So we’re still in golfito but not for much longer…
We are ready to set sail again after a month under the tropical rains. The crew is on board, and we will be 8 for the next leg, which will be a 300 miles sail along the pacific side of costa rica. we are headed to the north of the country to a place called Playa del coco. there are several reasons for us to go there, the main one is that it is the spot i spent nearly ten months exploring when i was working a the schooner ranger about 8 years ago. I’d like to see the place again. the second reason is that it is a very nice place, with beautiful islands and bays and world class surf spots. also it is a port of entry so we can do the formalities to exit the country from there, and finally the little passage to get there will be the perfect shakedown cruise to make sure the boat and the crew is ready for the much more intense passage toward mexico.
of the 8 crew, 2 will leave us from playa del coco:
Sher, an australian anarchist punk who has been traveling around for a while and who has been hanging out on karaka for a few weeks, after arriving as crew on another yacht.
Laura, another australian who is friend with some friends of kim’s back down under. Laura is working in with NGOs on nature preservation here in costa rica.
The rest of the crew is Greg, Zach, Martin and Alex, which i think i described earlier and they will stay with us all the way to mexico.
And we now are able to accept donations!
Click on this link to accede the page: http://karaka.voila.net/donations.html
We signed up with Paypal for its simplicity of use. To contribute to the Karaka, just click on the “donate” button and follow the procedure.
For the information of donators, here follows our current wish list. It is the list of how the money you donate will be used.
– 3 month refit, january to april 2011
Haul out and boatyard fees, paint, tools, material, etc.
Among the tools needed, there are :
– Cutting torch/plasma cutter
It is a tool used to cut steel.
– 200L Air compressor
To power a jack hammer to chip rust, a sandblaster to elimnate all rust, a spray gun to paint, etc
– A new set of batteries
We need to replace the batteries that power the whole boat’s 12 volt system. The ones we use at present are 6 years old and are only supposed to have lasted 5. We use golf kart batteries as they are about the best quality for their price on the market.
– 800 watts power inverter
It is a small machine that converts the 12 volts DC power from the batteries to 220 volts AC power that we can use for computers and small power tools. The old one went up in flames.
– Solar panels
We use those to recharge the batteries in order to avoid having to run the diesel generator. We have three solar panels on board at present but they are old and their output is insufficient.
– Marine stove/oven unit
The one we use at present is very old and rusty, eventually it will become a safety risk. It is time to replace it.
– Jib sails
Jibs don’t last very long on the open ocean and we ripped several of them lately. We still have a decent wardrobe but it would be good to find spares before the one we use at present fail us.
– Sail maker sewing machine
It exists a special kind of sewing machine designed for repairing sails and tarps. We would save a lot of money on the long run if we could fix our sails ourselves.
– 12ft aluminum dinghy
Our dinghy has served us well, but she is now ready for retirement. She must be at least 25 years old and fiberglass is not meant to last that long. We think an aluminum dinghy of the same size would be ideal for Karaka. Aluminum is light and strong and doesn’t corrode.
– 2hp outboard motor
Coupled with a good pair of oars and a simple sailing rig, a small outboard engine would make the dinghy the perfect tender in all situations.
– Refrigeration unit
Everybody enjoys a cold beer… Plus it would enable us to preserve the fish we catch. We have never been able to afford the cost of an instalation yet and it doesn’t look it will happen in the near future as their are other priorities, but here it is anyway…
And also for the generous souls, we would gladly accept gifts and donations directed toward us as individuals and not toward the boat funds… We make a point of not using the boat money for our personal expenses and that means we usually have to find some ways to make money on the side. Any donations would enable to dedicate ourselves fully to Karaka. Also we are trying to set up a Karaka co-op which would enable us to function as a collective without having to ask a contribution from the crew and any financial help would make it easier to put together.
Thank you.
