Construction took many years, due to other activities, including
Neil's engineering
work, nursing (Helen was flying a lot on medevac work), skiing, school rugby etc.
Click here for a few shots below decks.After many years building the Passoa 47, now named Milvina, was launched 27th May 2004.
Sailing related pages are as follows, listed in reverse chronological order.
Panama to
Guatemala 2020
Colombia to Panama
2019
Nothing on site 2018
Scotland
to Caribbean 2016
Norway to
Scotland 2015
Norway
and Spitzbergen 2014
Norway
2013
Baltic 2012
Scotland
and Norway 2011
San
Blas Islands, France and Scotland 2010
Scotland
and Norway 2009
San Blas
Islands 2009
Trans-Atlantic summer 2008
Maine 2007
Bahamas to Maine 2007
Bahamas 2007
Cuba
2006-07
Bahamas
2005-2006
Bahamas 2004-2005
Maine to Port Canaveral
Labour Day in Maine
Arriving in Maine
Launch to stepping mast
Launching
This page and the associated links are intended to provide friends and family with some news of our activities. We will update it from time to time, but not always consistently.
Construction took many years, due to other activities, including
Neil's engineering
work, nursing (Helen was flying a lot on medevac work), skiing, school rugby etc.
Click here for a few shots below decks.
Launching in May 2004 was a two stage affair. First into Brome Lake to reach a road that could support a large truck, then into the Richelieu river.
After crossing Lac Brome, we trucked to St Paul de l'Ile aux Noix, where we painted the bottom, installed the rudder and removed the welded cradle, and launched very simply by a conventional travel lift. Then South under power to near Albany, New York State, to step the mast and pick up sails.
Once the mast was up, we headed South and were able to try the sails first in the Tappan See, just North of New York City. After a few days in New York, where we mostly played tourist, we sailed to Newport, Rhode Island to have some sailmaking problems fixed, then on to Maine.
We have
sailed in a fair range of conditions, including winds up to 40 knots, and are very pleased with her
performance under sail. We had several days in consistent 20 to 30 knot
winds, and hit over 9 knot in the GPS. (the log said 11 knots, but we do
not believe it). Handling was very good, and we could steer with two
fingers even at 9 knots, thanks to Phillipe Harle's brilliant hull design.
(Of course, the autopilot steers most of time)
Our mast is much taller than the standard design, although lighter since it is carbon fiber instead of aluminum. Thus we have a tin boat and a plastic mast, whereas most boats these days are plastic with a tin mast.
Michael and Neil had a good week sailing in Casco
Bay, Maine, but were unable to take many pictures since each camera aboard
was missing either film, memory chip or battery.
We had a good Labour Day weekend with the Poiriers around Harpswell Sound. Click here for more, hi-resolution photos in no particular order (several Mb, so a slow download)
After
(too little) cruising in Maine, we headed South, with lots of wind from Falmouth
to Bridgeport CT, then motored most of the way to Cape May NJ, with a look at
Lady Liberty in New York harbour. We met several other boats headed
South, mostly Canadian. Social life picked up.
We left Cape May for Port Canaveral 1st November, staying offshore, since we are too tall for the IntraCoastal Waterway.
After settling Milvina in a dock in Port Canaveral, on 11th November, with the help of Darryl Birch, we flew back home to work till mid December.