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April 2003: Thursday's Child at the Pacific Sail Expo Boat Show in Oakland |
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March 2003: Japan Solo Record Attempt on Hold Pending Knee Surgery |
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April-September 2001: Reppy Takes Thursday's Child on Third Transpacific Sail from San Francisco to Japan |
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December 2000: TC Relaunched After Furious Week of Work |
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June 2000: Damaged Rudder Repaired in Japan |
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April 2000: TC Sets Sails on Second Transpacific Attempt |
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September 1999: NAI'A epitaph |
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July 1999: Thursday's Child Ready to Rock |
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May 1999: TC Sails to Free Corky |
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April 1999: TC in SF |
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March 1999: New Look |
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February 1999: Schedule |
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1998 October 1998 San Diego Refit Report September 1998 VISIT TO CORKY (SHAMU) May 22 TRIP TO SEA WORLD May 20 PANAMA - SAN DIEGO "Long Beat Up The Coast" April 14 Stuck in Colon Part 2 - Paying Dues April 7 "Stuck in Colon with the Panama Canal Blues" March 22 to 31 St. Augustine, FL - Colon, Panama March 25 Thursday's Child sets sail! March 1 Michael Reppy Buys THURSDAY'S CHILD |
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1997 Previous Voyages: 1997 Nai'a Transpacific solo attempt |
APRIL 2003: THURSDAY'S CHILD AT THE PACIFIC SAIL EXPO BOAT SHOW IN OAKLAND
Times:
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MARCH 2003: 2003 JAPAN SOLO RECORD ATTEMPT ON HOLD PENDING KNEE SURGERY Michael Reppy's planned late April departure for a fourth attempt on the solo record from San Francisco to Tokyo is now on hold due to another arthroscopic knee surgery on March 10 to repair a recurrent meniscus tear in his right knee. Michael's knee continued to bother him following knee surgery last September and had another MRI which revealed the problem. He felt he should not risk further injury and problems sailing solo and elected to have it fixed even though it may not be healed enough to sail this year. A departure later than mid-May is not advised due to the typhoon season beginning in Japanese waters in June.
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April-September 2001: REPPY TAKES THURSDAY’S CHILD ON THIRD TRANSPACIFIC SAIL FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO JAPAN, THEN TO HANSON ISLAND'S ORCA LAB Skipper Michael Reppy set sail aboard Thursday's Child at noon on Sunday, April 29th on his third attempt to break the current sailing record from San Francisco to Tokyo of 34 days, 6 hours. Reppy sails to raise awareness of the plight of marine mammals whose ocean habitat is under increasing threats from whaling, overfishing, and industrial pollution. In particular, Reppy is protesting Japan's controversial "drive fishery," which drives dolphins into shallow bays where they are ultimately slaughtered.
CHECK BACK HERE FOR UPDATES! Latest message from Michael: THURSDAY'S CHILD ARRIVES HOME AMIDST IMPENDING WAR September 11, 2001: San Francisco, CA -- 18:45 hrs. Thursday's Child passed under Golden Gate Bridge to complete approx. 12,000 mile circle of the Pacific Ocean. We tied up at Horizon's dock in Sausalito only to hear of the horrific terrorist attacks in New York & Washington. We sat shocked seeing the TV pictures of the plane slamming into the World Trade Center. Much greiving and healing and understanding will be needed. It is good to be home, but not to a home of death and destruction and impending war. - Cheers from Michael Reppy and TC crew Click here for the full trip history.
 Thursday's Child Arrives in Japan!
June 3, 2001 -- Skipper Michael Reppy just finished his third transpacific attempt to break the singlehanded sailing record from San Francisco to Tokyo of 34 days 6 hours. Although he fell short of this goal, he arrived safe and sound in Misake, Japan on June 3rd.
At the finish in Misake, a fishing village near Tokyo, Michael met up with Cindy and Barry Bristol with official time keeper and yacht designer Ken Hayashi (see top photo at right).
Michael was also welcomed at Yokohama Bayside Marina by area environmentalists working to raise awareness of the harm done to marine mammals in captivity (in bottom photo at right - clockwise from top left: Ayako, Mimi, and Nanami Kurasawa of Dolphin Whale Action Network, Mark Berman of Earth Island's International Marine Mammal Project, and Michael Reppy).
[ Click here for more info about Reppy's 3rd transpacific attempt. ] . |
Dec. 21, 2000 (Winter Solstice) -- Today THURSDAY'S CHILD was re-launched after a furious week's work adding 625 lbs of lead to the keel, anti-foul painting the bottom, and other maintenance. The added ballast will add needed stability and hopefully more speed when the wind is up and the boat is heeling. A test sail is coming up soon. All this in preparation for another go at the solo sailing record to Japan this Spring. When sailing on the Pacific Ocean last spring, skipper Michael Reppy had a run-in with two passing whales who damaged his rudder, forcing him to sail over to Honolulu for repairs. For a full history of Michael's recent transpacific adventure, click here. |
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Three years ago, with the record in his grasp, Michael Reppy capsized
his 36’ trimaran NAI’A 300 miles from Tokyo. Reppy was rescued and
NAI’A left adrift, only to wash up on Midway Atoll 18 months later too
broken to repair. But Michael had already bought THURSDAY’S CHILD,
sailed her back from Florida, and begun an extensive refit for another
go at the record. Now the famous old war-horse is ready to add to her
record setting glory days (first boat to beat the Cape Horn Clipper Ship
record New York to San Francisco in 1989) by breaking Peter Hogg’s
Single-handed San Francisco to Yokohama record of 34 days 6 hours. This
is the first leg in Michael’s “Pacific Triangle 2000” sailing challenge. |
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Says Michael, “I have some unfinished business to settle – the record is one, but if you have seen pictures of the bloody savage drive fishery in Futo last year, you will see why it must stop. I hope to bring this to the attention of the Japanese people and the world.”
