Entry #37: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

Electrical Completed: After I thought I had completed my wiring, I called Rich Green updated him on my planned passage and asked if he would go over ‘Never Too Lates’ electrical. It was a good decision. Rich was very thorough and found a number of issues and potential failures. It was after 7 pm last night when he and I shared a beer.

Sail Battens: UPS is scheduled to deliver my battens today at noon. Close (half empty) and plenty of time (half full):)

My three year old grandson Thomas spent the night with the hope to “help” grandpa on the boat today. Todays’ weather is not promising. My future crew and skipper is a blessing and I told him I can really use his assistance. (All said without a hint of stress in my voice:)

Weather: The balance of this week for Lake Erie calls for chilly and wet conditions with predominate winds coming from the NNE at a solid 15 mph. If it holds steady out of the northeast and doesn’t shift east my guess is I should enjoy a port reach. If the winds shift coming from the ENE, any hopes for a relaxed sailing introduction will likely disappear.

Todays’ Schedule: I’m expecting Thomas to assist me going to the library and print the latest equipment requirement list, pick up and install my battens, purchase ice, finish building my spare rudder and finish loading Never Too Late. AND, I can’t forget to complete registering my SPOTX and get to the bank. And, I have dinner reservations with Mary at Capital Grill at 5 pm tonight! Easy day.

Entry: 36

Please note the 3 am time of this entry. Much remains to be done in the next two days – getting my original auto-pilot to function, picking up new battens and dropping off my trailer for storage, finish loading the boat, building a spare rudder/tiller, registering my SportX, getting ice to name a few of the must do’s. And there are a zillion of desirable things like taking out my wife for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary! (I may have priority issues here:). Adding to my frantic schedule, my furnace thermastate went on the blink over the weekend! I would consider a delay on embarking except for the fact that I am locked in to a 14th passage through the Welland Canal Locks due to crew availability.

Planned Itinerary – A number of people have asked for a detailed itinerary plan including dates and ports of call. Please note that the best laid sailing itinerary plan especially with timelines is completely dependent on winds, sea conditions, equipment and health. At best it serves only as a guideline and more likely a ballpark guess. And, remember sailing all five Great Lakes singlehandedly in a single season has never been done before.

With this as a reference these are some details: I would like to sail all five Great Lakes while under sail over 4,000 nautical miles this spring and summer. I am ‘hoping’ to cover on average 50 nautical miles a day while under sail. If I include up to 30 days of stoppages (re-supply, rest, safe harbour, skippers meeting & boat inspection) I am ‘anticipating’ a journey of 112 days.

Noting all this, my ‘planned’ route & timing for Lakes Erie, Ontario and the first half of Lake Huron before entering Lake Michigan:

Day 1: Pelee Island, Ontario 80 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 2: Erieau, Ontario 45 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 3: Port Stanley, Ontario 44 NM Anchor Overnight

Days 4/5: Port Colborne, Ontario 132 NM Sail Overnight & Dock

Day 6: Welland Canal Passage 27 NM Dock Overnight Youngstown, NY

Day 7: Point Breeze, NY 37 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 8: Sodus Bay, NY 67 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 9: Sackets Harbor, NY 65 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 10: Kingston, Ontario 35 NM Dock

Days 11/12: Colbourg, Ontario 110 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 13: Ashbridges Bay, Ontario 58 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 14: Port Dalhousie, Ontario 50 NM Dock

Day 15: Welland Canal Passage 27 NM Dock Port Colborne

Day 16: Erie, Pennsylvania 59 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 17: Ashtabula, Ohio 45 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 18: Chagrin River, Ohio 38 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 19: Pelee Island, Ontario 58 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 20: Amherstburg, Ontario 31 NM Dock Overnight

Day 21: JBM, Lake St. Clair, MI 30 NM Dock Overnight

Day 22: Port Huron, MI 41 NM Dock Overnight

Days 23: Harbor Beach, MI. 54 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 24/25: Presque Isle, MI 136 NM Anchor Overnight

Day 26: Mackinaw City, MI 59 NM Dock (Re-Supply)

Entry #35: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

Wiring to my Watchman Alarm and Simrad Auto-Pilot have been completed. Verification testing to be completed. Jib sail successfully raised and lines routed. Halyard installed and Radar Deflector raised. Clothing and gear loaded. Original auto-pilot found not to be working. Removed connector with intention to finding a replacement. Purchased three (3) Solas handheld red flares from West Marine. Should be in full compliance for Trans-Superior in this regard.

