In this festive season, we continue our series of articles leading up to Dominique’s imminent departure. But what equipment will he use for the crossing?
Firstly, Dominique has a boat weighing 1 ton and measuring 8m in length. It is on this vessel that he will spend between 50 and 100 days at sea.
His sleeping space is very limited, a narrow closed corridor of 90cm wide. He doesn’t have a specific sleep strategy and will try to take short naps when the weather allows.
In the event of a capsize, he has an inflatable balloon that effortlessly rights the boat.
Regarding food, Dominique will carry provisions for 85 days, mainly consisting of freeze-dried meals (dehydrated food mixed with water).
For communication, he will have a GoPro and a mobile phone to send written or visual information back to Earth.
His departure is scheduled for early January from the Canary Islands. The date is not yet confirmed as it depends on the weather (winds).
Initially planned for 2020, Dominique and his team spent the entire year 2023 preparing to be on the starting line on January 1, 2024.
Here are some examples of preparations he has made:
Initial training over several weekends to learn safety procedures in case of issues and to familiarize himself with the boat’s operation.
A second training, this time on land, involving various physical activities such as cycling, running, climbing, and mountaineering to ensure his body is physically prepared for any challenge.
Sleep management and exploration of food products.
His wish list for Santa Claus includes:
Food Equipment:
- 85 days of food
- 1 electric desalinator
- 1 manual desalinator
Boat Equipment:
- an anchor
- a floating anchor
- a drogue (cones allowing the boat to stay aligned with the waves)
- a survival suit
- a distress beacon
- 3 pairs of oars
Dominique’s Equipment:
- 1 sea outfit (jacket and pants)
- 2 light outfits
- 2 stoves
Technological Equipment:
- 1 marine chart reader
- 1 VHF radio
- 1 Iridium Go communication system (to communicate his real-time position on the water)
- 1 satellite phone
Entertainment Equipment:
- Books
- 1 PC/1 tablet/1 mobile phone
- 1 mask with snorkel
Thank you for reading, and happy holidays to all!
