. After a solo trip from San Francisco to southern California, I decided I didn’t want anymore solo ocean sailing, but I wanted to learn more about sailing.
In 1994, I joined the Single-Handed Sailing Society in San Francisco. Before this, my sailing knowledge came out of a book and my own experience. I learned a great deal about racing and cruising in this organization. I kept improving my boat and skills, and I decided to do the Long-Pac, which is a race 200 miles out into the Pacific Ocean and back. It is rough sailing off the Pacific coast, and after getting slammed about for five days, I wanted no part of the Hawaii race. However, I kept improving the boat, equipment, and my skills. Eventually, I got to the point where I just had to do the Transpac.
I suppose I was driven to do this because I can’t resist a challenge. I was afraid of this challenge, but extensive preparation and experiences in local races and cruising helped give me the courage. The Single-Handed Sailing Society also had about eight monthly meetings with speakers on each phase of the preparation. My wife, the reluctant sailor, went to these meeting with me to make sure I wasn’t taking any shortcuts. She insisted I have an SSB, which led to the necessity of a generator. I spent over $10,000 getting the boat ready for the trip.
After the Transpac, I did sail down the coast in a race to Santa Barbara with my son, and then went on to Ensenada, Mexico with a friend. Reluctantly, I sold the boat in 2000 because I was looking for new challenges. I would have liked to have gotten a bigger and more comfortable boat and joined the cruising life part of the year, but my wife, whom I love, is of a different temperament.
Doug
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February 8, 2008
I think SSS members questioned my ability more than the boat for the Transpac. My non-sailing friends in Antioch questioned both. Regarding my experiences at sea, I would say at times I was scared, lonely, and discouraged. You can’t dwell on this aspect of a solo voyage or you will drive yourself crazy. I was in touch with others in the race twice a day, and I called my wife every third day. I read a lot and designed a camper for my truck, which I built when I got home. I checked the rigging and wind vane hardware once a day.
The longer you are at sea, the more you are in tune to your environment and you also become more sensitive to its moods .I slept whenever I felt tired, usually about one or two hours at a time, unless a squall came through, when I had to lower the twin head-sails. I spent most of my time down below. It was always kind of amazing that the boat was still going when I woke up. I couldn't’t let myself worry about other boats and ships. Most of the trip was out of the shipping channels. At night, I kept a strobe going on top of the mast and the VHF on Channel 16.
Unlike some of the boats, I didn’t have very many mishaps. I tore out the tack on one of the twin headsails, but I was able to repair it. On the return trip, I heard a banging against the hull during rough weather. It turned out to be the headstay. It didn’t take long to drop all sails. It turned out to be a broken turnbuckle. I replaced it with a spare. During one of the squalls on my approach to Hawaii, I lowered all sails and I was still doing four knots. I use a spinnaker in light air, but it required too much attention and worry. I mostly relied on a set of used twin headsails, especially at night, on my way to Hawaii. With the CB up and the twins pulling, I could ride a wave for a long ways!
Here are some of the modifications I made to the boat. I reinforced the bow area with fiberglass to prevent oil canning. I put in large cockpit drain holes leading into the engine well. I rigged the boat so I could raise and lower the mast myself. I built doghouse to replace the hatch cover, so I could stand up down below and look out.
My daily routine was mostly boring. Radio check-in was usually the highlight. When you are alone at sea, boring is good. Cooking was one pot meal on a sea swing stove. The head was a bucket. Showers were a sunshower in the cockpit. I plotted my position on the chart a couple times a day. I navigated with the GPS set for Analgesia Bay, Kauai. I set the deviation for + or – 5 miles. I usually had to adjust the wind vane every four hours. I motored through most highs on return trip using autopilot.
What did I learn about myself and the boat? I think the boat and I became one. I took care of the boat and the boat took care of me. A third party on the trip would have to be the elements. All three of us worked together and responded accordingly. The longer you are on the water, the more you feel a part of your boat and the environment.
I still find it amazing that I accomplished this feat. I learned that I am made of more than I thought.
Doug
September 4, 2010.