As he did three years ago, Michael will follow the longer, but more favorable “trade wind” route (approx. 5400 miles) just north of Hawaii, running most of the way under spinnaker, until heading back up north west into more variable winds to Japan.
RETURN RECORD ATTEMPT FOR “FREE CORKY”
On the second leg of the “Pacific Triangle 2000” Michael will take aim
at another single-handed transpacific sailing record: Misake, Japan to
Victoria, Canada by John Oman in Northwest Spirit (23 days, 21 hours in
1994). This sail will be dedicated to freedom for the orca whale CORKY,
held at Sea World, San Diego. CORKY is the longest held captive whale
in the world (30 years) taken from the waters of British Columbia, where
her mother and family pod still live. Michael hopes to break the record
and make a plea to Anheuser Busch, owners of Sea World to implement a
rehabilitation and release plan for CORKY to return to her family.
WEST COAST TOUR
After the finish in Victoria, Michael will rendezvous with world famous
orca researcher Dr. Paul Spong at his facility ORCA LAB in the Johnston
Straits of Vancouver Island, home waters of CORKY’s family pod. Nearby
is an ideal bay to be netted off for CORKY’s “halfway house”
rehabilitation center and reunion with her family. Michael will make
his appeal to Anheuser Busch for CORKY’s freedom and underscore it with
the final leg of the “Pacific Triangle 2000”: a “West Coast Tour” of major ports down the coast to San Diego, ending with a rally at Sea World for CORKY. Michael will bring attention to CORKY’s plight and drum up support for her release at rallies in ports like Seattle, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara.
Follow the entire “Pacific Triangle 2000” sail this website. Updates on preparation and sailing departure will be posted regularly, and daily positions and reports by Michael from THURSDAY’S CHILD sent by Sat Com C communications system will be posted on the web site.
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Thursday's Child New sail hoisted in San Francisco Bay |
December 11, 1999: 30th Anniversary of Corky's Capture
It was a beautiful, sunny, day with light airs on the bay as THURSDAY'S CHILD glided under the Golden Gate with her spinnaker set adorned with a large orca and the words "FREE CORKY". Will Morris, Free Corky Activist, gave a heart-felt toast to Corky and plea to Anheuser Busch, the owners of Sea World, to release Corky to her family pod in British Columbia.
A letter to August Busch, CEO of Anheuser Busch, calling for Corky's release and freedom, was signed by 21 people and faxed to him. Please send your fax or e-mail, one sentence is enough, to:
Mr. August Busch III
CEO Anheuser Busch
1, Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63188
Fax: (314) 577-2900
E-mail: budmaster@budweiser.com
Sea World San Diego
Fax: (619) 226-3996
E-mail: shamu@seaworld.org
If you followed the story of Nai'a,
here is one last note...
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| Here are the latest improvements:
1. New rudder being designed and to be built this Summer along with a new emergency rudder. 2. The articulating bow pole proved unreliable (broke twice) and a fixed pole will be installed. 3. Back-up autopilots are being installed. 4. New lifelines installed 5. Cockpit and decks all getting new paint. TC is ready for her portrait sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge! |
 Thursday's Child Bow |
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| At midnight on March 22 THURSDAY'S CHILD sailed under the
Golden Gate Bridge, after an easy trip up the coast from San Diego.
We made one 24 hour stop in Santa Barbara to show the boat to friends and
family, but moved on due to favorable weather for going North.
Winds were very light and we motored most of the way with the new diesel engine making the trip in 3 1/2 days. |
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We are now doing bay sails and getting her into sailing shape. The next major upgrade is a new mainsail being shipped from South Africa. After 10 days in Sausalito, we moved TC to a permanent berth at KKMI boatyard in Richmond.
I will continue to send out updates and plans for THURSDAY'S CHILD'S campaign to sail in support for freedom for captive whales.
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| Now skippered by Michael Reppy for the San Francisco Environmental organization EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE, the famous 60' ocean racing sloop is getting a new paint job with stunning orca whales painted on the bow. |  |
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Native British Columbian artist William Wasden Jr., a member of the Namgis First Nation of Vancouver Island, has painted his design on the boat. William and mother Janet came to San Diego together. Orca whales are now protected in the waters around their home in Alert Bay, a village known "the home of the killer whale", and are highly revered in his native culture. |
February 1999
Work is progressing well with THURSDAY'S CHILD still in San Diego.
The latest additions are a 12' bow mounted articulating spinnaker pole,
new running backstays, and a Harken "battcar" system on the mast for easier
hoisting and lowering of the mainsail.
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Jesse Dixon splicing 5' section to extend boom to 29'
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E-mail: mreppy@tchild.org
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Come tour Thursday's Child at the Pacific Sail Expo Boat Show at Jack London Square in Oakland, California, April 23-27. Meet skipper Michael Reppy and crew Scott Shaffer. The FREE CORKY banner will be flown from the rigging and FREE CORKY posters will be given out.
Only two days after leaving San Francisco Bay, Thursday's Child's rudder was hit by two passing whales on the high seas. On the right, you can see skipper Michael Reppy examining the damaged rudder in Honolulu. Here is the text of Michael's communique on that fateful day:
As it turned out, the rudder had suffered extensive damage during that sudden encounter. Fortunately, the boat (and the skipper!) had enough steering ability to sail in for repairs to Honolulu. On the left, you can see Michael hanging out on the docks in front of Thursday's Child.
