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The Modoc is changing colours!

We have been waiting for this moment! Finally, the blue is gone, and we’re starting to look more hardcore! Now we can hunt down the illegal fishers in style!

 

We finally got back to Ensenada and took the Modoc out of the water. One of the more critical projects was renewing the anti-fouling paint under the waterline. This sounds easier than it is since this means our 145 feet long beauty had to get onto the dry.

 

It took about 4 hours of maneuvering just to get her into the right position for the divers to build the legs underneath the ship. It was a painstaking process - the first few legs stand on rails that are pulled up meter by meter.  We had to stop over and again to give the divers the chance to arrange the next set of legs under the water and get them placed just right on our hull.  It was a slow process for such a big boat.  Once all 14 legs had been adjusted, the Modoc dropped her shyness and showed off all of her curves. What a sight! Several times, she’s been compared to a whale that is expecting – a fitting statement for her coming missions.

 

 

As soon as the ship was shaking off the last drips of salt water, the dock workers started hustling around the boat: spraying off the bottom, marking it into sections, sandblasting, priming, painting …. the hull has been given such a tremendous makeover over the last few days that it doesn’t look like our boat anymore.

While the workers are buzzing around the outside of the ship, the construction on board is making leaps towards the finished end product.

 

For the exciting arrival of Schiebel’s S100 surveillance drone we had to clear the flight deck which meant the crane had to find another location. Since we use it for lifting boats, the barge, and, in the future, drift nets and ocean waste, the right position was essential to make the best use of its arm. This is a hectic job and involves careful planning for the boats balance.

 

First the 5 ton crane mechanism had to be separated from its base and set aside so the 3 meter long base column could be cut and lifted onto the lower deck. The tricky part was cutting the exact size into the stern deck and preparing the underlying space to the exact size for the crane base… Half a centimeter off, and the crane won’t be stable.  Lucky for us, our engineering team has the necessary eye for detail. With the help of the shipyard’s crane, the move was seamless and the welders have gotten to work to provide our crane its new forever home.  Finally, the previously removed mechanism will be lifted into the new position, where massive 3 inch bolts will lock everything down.

 

 

While the main technical projects of the boat are crossing the finish line, and the exterior is slowly changing colours, on the inside of the boat the galley is starting to come together, the Training Room can finally be used for its intended purpose, and the staterooms are well under way. The biggest projects are being finished over the next few weeks, and boy, we can’t wait to see it all done!

 

Also, the drone has finally been confirmed in San Diego at the end of this month, and we are so excited to pick it up. Now that the space has been cleared for our military grade surveillance drone, we starting to see the final shape of the boat. It is a long journey to make a change in this world, the right gear is essential and takes a lot of thorough preparation. 

 

 

 


Let us introduce some of our crew to you. We are blessed to have an interesting mix of people on board. While in the past crew mainly came from military background or film crew, now the we have people from all over the world and various backgrounds, that gives us numerous different perspectives on the matters of conservation.
 

 

Daniel (The translator)

Nationality: UK
How he got onto the boat:  Messaged Pete on Facebook.

What would we have done without Daniel?! Anytime a local Mexican looks at us funny and our Spanish skills only allow us a measly “Hablas ingles?”, Daniel is right there to help out.
While living in Spain and spending quite some time in Central America, he learned Spanish in a blink. And now he can also add a whole lot of rather specific boat–terms to his newly acquired vocabulary!

Back in the UK he earns his living as a lawyer, which might not be his primary task on the Modoc, however his knowledge came in handy at times. Daniel has a very calm nature about him that helped when organizing with local authorities and locating the right gear needed for our refit. Thanks to him it was a breeze to make contacts with locals despite the language barrier.

Thomas (The inexhaustible spirit)

Nationality: USA
How he got onto the boat: Met Pete after a TedTalk

“Gooooood Morning!!” – His tribal scream roars through the galley in the mornings on the Modoc. Ready with coffee and a big smile, Thomas seems to be inexhaustible of positive energy. If something has to be done, Thomas has probably made three plans and found five different techniques to put it into reality.

He spent a little time running a non-profit organization in China, benefiting orphans. And with his background in product management and digital marketing, he offers big value to the Modoc in order to get the word out. He is the all-rounder the Modoc needs to make things happen!

 

 

If you think you (or someone you know) could be part of this dynamic team, send us an email and join us in Mexico! We have about three months of big projects ahead of us and are especially keen to hear from anyone with carpentry, welding, or outstanding cooking skills ;)

Earthrace – over and out.



Kind regards

Captain Pete Bethune
pete.bethune@gmail.com
Mobile: +1 (310) 309-9504
Whats App: +642102188188

 

 

 

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Our mailing address is:
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