Van Dieman October 27, 2006

Gregg Drude has been sailing around the world on the "Van Dieman". You may have read some of his exploits in Surfer Magazine. We outfitted Gregg with with board bags, coffins, tie downs, traction, wet/dry bags, basically every accessory that we carry. Here is a recent email he sent back to us.

Photos are at the bottom of the page.

Notes From The Van Dieman

After 10 months sailing across oceans and lagoons, the only thing that I have come to depend on is that everything eventually breaks. Every day, my list of things to fix on board grows and grows. Engine problems, water pumps, water maker, and rigging melt downs, are just a few of the routine difficulties that seem to occur daily. The only items on board that don't seem to need constant attention are the Destination products.

It is ironic because these are the things left on deck 24 hours a day in all weather conditions. The board bags have held up so far through the constant abuse of the tropical sun, interrupted only by intense rain squalls. The boards inside have never suffered despite their horrific environment. The zippers have yet to show any signs of weakening, even though we stuff each bag way beyond its normal capacity. As these board bags are stowed all along the deck of the boat, every now and then, someone falls over and crushes one of them, and we all fear the worst. But, time and time again, the boards escape unharmed. They have been beaten relentlessly by waves breaking over the rails, but nothing has harmed them.

The wet/dry bags have proved themselves to be invaluable as well. Since, we never surf in a wetsuit, these bags have found other uses, equally as important as stowing a soggy full suit. I have attached two of these bags to the mast and they are used as storage for all of the lines running down the side of the mast, as well as all of our extra ropes on board. The buckles have held up under the strain of about thirty pounds of dead weight, again while remaining completely unprotected from the elements. One of these bags also serves as our "ditch bag." This is the last resort bag, filled with canned foods and water, which goes overboard with us if, God forbid, the boat ever went under.

All of our extraneous gear on deck is held in place with Destination tie-down straps. They hold the dinghy in place, keep boards from sliding overboard, serve as a lifting harness for the outboard engine and dinghy, and serve dozens of other random uses. We all use Destination deck grip and leashes, and even our dinghy floor is lined with extra tail pads.

It is comforting to know that even in the harsh environment in which I live, that some products can still be counted on. As my search continues for more uncrowned perfection, I can rest easy that my gear is being cared for by the best...Destination Surf.

-Gregg Drude
Captain S/V Van Dieman
-------------------------------------------------
Do not push the "reply" button to respond to this message if that includes the text of this original message in your response. Messages are sent over a very low-speed radio link.

Replies should not contain attachments and should be less than 5 kBytes (2 text pages) in length.

This email was delivered by an HF private coast station in the Maritime Mobile Radio Service, operated by the SailMail Association, a non-profit association of yacht owners. For more information on this service or on the SailMail Association, please see the web site at:
http://www.sailmail.com