After today, I should be back on schedule for a May 8th departure. I seem to perform my best the night before finals.

Entry #33: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

I remain on schedule for a May 8th launch – barely and I probably need more time….

I’m hoping no-one saw me spend two hours trying to hoist my new main sail for the first time before finally succeeding! Oh and I have ordered new jib battens as I found out they don’t float! I’ll go into more detail in a bit but first an update on my electronics and wiring….

Critical Item #1: Friday I focused on going over all my electronics, complete wiring and tests on my new electronics functions. I followed each set of wires I could reach and see and overall the wiring on the boat appears in good order. I did re-tape or add electrical tape to ensure integrity of connections. I do have to remember to buy spare bulbs and bring grease to apply to light sockets. I will do the latter during my journey. The new Garmin Depth Transducer and GPS Chartplotter function! Yes. The portable electric heater works great. To test my spare antennae with its new coupling I connected it to my VHF marine radio and it worked! I dis-connected the spare antennae and will find a place in the cabin to store it. I removed the shelve and oven for access to the new auto-pilot wiring. On the way home, I stopped at ACE Hardware and purchased electrical wiring to complete connections for my Watchman and Simrad Auto-Pilot. Though wiring remains incomplete, I’m feeling confident I will have it done in time.

Critical Item #2: OK back to my Laurel and Hardy imitation. Late last fall my new sails arrived. Before the new sails arrived, I replaced both mainsail and jib halyards. NS forgot to bring the four mainsail battens to the boat so we didn’t put the sails up or go for a test sail. (A caution light registered likely the result of having spent a career in the field of quality).

Saturday I brought both sails to the boat set the two sail bags and jib battens on deck. I decided to hoist the main sail first. Laurel & Hardy here we go. I never liked the way the halyards or blocks were set up when I purchased the boat and didn’t have the foresight to make adjustments before raising the mast. I decided to simply live with it the way it was set up. I now regret that decision. Nothing lethal, I’ll just have to live with it for now. But rest assured, my mast will be lowered and adjustments will be made in the fall.

As I am finally able to raise the main I looked around to grab and install the first batten when I realized I didn’t have them. NS and I had forgotten from last fall! While in panic mold I instinctively looked toward my jib battens. Where are they? The deck was wet and slippery, the boat was pitching while I was attempting to hoist the main and my jib battens had slid overboard into the deep blue! My mind was racing thinking of contingencies while calling North Sails in a panic. I’m laughing at myself writing this. I should have a new set of battens no later than Tuesday!

Before calling it a day, the night before I had made two canvas splash shields for the port and starboard sides of my deck. The idea is to place them strategically as needed to help shield me from cold winds and water intrusion from waves and winds. I was able to secure them to the deck posts. And with some additional adjustment to the hook openings, they should serve their purpose.

On my return home, access to my boat trailer was blocked and I was unable to trailer it to storage.

Critical Item #3: My efforts to solicit Welland Canal passage crew is progressing. I believe I have previously mentioned my frustration in regards to placing an ad on local university campuses. Well I also attempted to place an ad in a local newspaper. After being vetted (!), I was notified a four day ad would cost $356.14!!!! With this reality, I am very grateful for the two commitments I have received to date. Awaiting to firm up a third crew for the return passage from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie.

OK I know how all this sounds, but honestly I am confident it will all work out. Indeed as I have stated before, preparation and problem solving are the most challenging and (yes) fun part of any endeavour. I have to go, things to do.

Entry #32: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

What’s accomplished today and tomorrow are critical to whether I embark on schedule. The following are the keys _

1. Electronics OK: As stated in my last entry, completing todays’ wiring connections and testing for proper functioning of all electronics is crucial to remain on schedule (and to budget);
2. New Main and Jibs Sails OK: Assuming today goes well, tomorrow I will be installing and raising the new sails for the first time;
3. Welland Crew: Currently I am short one crew member. I hope to have a second crew member committed for my return lock passages over the next few days.

