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I received many questions about the next project!
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Why don't you just buy another boat like the ORCA?
Quite simple, as beautiful as a boat like this is, it is also a horror in terms of maintenance. The consumption of petrol or diesel alone is an astronomical amount of money!
Also, I do not want to be on the water with a lot of engine noise, but rather a quiet glide through the water, which is very good with a foot pedal boat!
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Why don't you build the boat yourself ?
In the Yukon I have build some catamarans, but here I have neither the space or the tools to build such a boat properly!
And this boat has to be well built to last for many years.
If I had the space and the tools, I would try, but here at home in Germany it would be extremely expensive to get a suitable shed and the tools.
Just renting a shed allone would cost hundreds of euros a month....
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When will you start ?
It depends on many factors, such as
How is my mother's and my brother's health...
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How long will it take to get a boat?
It is going to take quite some time, I am not under any time pressure, it will take time to find the perfect boat.
And then I have to have the money for the purchase of the boat ...
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How long have you been working on this project?
To be honest, since my first Yukon River tour (1998) !
As you know, I have tried many different boats. Catamarans, trimarans, motorboats, kayaks, canoes on my expeditions, all good, but not yet ideal! On all subsequent expeditions I have been tinkering with the ideal expedition boat, writing down what it should have next time, etc..
So I think I have a pretty good idea now what would be ideal for me......
Now it's up to me to turn the imagined into reality!
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How long is the journey supposed to go?
The end is open, I see it as my retired life, so I'm hoping for many years to come...
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Is there a fixed route ?
No I just take off and decide on the way. Without any time pressure.
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Do you have a rough plan where the journey goes?
Yes, I can go anywhere from my home town of Datteln, which is the largest canal junction in Europe.
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Will you report live underway
on your website !
Of course, I have done that on all my trips. Here in Europe and with today's technology it will be much easier than on the past trips out of the bush in Alaska or Canada !
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Will you only be living on the boat when you are underway?
Mainly because I like it very much, I really enjoyed it when I travelled with my ORCA in northern Canada. And for safety reasons I feel much more comfortable in Europe when I'm in the boat. I don't want to wake up in the morning and find the boat gone...
Europe is not Alaska, the Yukon or the NWT!
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Are you filming again during the trip ?
Yes, but only for me and the readers of my website.
There will be no TV coverage, that was too stressful for me during the trip with ORCA. Something like that takes all the joy out of a trip...
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Will you use drones for filming this time
Oh yes, I will not miss this opportunity. Nowadays there are not only drones that fly, but also drones that dive...
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Could someone accompany you on short sections ?
It is not planned but you never know...
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Do you take pictures underway and post them on your website ?
Of course, this time I think it will be even more detailed, as it was on the previous trips!
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What will you eat underway and where ?
As on all my trips, I will be cooking myself and storing as much food as possible in the boat. I will repack everything to minimise waste along the way. This was very helpful on my trip with ORCA !
My aim is to be completely self-sufficient during the trip!
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Which stove will you use?
As on my ORCA, I will be using a Dometic ORICO powered by denatured alcohol. Traditionally, alcohol stoves have been the safest form of cooking at sea. They work without pressure, are pleasantly quiet and take up little space in the galley.
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Where do you get your drinking water from underway?
I hope I can use my Katadyn water filter again.
But I still have to do some research on how it works with chemicals in the water and whether the katadyn can filter them out. Unfortunately, the water in Europe is not as clean as in Alaska or Canada ....
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Will you use a lot of electronics on the trip ?
Oh yes, because I love the possibilities you have today with modern electronics! E.g. night vision, thermal imaging, 3D scanning sonar, hydrophones, underwater cameras, SW receivers, AIS, VHF radio and so on...
Will you use solar panels & batteries ?
Yes as always, as much as I can fit on the boat!
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Will you use a backup engine ?
Yes, on rivers it is essential to have a backup, as I need to be able to steer the boat safely in the current and in the event of a pedal drive failure. For this I will use an electric outboard, torqeedo has some good ones in their range.
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How will you heat your boat ?
I have learnd out of my mistake with ORCA. This time my boat will have a heating system !
I think I will use a
DICKINSON NEWPORT or Dickinson Alaska oil stove,
a small & compact cabin stove for use with diesel or heating oil.
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How will you finance the trip ?
Very good question...
I'm trying to spend as little money as possible on the trip, just like I did on my Alaska trips. I will only sleep in my boat, cook myself and so on. Fuel costs will be very low because I will be using a foot pedal drive and an electric motor. I will be the motor or the batteries powered by solar panels.
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Let's see what happens...
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If you have any question, drop me a Mail
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Continue with: My Sponsors
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Only those who risk going too far, will discover how far they can go!
Expedition in USA, Alaska & Canada, Scandinavia with folding boat, motorboat, catamaran, motorcycle, off-road vehicle, bicycle ...
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