Ep. 4, Single Handed Sailing crossing the North Atlantic on a Contessa 26

Episode 4: Part 1 of my solo voyage across the North Atlantic. This is the first leg of my 2 year solo circumnavigation. My good friend Darren Bulger joins me on board Wave Rover for the overnight passage from Summerside to Port Hawkesbury.
If you are wondering what I've been up to when not sailing Wave Rover check out my other channel: Rover's Rest / @roversrest
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#WaveRover

[@jasminelestrade1921]

Hi mr ROVER , i have been to PEI for Lobster Fest , while i was studying at the Canadian Coast Guard Engineering College in Sidney Cape Briton .....My name is Leonard , i am a sailor , and i am thinking of building a little sailboat......You and Mrs are doing a great job , all the best to you both.....God bless !

[@jasminelestrade1921]

lol , yes , it will very nice meeting you and Mrs ROVER , You guys are soooo cool ! ....all the best

[@OMIF1]

Been watching the Wave Rover 2 build and finally decided to watch from the beginning. :)

[@RoversAdventure]

Welcome aboard Jim. I'm sure Season 2 will make more sense when viewed from the beginning.

[@50Street21]

Mr. Mulholland, Always the best videos and you certainly have that way of making us feel as though we were all a part of your sailing journey. In spirit I am with you as you arrive in the Azores. Best regards, Darryl

[@ClarkTelecom]

Wow what a journey! Love that wind vane, looks totally functional & simple.

[@RoversAdventure]

The MK3 did a great job steering WR. I plan to use it again on the next boat.

[@rimasmeleshyus9486]

Very beautiful video. Bravo 🌍⛵ 🌅 ❤️ Warm greetings from beautiful island 🏝 of Kauai

[@thatguy2408]

Great vid.

[@mscottledoux93]

Alan, I am enthusiastically following your journey! Living a dream through you! Beautiful shots of the Confederation Bridge!

[@RoversAdventure]

Thanks Michael. I just guessed when I said that it was about 13 km in length. It must be close to that.

[@windmillproductions4061]

Great stuff love the journey and sailed my contessa with love, fabulous safe sea boat, keep them coming, no music please

[@atakd]

You're a hands on guy. Very impressive formulation and execution of a plan. I've crossed The Pond twice E to W hitching rides on boats with freezers and aircon. You make me feel like a fraud. Best of luck to you.

[@RoversAdventure]

Thanks for the kind words

[@dugbug123]

This is so amazing.

[@robfraley4210]

Just found your channel this afternoon, Enjoying it...!! 😳👍

[@tomcarotte2769]

hey man really love your windvane design i have an alberg 22 and im looking for a design that can fit well on a small boat are you making those/ selling them ?!

[@zonzeven]

Nice video, but the music is louder than the narration. It should be the other way around.

[@geoffsimmons1737]

Bravo! I just found your channel and glad I did. You may be from a N. Ireland and went to Canada family - I’m from N. Ireland myself. I’ve a small boat too and it’s so refreshing to see you taking on this challenge with good humour and real sailing skills. Thank you!

[@bentucker5009]

Thanks Alan, enjoying your videos and voyage.

[@jmcmurrah]

Exciting... but wait - was the Atlantic crossing your shakedown cruise?!

[@carolkarr1820]

Hi Alan! Great video. We are enjoying watching your adventure from summerside! Congrats on arriving at the Azores! Looking forward to watching your amazing journey as you travel! Carol

[@RoversAdventure]

Thanks for the kind words Carol

[@ArcticSeaCamel]

So you built the windvane yourself? That would be an interesting topic for a video! 🤓

[@alhester7159]

Alan, I am impressed with your refit and skills. Very enjoyable series. Are you familiar with Tania Aebi? She circumnavigated in a Taylor 26 which is the Canadizn version of the Contessa 26. Her book about her adventure was very enjoyable. Regards, AL in Vancouver. C&C 35.

[@roncanizares9966]

Hi Alan; I'm watching some of our videos once again and have two questions on this one. Did you leave at the end of July because that was the ideal time to leave or because that was when you were finally ready to go? And, what was you thinking on not installing a wind generator? Thank you for your responses.