Four factors will have significant impact to my trip and schedule – departure date, equipment failure(s), route and weather & seas. My departure date is dependent on the keys listed above. I have no control of the weather & its seas except for my best efforts to avoid bad weather or take advantage of promising winds. I am doing my best to have reduced risks and the potential impacts of equipment failure(s).

That leaves me with the fourth factor – my route. Again, my objective is to be ‘the first ever to circumnavigate the five Great Lakes in one season’. As part of my trip, I also will be qualifying and incorporating the 2019 Trans-Superior International Yacht Race.

I have been in the process of completing a detailed itinerary and timeline. I’ve established with each Great Lake circumnavigation route, a set of decision criteria including contingencies for each waypoint. I plan to share my detailed itinerary in my next entry.

Entry #31: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

Everything went well this morning. Never Too Late was launched successfully. Yanmar diesel started without hesitation from a long winter. Automatic bilge pump worked flawlessly. It took a few trials and errors but as you can see from the picture above, I re-installed both the dodger and bimini.

Thursday I will attempt to wire my auto-pilot and watchman electronics. (Joey, keep your fingers crossed that I can do it myself.) Time and weather permitting, I will also initiate testing the function of the new Garmin depth transducer and GPS chart plotter.

Friday I plan to load the North Sails and work the top deck including improving hatch water tightness. With any luck I may be ready for a brief trial sail over the weekend.

Entry #30: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

I have just received notification that my application to establish a Guinness World Record has been rejected. I am both perplexed and bummed.

Perplexed on their rationale. If I understand correctly, the Guinness research teams’ decision was based on their ‘opinion’ that establishing a singlehanded sailing distance record (5,000+ nautical miles) in a sloop under 7 meters in the Great Lakes in a single season isn’t significant enough on an international level to establish a Guinness World record! Really! But breaking watermelons with ones’ head qualifies! Really! Eating lots of hot dogs qualifies! Really! And … Really! Ad Infinitum … Really!

Record be damned, I am bummed because I was hoping to use the publicity to increase awareness of my nephews’ Dermatomyositis Rheumatoid disease. Sorry Cameron.

Here’s the email from Guinness – you be the judge _

Dear JOHN LECZNAR

Thank you for sending us the details of your proposed record attempt for ‘Longest solo sailing distance on freshwater (Great Lakes) achieved in a single season in a sloop with a waterline under six (6) meters. ‘.

Unfortunately, after thoroughly reviewing your application with members of our research team, we are afraid to say that we cannot accept your proposal as a Guinness World Records title.

We receive many proposals regarding the fastest journeys between different points (towns, natural landmarks, etc), both within countries and between different states. Since there is potentially an almost infinite number of such points, we must out of necessity select only those which are significant internationally (e.g. trans-continental) or which over time have become the subject of much international competition (e.g. swimming across the English Channel, or sailing across the Atlantic). Unfortunately, in our opinion your proposal does not fall into one of these categories and we will not therefore consider it for a world record.

For information on what makes a record, we would advise before submitting an application to visit http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/what-makes-a-guinness-world-records-record-title. This page will provide you with helpful information if you are thinking about breaking or setting a record.

Once again thank you for contacting Guinness World Records.

Kind regards,
Records Management Team

Please be aware that as your record application has not been accepted, Guinness World Records is not associated with the activity relating to your record proposal and does not endorse this activity in any way. If you choose to proceed, then this is will be of your own volition and at your own risk. Guinness World Records will not monitor, measure or verify this activity.

This is an automatically generated email, please do not reply to this message.

If you have an enquiry, the quickest way to get in touch with Guinness World Records is as follows:Log in in at www.guinnessworldrecords.com/account/login Click on the relevant application under Your Applications Scroll down to the bottom of the page and type your enquiry in the Correspondence section Click Add to send your enquiry to Guinness World Records Your enquiry is sent directly to your Records Manager 

We appreciate that you are eager to receive feedback on your application and can assure you that we will be back in touch as soon as possible.

Guinness, I’m doing it anyway!

Entry #29: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

Poseidon Bowsprit

Poseidon bowsprit installation completed over the weekend! Thank you Bryan for helping to cut and drill holes in the steel reinforcement bar. When the temperature warms up, I will be completing sealing and painting the wood bowsprit.

