('nonstop' = no setting foot on land anywhere; 'unassisted' = under sail alone, no engine use, no outside help with repairs, nothing brought onboard after starting out, so all food onboard from start, as well as all necessary tools and spares for repairs while on passage)

Sailed down California coast in Oct/Nov 2013.   On to Mexico (for work & repairs) late Dec 2013 onward. Based in San Carlos, Sonora, for work.  August 2015 cruised Sea of Cortez.   May 2016 - offshore passage from Banderas Bay, S to Acapulco and then north to British Columbia to prepare for next solo nonstop RTW attempt, due to start October 2016.

Left Victoria, B.C. 17th Oct but storm bound 4 days later. Returned to Victoria for repairs and left again on 13th Nov.  Bad weather again but managed to get further S before gooseneck (mast-boom connection) and generator problems forced stop in San Diego for repairs.  Will spend some months in Mexico before heading N in June/July 2017 to prepare for re-start of RTW solo attempt again in late September 2017.  Wish me luck!

See website: www.svnereida.com for routes, boat details, photos, magazine/radio/tV items, history... plus daily logs when on passage.

Antenna is backstay with insulators top and bottom.

Icom M801E with 12V power supply and 125W (PEP) output power.

Automatic antenna tuner, AT-141 .

Ground is sintered bronze ground plate on underwater hull, in seawater, plus 1 sq. m of thin copper sheet glassed into inside of hull.

Sat Canadian ham radio exam in October 2013 - passed with honours (91%) so use of VE0JSJ (maritime mobile callsign aboard 'Nereida') or VA7NER (shore-based callsign) allows unrestricted use of ham frequencies.