Belated update for March 2025

Ok, so I didn't get a whole lot done on the boat the last trip. Only a few hours a week available outside of the real job. When you're main owner of a business, it's hard to block out time..

However! Have been getting a lot of planning done, enlisting help and sourcing the long list of things needed for Project Improbable:

Systems:

Friend and yacht designer Neil Racicot is modeling up the interior, which will facilitate figuring out where everything will fit (or not fit). He has day jobs as well, but doing what he can...

The endless interior work:

Ace sailor and all boat guy Gavin Brackett is building the custom gimballing galley box, and hopefully after that will have time to assist on the many other painting/carpentry/etc. projects.

Electronics:

Long-time instrumentation guy and current Garmin rep Jon Josephson has teamed up with Brent Richards at Wave Point Marine Electrical to put together a great deal on a full Garmin instrumentation/autopilot/etc. system.

OPEMO:

Ace systems installer Art Hebert is working on the RV...that will be the OPEMO (OceanPlanet Energy Mobile Office). He's putting in the 51V lithium system and will help me install the nearly 1000W of Solbian & Lightleaf solar panels on the roof. Once all set up, that will facilitate me fully clearing out the interior of Improbable for serious grinding/painting/carpentry/etc.

Sails:

After a lot of head-scratching and discussion with my many friends in the sail-making biz, I've decided to go with Ballard Sails. After all, I graduated from Ballard high school (class of 78)...;-) So Alex Simanis from the loft has been collaborating with me to put together a cool array of weapons to make the new Improbable more lethal than ever on the water.

Decking:

As soon as I finalize the deck layout (most of it's in my head, still need to get it drawn out) then will be working with Dan Kaseler at Raptordeck for the cushiony new deck surface.

Keel:

Neil is helping to clean up a Polycam scan I did of the keel, we'll be sending that to Ace hydrodynamicist Paul Bogataj (who did the foil shapes for OP, back in the day) to create templates for fairing the old keel shape as good as possible.

Mast:

The Farr 40 mast I'm getting from Jim Betts (the saint who is hosting Project Improbable at the his amazing shop, James Betts Enterprises) will soon be going into the shop to begin the process of optimization for it's new life on Improbable. Long list of things to do on it...but it's the perfect tube. I'll be working with old friends Jason Winkel and Quinn Olson on the rig...and special thanks to Quinn (and Mandy!) for putting up with me at their place!

Yes, it's a complicated project, there's more going on I'm sure, but I can only remember so much at any given time...

Anyhow, heading to the boat today to get a little more sanding done myself. Flying out on Wednes night, back in Maine on Thurs. Need to back for our Nigel Calder seminars on April 1-2. And of course to hang out with my better half, Rosalea. Then will be back west on April 15th, through May 14th.

Oh yeah, the other day the wind blew off the temporary solar panel I had on deck. It's a Solbian PB Merlin SR+ flexible panel. Amazingly, it survived the abuse!

We don't usually treat solar panels so poorly.

Oh, almost forgot...Larry Tuttle (who also make the rudder for Ocean Planet, the boat I raced twice around the world) has finished the new rudder for Improbable! I can't wait to see it!

Gotta get back to work...

FWIW, I'll be back in Anacortes on April 15th, which happens to be my birthday as well.

Smooth seas