Sailing with Blind Date, a Harryproa Visionnary

September 12, 2011

In the proa corner of the sailing community one is expectantly looking forward to a video of sailing with Blind Date, special after the latest rudder modifications. So last Sunday September 11 and together with four guests we sailed Blind Date special for this purpose. The wind was between S and SW and blowing force Bf4 to Bf5 (according to local wheather station, our windmeter is in the repair), max GPS speed 12.8 kn. We sailed from Flevo Marina Lelystad to Trintelhaven in the lee of the dyke Lelystad to Enkhuizen. That’s why the water is quite flat without significant waves. Click for the YouTube video.

My Ipad was loaded with a GPS tracker. Click in the pictures below to see the track and speed record. Another click in the then expanded picture brings you to the moving track in Google Earth.

Click to expand track_Lelystad_to Trintelhaven

Click to expand track Trintelhaven to Lelystad


Various.

September 23, 2010

There is not much to write about the building of FRAM, just being busy with a lot of UD’s and tapes around the beam bulkheads and carbon folding anchors.

But for me there were some memorable events in the last few weeks.

Sail Amsterdam 2010

Sail Amsterdam 2010

Between the violence of many Tall Ships, including the Russian “Kruzenshtern”, Italien “Amerigo-Vespucci”, Poland “Dar Mlodziezy” and many others, Dutch Blind Date was one of the participants in Sail Amsterdam 2010 in the category “Extraordinary Ships” and on Sunday, August 20th it was my turn for a day on board to receive and show around interested visitors.

Blind Date on Sail Amsterdam 2010

Blind Date was a real eye catcher at the front of the music building dock, which is also the beginning of the walking route for visitors. During the four-day event 1.5 million visitors passed her, but fortunately not all came on board. It was very funny to see how one stood on the dock to explain each other what kind of a boat this is and how she sails. Some can’t figure it out and walk away while shaking their head.  The nice thing about such a show is that you meet great people and have interesting discussions. I hope to have made some new Blind Date friends.

Blind Date on Sail Amsterdam 2010

Opening of “The Flying Dutchman Suite”

Plaque

“The Flying Dutchman Suite” a generous gift to the patients of AVL Radiation Therapy Department dedicated in loving memory of Gerrit van Oortmarssen August 24, 2010

On the 24 of August we were invited to a special event, the launch of the newest medical facilities in the field of radiotherapy at the NKI-AVL, the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital. During the opening ceremony a plaque in memory of my brother Gerry has been revealed. It was Gerry who succeeded in realizing the development of new products in cooperation with radiotherapy clinics. He had a perfect gift to win the customers and the business organizations, to bring them together and create conditions to develop new ideas. My sister in law has established a fund in memory of Gerry and she made the proceeds of this fund available  to realize a treatment room set up as patient-friendly as possible. To realize this, Philips Medical Systems was prepared to suitably fit in a radiotherapy room, the Ambient Experience concept, the newest technique available to positively influence the patient experience. With this the patient can determine the surrounding which best suits him or her.

Ambient Experience

Besides the fact that it is demonstrated that this method of adjusting works positively for the regular patient, it is also expected that this Ambient Experience will have a positive contribution in the treatment of children.

Ambient Experience

And so it happened that a fully equipped Cone Beam CT accelerator, with the most modern and latest techniques, like CT guidance, 4D Software Matching, etc, has now been combined in a patient-friendly set up with Ambient Experience, which combination is a unique setting in the world. Chairman of the NFK and former Minister of Health  Mrs. Dr. E. Borst performed the official opening.

Flying start

I’m very grateful that this unique concept will be forever linked to the success of my late brother Gerry.

Another opening.

Rebuilding Piazza

This time my own business. To celebrate the completion of a renovation job I’m sometimes persuaded to do crazy things, like descending along a rope from the roof of a 60m high appartment building.

Rebuilding Piazza

On the edge of the roof you want to cry in misery ……

Rebuilding Piazza

…… but once down you want to do it again …..

Back to the boat building business.

Time and cost figures

Fortunatly it’s not business, but a leisure spending, however with a lot of money and time involved. Click in the above picture and you know what I mean.