Hi to everyone, just to introduce myself Ive told a bit of my story below. I am delighted to be here and really appreciate that Ronald took the time to invite me. I was born in East London, South Africa. At 11/2 to 2 years of age, I caught Rubella (German measles) and Whooping Cough simultaneously. The resulting fever damaged the hearing nerve and I became profoundly deaf. I got my first hearingaid at the age of six. Previous to that I relied on lip-reading alone as no one had actually realized that I was deaf. My hearing loss has grown progressively worse over the years and in April 2000 I lost all hearing and became totally deaf. Being without any hearing at all, I became a candidate for a cochlear implant and I received his implant, a Cochlear Ltd. Esprit Nucleus 24 in December 2000. Its so-so and I most dont use it, preferring to just lip read. Sailing has been a life long passion, one that I can date from the day, when at the age of 11 I met a boy on the docks in the East London harbour. The boy was off a cruising yacht that was passing through. I made friends with him and quickly developed a passion for boats and sailing that has never died. Im currently living in Auckland, New Zealand, a great place for sailing. Among the highlights of my sailing career to date, are: Skippered “Acid Rain” a 38’ ketch with two blind crew (the first blind persons to sail across the South Atlantic as an active crew aboard a sailing yacht, first deaf skipper in the Cape to Rio & possibly first deaf skipper a yacht across the South Atlantic) in the 1993 Cape to Rio race. Delivered 43’ catamaran “St. Francis” from Rio to Cape Town after the 1993 Cape to Rio (was a great experience). Sailed “La Chica” a 31’ ketch (my own boat) from Cape Town to Cabadelo (Brazil) via St. Helena island. It was (I believe) the first single handed crossing of the South Atlantic by a deaf person. I then continued (mostly on my own) and spent the next six years cruising the Caribbean and the east cost of the USA. My boat, La Chica is a steel version of the Tahiti Ketch (known as the Tahitiana) designed in 1932 by American John Hanna of Dunedin Florida, who was also deaf. Hannas Tahiti Ketch was one of the dreamboats of her time, it is believed that over 700 where built worldwide with most of the boats being built in the USA. Of the 700 at least 15 are known to have circumnavigated, a good track record! When it came to my turn to fulfil my lifes dream and build my own boat, there was only one boat for me, a Tahiti Ketch it had to be. I built La Chica over four years from 1989 to 1993. Sometimes working full time and sometimes not. She was the first boat I personally built and she was, and still is, a labour of love. I initially gave her a Gaff Cutter rig but it did not work out, as she carried to much weatherhelm on a reach and the Monitor wind vane could not steer her. I converted her to a ketch rig in St. Martin in 1995, one not very different from what Hanna gave the original but she still sported over 650 Sq.Ft. of sail. She also has proved not to be slow (for her type) having averaged over a distance 14 000 sea miles 4.5 Knots, all of it in superb comfort owing to her truly lovely motion. La Chica has confirmed the reputation of the originals and is a superb sea boat. In all respects, I remain truly happy with her. I have now converted La Chica to the Chinese Junk Rig and after a year of sailing, I am totally delighted with the rig. It is undoubtedly the best rig she has had to date. There are some photos on my Facebook page if anyone is interested.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 08:02:48 +0000
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