UK Sailmakers is proud to partner with Apparent Winds, a global expedition dedicated environmental and cultural preservation while collecting marine research on their 75-foot Alden ketch RESILIENCE. UK Sailmakers is happy to support this team’s efforts to connect with others and the environment, to make the world a better place. As Apparent Winds sails with UK Sailmakers in their corner, they will be able to sail with confidence as they study the seas and marine environments with the least amount of carbon emissions.
According to RESILIENCE’s Captain, Tripp Brower, “Sailing and wind power make it possible for us conduct research in a more sustainable way and minimize our impacts on the beautiful ecosystems we study. We strive to be part of the solution and we’re committed to creating as little carbon emissions as possible.”
UK Sailmakers is a proud supporter of Apparent Winds, whose mission and ethos aligns with our own Supporting Sustainable Sailing initiative. UK Sailmakers is excited to be a part of their story. Describing the Apparent Winds organization and expedition, Tripp said “Apparent Winds is dedicated to collecting and sharing stories of hope. Specifically, we are focused on environmental and cultural preservation around the world. We operate a sailing research vessel which acts as a platform for our in-house data collection, headquarters, and our means of sustainable travel. Our mission is to share these stories through film, educational outreach, and the written word. We’re dedicated to doing our small part to help leave the planet in better shape than we found it and we hope we can amplify the voices of others who are working to do the same.”
Currently, Apparent Winds is working on a long-term oceanographic study, analyzing parameters including sea surface temperature, salinity, pH, nitrates, and phosphates. Many of these parameters are changing due to human activity. Additionally, they are assisting the non-profit 5 Gyres Institute with a micro-plastics survey. Using their spinnaker pole to deploy a micro plastics trawl, the Apparent Winds team is able to obtain a sample that is unaffected by the wake of their boat.
This stunning footage was shot by on-board Cetatean Biologist, Jared Towers and photographer and videographer Brooke Raines, just south of Bahía Magdalena on the coast of Baja Mexico. January’s journey down the California coast to the Sea of Cortez was focused on studying Killer Whales with a cetacean biologist using hydrophone technology to analyze communication and habitat use of the whales in the region.
RESILIENCE is a custom aluminum hull ketch, designed by Alden Yacht Design and built by Palmer Johnson in 1978. She has been outfitted with a new set of sails built at the UK Sailmakers Northwest Loft.
The new mizzen, Yankee, and staysail were delivered to San Diego early last month. About these much-needed sails, Tripp said, “The new sails are absolutely beautiful. They were easy to install ourselves and they were a perfect fit. I am also so impressed by the communication and dedication from the UK Sailmakers loft in Sidney, B.C. With supply chain issues, a short timeframe, and winter weather working against us, the folks at the loft managed to get our sails ready with time to spare. We are blown away by the shape, beauty, and performance of these sails! We chose these specific sails for their longevity and integrity. We need sails that can hold up to a lot of time at sea over the next ten years of our expedition.”
The trio of new sails were created with a tri-radial cut and radial dacron cloth to ensure the sails have a long working life. To get a sense of scale, the largest of the three, the Yankee, has an area of 130m2 and a luff length of over 25m. There are important features to consider when shopping for large cruising sails, and there are many sailcloth options available at your local UK Sailmakers loft, including recycled and partially recycled products.
Apparent Winds is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit devoted to environmental preservation by way of storytelling. To get involved, or to learn more about ongoing and past expeditions, visit https://apparentwinds.org/ or contact info@apparentwinds.com.
- More info on micro-plastics trawling: https://apparentwinds.org/micro-plastic-trawling/
- To Support the Expedition: https://apparentwinds.org/sponsor-the-journey/
- Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@apparentwinds
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