[@RoversAdventure]

July is the best time to do the crossing from my latitude. There is danger of ice right up to May. The Titanic found some in mid April a little further south. I don't care for the noise of wind generators but other folks seem to like them. Thanks for rewatching the videos. I'm in the process of filming the next chapter of Wave Rover. Coming soon.

[@jptravels]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences ❣

[@derekclemons2778]

your such an inspiration,God Bless you partner

[@johnryan2193]

Well done and thank you !

[@zurrojilful]

hey good stuff but just drop the music its better just the ocean sounds thanks very much good stuff

[@gerdontheboat]

Great job on improving that boat, looks like she is build for the very long runs now ;) Could you tell us a bit more about the vane please? Looks like a variation of the QME of old... is this vane directly connected to the tiller or do you use it to move the tab on the rudder as a flettner servo tab?

[@RoversAdventure]

It goes directly to the trim tab. I receive a lot of questions/comments about it. I will do a video on it before leaving the Canaries with a lot of detail. Thanks for the comment.

[@gerdontheboat]

@@RoversAdventure yes, please do ;) thanks

[@kylahanington6847]

Eagerly waiting for the next video!

[@thebentley71]

So your entire boat & all upgrades where around $10k give or take $1k. That is awesome looking at purchasing a small bluewater sailboat. Perhaps a Dana 24, or a Falmouth 22ft cutter.

[@CaptMikey-vc4ym]

Great stuff! My grandparents are from St. Anne and Richibucto, NB. I guess they are a little different than my hometown, Phoenix?

[@markkuiper5233]

Great series. I find it very exciting to watch. Keep up the good work. I have a few questions: Are you navigating via compass and GPS? How does the rudder vane work? Zig zag course? How did you choose your Epirb? There are many on the market. What GPS platform to hook up to VHF did you choose and why? I have a Westerly 26. Mark-

[@changodelaporcelainacanada4819]

You are a legend! What’s your ocean watch schedule during a normal 24 hour period?

[@jasminelestrade1921]

I am on the Island of St , Kitts in the Caribbean

[@jabjab1010]

Not a criticism but I see a ton of chafe on your main sheet (downhaul thing. . .what is that?) I think a see a vang appropriately more forward so what are those lines CHAFING on the port life lines??

[@feizalglencross545]

How splendid ,,,,, what an absolutely fab channel,,,,,, thanks for sharing your stuff man,,,,, from the UK and loving this content,,,,,, mind if I subscribe ? This is so inspirational,,,,,, are you not worried about running aground though with such a deep keel ? I understand it's advantages but that would scare me to death,,,,,

[@jamiemccarthy4495]

Nice vid Allen, looking forward to the next one. Take care....Jamie M “Mystic”

[@azoresmarine]

Obrigado

[@Andre-hi9xn]

The island of Flores(and Corvo) is already located on the American Continent! In fact, you can walk from Europe to America on Terceira Island! Insane, hein? Let's see, the most western European geographical point, is the volcano of the Ccapelinhos, in Faial Island. But, the most western European geographical point (without the islands) is Cabo da Roca, also in Portugal. Because the island of Flores is part of Portugal, as being of Europe, understood? By the way, just for fun, one of Europe's craziest borders is France with the Netherlands, or France with Brazil. Between 1557 and 1999, Portugal was bordering China! Kind regards.

[@RoversAdventure]

Wow, thanks for that. I bet you would be great to have on a trivia team especially when it comes to geography. Great comment.

[@Andre-hi9xn]

@@RoversAdventure Yes, I recognize that I have always liked geography and history! Even worse, I'm Portuguese! Congratulations for your work, I hope you realize your dream. Kind regards.

[@americosilva3935]

great videos was wondering if you built the self steering if so are there plans available

[@RoversAdventure]

I did build it and I get lot of questions about it, so I intend to do an in depth video about it in a few weeks .

[@americosilva3935]

@@RoversAdventure thats great love your videos i thought my Alberg 30 was small but you got me beat hands down your doing what i want to do I was Born on Pico grew up in Canada

[@RoversAdventure]

@@americosilva3935 Pico, the highest point in Portugal. I love the Azores.

[@yassinexyz1896]

I love the music, what is it?