Great Lakes Wind & Wave Observations

Over the past several weeks, I have been perusing wind and wave patterns for each of the Great Lakes and thinking about potential effects to my projected course and travel times. I find ‘Windfinder‘ a great app for this type of analysis.

Last night I observed an unusual (to date) predominate wind direction. The winds were coming from the East at 15-25 mph for Lakes Erie, Ontario, Michigan and Superior. I was not happy with the impacts to sailing Lakes Erie and Ontario. When sailing Lake Erie from the Detroit River heading East to the Welland Canal it would mean a ‘dead beat’. With the winds in excess of 20 mph, it would be slow and pounding! It would be the same for Lake Ontario when heading East. On the other hand, my returns heading west on both lakes would be great downwind runs on my boat!

Curiously, at the same time on Lake Huron, those same winds were coming from the South/SouthEast at 20-25 mph. Another great downwind sail on my trip up the Michigan coastline!

For Lakes Michigan and Superior, the winds (as with the two lower Great Lakes) were coming from the East at a solid 20-25 mph. In those winds, ‘Never Too Late’ would be “flying” on a beam reach on Lake Michigan! And “flying” downwind on Lake Superior! I would probably need to ‘reef’ my mainsail on both lakes.

Finally, boat is going into the water this Wednesday!

Entry #28: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

Weather this weekend not promising. Its a bit early, but I decided to create a food schedule for my journey. Breakfasts will be oatmeal or hard boiled eggs and coffee. Lunches will be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, canned tuna or salmon or sardines.

Dinners will be pre-cooked. I plan 1-2 minute dinner warm-ups pending my power situation. I spent the morning preparing the following first month dinners:

OK, at least I won’t go hungry!

Entry #27: To view my blog’s first entry scroll down to ‘Entry # 1’. Sorry for the inconvenience, I will eventually figure out how to reverse entry order.

Bit overwhelming. I have close to two dozen to dos/incomplete/unchecked things on my platter. So I played 9 holes of golf to get my mind clear. I got my monies worth and visited parts of the golf course the architect hadn’t anticipated!

Remaining ‘It Moose Be Done’ Item List Statuses (In no particular order):

1. Emergency Lines for Hull – Selected, to be installed prior to embarking;
2. Emergency Lines for Deck Selected, to be installed prior to embarking;
3. Welland Canal – Tickets purchased; Seeking crew;
4. Garmin GPS Chartplotter – Installed, functionality TBC (to be confirmed);
5. Garmin Depth Transducer – Installed, functionality TBC;
6. Meals & Food Supplies – Non-perishable foods purchased & packed; Daily meal schedules completed; Perishable foods to be purchased and/or prepared and frozen;
7. Clothing – Packed, awaiting final inspection;
8. Batteries – Two engine batteries to be charged; 3rd engine battery to be purchased; miscellaneous spare batteries (AAA, C, D) packed;
9. ‘Back-up’ Tiller/Rudder Assembly – To be built;
10. (1) New Stainless Steel Rudder Bolt and Nut – Needs removal and replacement;
11. Simrad Tiller Auto-Pilot & Watchman Alarm – Installed, needs wiring to power; functionality TBC;
12. ‘Poseidon’ Bow Sprit – Installation in-progress;
13. Wood Bow Sprit – Repaired and painting in progress;
14. Radar Deflector – Assembled, halyard installation in progress;
15. Sliding Hatch Enclosure Water Intrusion Enhancement – In-progress;
16. Temporary Dock (C091) – Arrangements secured;
17. Clean-up – Interior underway; Exterior to be completed prior to launch;
18. Log Book – Awaiting delivery;
19. Wood Staining – TBI;
20. Sail (Main & Jib) – To be installed and tuned;
21. Guinness Records – Entering the 15th week on determination and further instructions (overdue original 12 week time frame) ; Truthfully it would be nice but I planned this endeavour prior to any record(s) consideration;
22. Marina Reservations – (Only) George Kemp selected and confirmed to date.

The number of current open items reflect less than 15% of the original TO DO list! I honestly can’t think of any open items that are either not near completion or not to schedule. Though the list remains significant in number, short of any unforseeable, embarking readiness should be doable to schedule.

I always have found both planning and preparation the most challenging and most rewarding part of any endeavour. The successful completion of my journey will serve as litmus test to my months of planning and preparedness. With any shortfall are lesson(s) learned and future growth potential.