Dan Stadtlander, who did his qualifier for the Bermuda One-Two last fall, offered me some advice for my own voyage, now less than two weeks away. “It will likely be a cold experience, so do bundle up,” says Dan, whom I met at the sleep management seminar last month.

“I knew that time would be a problem … so I had to do my qualifier last year. I kept waiting for perfect fall conditions, but time was running short, so I did it the middle of October on a less-than-perfect weekend.

“Conditions turned out to be absolutely horrible. Gusting over 20 knots, seas were 10 feet, and freezing cold. Winds started out of the northwest and shifted unexpectedly to the north once I turned around 40 miles south of Montauk [NY]. I ended up considerably east of my home-bound track, which required tacking to get home. I also puked my guts out most of the way home.”

Dan sails a Bristol 39, Mirari, which has a large cockpit. “I was able to do 10-minute naps in the cockpit, and actually felt better lying down. The forecast predications were way off that weekend. Anyways, I met the race requirements, so I’m glad that’s out of the way.

“I did a few things that I shouldn’t have in regards to safety. I did not have a life raft aboard nor an EPIRB. I did carry a surf kayak, and I packed the inflatable dink in the deflated condition, with pump and oars tied in. If anything happened I probably would have frozen to death, but I did also pack a wetsuit. Having sank a boat offshore, I really should know better.”

I’m going to get back to Dan’s last remark in the July issue of Soundings, when I try to wrap up this experience — mine and others’. It is a cautionary tale.

Dan shared his 16-item list of major projects he wants to complete on Mirari before the race. He concludes, “I’m starting to short-list things. There will be no varnish or paint work on Mirari this spring.”

Dan asked, “Can you share what you learned in regards to getting weather reports, the frequencies and your home made antenna?” Glad to pass it along, thanks to Peter McCrea. The frequencies for Coast Guard weather reports in our area are 4426.0 MHz, 6501.0 MHz, 8764.0 MHz, 13089 MHz and 17314 MHz, if I read the Web page at www.weather.gov/om/marine/hfvoice.htm correctly. The times are given on the same page, although so far I have received reports on only two of the frequencies.

There is so much unfamiliar information provided that my plan is to tape record the messages, then transcribe them.

The antenna I bought is not home-made. It is an EMF antenna that was recommended for my receiver by Universal Radio. They were quite helpful.