[@RoversAdventure]

I recorded it a while back and now I can't find the source and consequently can't find the name... sorry. I think that it grows on you over time.

[@bournazianvahan]

You are sailing solo, but you narrate in the plural "we". Is this because it's you and the boat at sea? Does the boat take on a persona when you are at sea?

[@RoversAdventure]

The "we" as you guessed refers to the boat and me. It just seems right.

[@tom2868]

looking forward to more, thank you . what brand is your wind vane? sorry I asked the question just before you partly answered it . Your own design?

[@RoversAdventure]

It's attached to a trim tab I put on the rudder. Self steering is one of those dark arts, but I think that I nailed it with this one.

[@tom2868]

I guess Ill have to wait a couple of years to sneak up from Charlottetown to SYC to see it . good that it works well , Nice to see the Canadian decal on it

[@RoversAdventure]

@@tom2868 when I'm in the Canaries, I will have more time and I will take some pictures of the vane if you like

[@1jrigadoon]

Love the video but it's hard to watch because the music drives me crazy!

[@patrickeh696]

I would think to see a radar reflector on thee mast somewhere

[@mfhairstream6812]

brave man

[@legend343]

Great info and footage but I just wish you’d blow out the music so we can hear the ocean..so much better sounds that that music imho... but thanks for sharing though Warren s/y Legend

[@RoversAdventure]

I agree. When possible I leave the sound of the ocean in and will try to do it more but sometimes it is impossible do to the sound distortions. Using a GOPRO( no external mic) for the outside stuff due to the spray and such.

[@therealpomme]

Yeah feel the same.. lower the music it skip it. We want tog hear the ocean song.

[@RoversAdventure]

@@therealpomme I agree. The last passage was mostly to windward so the sound distortions were amplified. Will always use the sound of the ocean when possible.

[@Lightw81]

@@RoversAdventure at least just turn the music down, or pick something less insistent. The balance with your voice is wrong. Otherwise, great stuff and a great boat.

[@waterboy8999]

Here here, the music kills it for me, I just kept skipping ahead, there's enough music videos on KZbin already.

[@rick3084]

how does the self steering work?

[@RoversAdventure]

Check out my video about self steering: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXKagJepj7SWmdk

[@rick3084]

@@RoversAdventure thank you

[@williambailey5405]

Why did yoy choose a hard dingy rather than an inflatable?

[@RoversAdventure]

They row much better and I'm on a really tight budget. It cost me about $150 to make this one, and I can repair it pretty easily. Final reason: I tend to be old school.

[@stevecarlisle3323]

Great, we got rid of him, let's go to Timmy's!

[@jasminelestrade1921]

Jasmine is my wife , i have been with you a very long time , i love your web site

[@RoversAdventure]

Now I have a reason to stop in at St. Kitts

[@stevenk6638]

Why the music ! ??? Why not the ocean sounds ???

[@RoversAdventure]

Where possible I leave the ocean sounds but often the wind creates a terrible noise on the microphone.

[@skulijakobsson5116]

@@RoversAdventure dead cat fixes that

[@RoversAdventure]

@@skulijakobsson5116 When conditions are calm I can shoot with my canon which has a dead cat and capture the sound of the sea and waves. But most of my camera work is outside and under wet conditions (spray) so I use a GOPRO. The GOPRO is waterproof and stabilized but can't take an aux mic. These are the issues of budget sailor.

[@skulijakobsson5116]

@@RoversAdventure binge watching to catch Up. You are doing great, kid!

[@GreenMntMoto]

It seems we’ve (humans) been doing this a long long time

[@allandevera8765]

The sound of the ocean should be enough to be the background of the narration. Just a suggestion.

[@jonyellis]

I've been enjoying your videos, but find that the music doesn't add anything to them. I want to feel like I'm there with the sound of the water

[@RoversAdventure]

Later videos just have natural sound

[@dreed7312]

The music should be removed. It's an annoying distraction. I'd rather hear wind and water, his voice describing situation, with pauses of just silent sailing.

[@stuartcarduner5855]

Ditto I’m stopping because of the music

[@jrdancey6331]

Good show but the music is overpowering.

[@RoversAdventure]

You are absolutely right. My latest project has much better music. Live and learn.