Vessel
The Figure 8 Voyage vessel, a 45-foot aluminum sloop purpose-built for high-latitude expeditions, is ideally suited for this venture.
Constructed in 1989 for German adventurer and photographer Clark Stede, Asma was the first private yacht to circumnavigate the Americas. Her next owner, Tony Gooch, sailed her as Taonui and in 2002 was the first to complete a non-stop, solo-loop of the globe via the Southern Ocean from a starting point in North America.
Now as Moli this capable vessel will combine Stede’s loop of the Americas and Gooch’s loop of the Southern Ocean into one of the longest solo routes ever attempted.
First Introductions in the Arctic—>
Specifications
Builder: Dubbel & Jesse, Norderney Germany
Year Built: 1988/1989
Material: Aluminum
Keel: Full with cutaway forefoot
Length Overall: 12.44m (41 ft)
Length at Waterline:10.31m (34 ft)
Beam: 3.46m (11 ft)
Draft: 2.22m (7 ft)
Ballast: 8,000 lbs, approximate
Displacement: 30,000 lbs, approximate
Aluminum Plate Thicknesses:
Keel: 10mm (3/8″+)
Below Waterline: 8mm (5/16″+)
Above Waterline: 6mm (~1/4″)
On Deck: 5mm (3/16″+)
Rig: twin headsail (outer genoa 135%, inner genoa 110%, both roller-furled) sloop with an additional removable stay for storm jib, running backstays
Mast: Selden mast with double spreaders, mast steps and twin pole attachments
Ground Tackle:
Mako vertical windlass
1. 30kg S140 Spade anchor (primary)/120m G70 Certified 8mm hot dip galvanized chain with pear shaped end links
2. 33kg Bruce (secondary)/70m 16mm Liros Anchorplait/10m DIN766 chain,
3. Fortress FX-23 kedge
Mako vertical windlass
1. 30kg S140 Spade anchor (primary)/120m G70 Certified 8mm hot dip galvanized chain with pear shaped end links
2. 33kg Bruce (secondary)/70m 16mm Liros Anchorplait/10m DIN766 chain,
3. Fortress FX-23 kedge
Engine: Bukh DV48, keel-cooled.
Tankage: 800 liters diesel (211 gallons) in two outboard tanks under the pilothouse; 700 liters (184 gallons) in two tanks in the keel.
Heat: gravity-fed Refleks diesel heater, matrix fan heater run from engine.
Insulation: original foam sheeting insulation, about 1″.
Steering: Tiller-steered using either a Monitor windvane, or autopilot (using either satellite compass or fluxgate compass input).
Electrical:
Whisper large-case, dual belt, 130 amp alternator on engine
Whisper house batteries, 4 x 145amphour Gel
separate start battery
Whisper Isolation transformer
Whisper 12v60amp battery charger
Whisper Sine wave inverter 12v/2000 watt
Whisper shore power
Battery monitor
Loncin portable generator
Whisper large-case, dual belt, 130 amp alternator on engine
Whisper house batteries, 4 x 145amphour Gel
separate start battery
Whisper Isolation transformer
Whisper 12v60amp battery charger
Whisper Sine wave inverter 12v/2000 watt
Whisper shore power
Battery monitor
Loncin portable generator
Electronics:
Furuno SC30 satellite compass (required an additional Furuno NMEA 2000->0183 converter and autopilot software upgrade to interface with the autopilot)
Standard Horizon Matrix GX2150 VHF with built-in AIS receiver (and handheld backups)
Standard Horizon CP590 GPS Chartplotter, 12″ display
Furuno radar
Echopilot Bronze forward-looking sonar (and handheld depth backup)
Kenwood SSB/pactor modem
Iridium satellite phone
Simrad/Robertson HLD2000 electric/hydraulic autopilot
em-trak B100 AIS transceiver
em-trak S100 AIS/VHF splitter
Inmarsat-c transceiver
Wind indicator
EPIRB
Standard Horizon Matrix GX2150 VHF with built-in AIS receiver (and handheld backups)
Standard Horizon CP590 GPS Chartplotter, 12″ display
Furuno radar
Echopilot Bronze forward-looking sonar (and handheld depth backup)
Kenwood SSB/pactor modem
Iridium satellite phone
Simrad/Robertson HLD2000 electric/hydraulic autopilot
em-trak B100 AIS transceiver
em-trak S100 AIS/VHF splitter
Inmarsat-c transceiver
Wind indicator
EPIRB
Safety: liferaft, two dinghies (Nestaway folding and Mercury inflatable, 2.5hp outboard), Jordan series drogue, ParaAnchor
Doesn’t Have
- Wheel steering
- Hot water
- Pressure water
- Shower
- Refrigeration
- Solar or wind generation
- A painted hull
- Powered winches or sails
- Davits
- Deadlights in the hull
- Any instrumentation in the cockpit
- Watermaker
- Microwave
Does Have
- A warm, dry doghouse to keep watch in
- Three watertight bulkheads
- Water tanks integral to hull create a double wall for puncture protection
- An aperture-protected prop
- Standpipes instead of through-hulls
