The Carib 1500 Rally – preparing Mira & crew for the tropical migration

The Caribbean 1500 Rally is orchestrated by the World Cruising Club. For this November’s rally from Portsmouth, VA, to Tortola, BVI – 21 boats participated. Mira elected to join the rally – despite our ultimate goal to sail past the BVI to Antigua. The WCC offers a wide range of benefits when you join their rallies. They provide a superbly prepared Rally Handbook with a wide range of safety and sailing system checklists, off-shore seminars in the week prior, and last but not least, camaraderie with other sailors through happy hours and local events.

Contemplating another winter in the Caribbean with limited marine resources and summer 2019 in the Mediterranean, this fall seemed the perfect time to join a rally and complete some additional safety and comfort features on Mira. So, the Captain detailed a long list of projects to be completed and items to be purchased. Annapolis without wind seemed like the perfect spot to accomplish this list.  So …. during the months of August and September …. we added the following,

• replaced our nearly new two Volvo diesel engines due to an emissions recall by Volvo,
• new refrigerator handle & stainless kick plate,
• European power battery charger,
• 5 zone bilge dry out system
• Exhaust system in galley over the stovetop
• New mirror in master head,
• Fixed freezer refrigerant pressure,
• New Seagull water filtration system,
• New life raft & stainless steel mount cage,
• Mount on our arch for dinghy motor,
• Newly configured arch davits for dinghy,
• New outhaul line for mainsail,
• Protective covers for hatches,
• New stainless pedestals for cockpit table
• New salon carpet & mat,
• Stern anchor,
• New jumbo ‘super yacht’ fenders & fender covers,
• 4 inflatable life vests and personal locator beacons,
• Wide variety of aerial, smoke daytime and night flares,
• and we completed extensive offshore safety requirements for Carib 1500 including authoring our first official Mira Ships Operations & Procedures manual.

Yes.. it was a very busy (and expensive few months).  As the leaves were starting to drop, Mira sailed down from her fall home in Annapolis and arrived at the Ocean Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, VA, on October 25. The next week was reserved for additional preparation before the official start of the Carib 1500 Rally on Sunday, November 4th. Pam and Glenn were happy to be joined by Karen and Jason Trautz, who had recently completed a ten year circumnavigation on their own Antares catamaran, YOLO. We were thrilled to have sailors with their incredible sailing experience aboard Mira for the offshore passage to Antigua.  Our week was filled with boat work, seminars, meetings, tours, provisioning, cooking and happy hours.