2022. Sergio Davì and the Palermo-Los Angeles Coast to Coast

Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into the world of epic moments in motor boating. We begin with one of the stories we were most passionate about.

Sergio Davì. Palermo-Los Angeles Coast to Coast

From Boats to Motors 2022. no.28, Oct.-Nov., pp. 84-93.

How do you go from the Mediterranean to the Pacific on an 11-meter dinghy, mostly solo, with even 1,800-mile legs in a row? We asked Sergio Davì, star of the Ocean to Ocean Rib Challange.

To think of making a crossing from Palermo to Los Angeles by sea is already quite a remarkable adventure for a trawler, the ultimate all weather globetrotting boat. If the vessel chosen to do it, however, is a 38-foot hard-top rib we are in for a real treat. First the Balearics, then the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, French Guiana, Colombia, Mexico all the way to the United States. These, and many others, were the stops on the journey of Sergio Davì, a 56-year-old sailor from Palermo, Italy, who left on December 15, 2021 in Palermo and arrived on May 23 this year in Los Angeles. No trip a la Alain Bombard, the professor and “volunteer castaway” who in 1953, just 29 years old, across the Atlantic letting winds and currents carry him without food or water. Davi’s feat, however, was no easier and neither was his first. Palermo has for years been the starting point for dinghy trips that have taken him to Brazil, to the North Cape, to New York. In short, an organizational machine that has traversed half the world and allowed theAretusa Explorer, the navigator’s dinghy, to travel over 9,200 miles this time for a total of 520 hours of navigation. A remarkable stress test not only for those on board, but also for the boat and its engines, in this case two Suzuki DF300Bs, with twin counter-rotating propellers, mounted aft of a Nuova Jolly Prince 38 Cabin with Simrad electronics. From Long Beach, where he landed, the navigator then returned to Europe. We caught up with him a few days after his arrival, once his venture was over, to hear how this yet another great adventure, the Ocean to Ocean Rib Adventure, went.

Sergio, let’s start with emotions. What are your feelings now and what were they during the journey?
Now I feel very good, the arrivals are always the best moments. But even during the sailing I was always focused and wanted to bring it home, also because there were some difficult moments, since before the departure. What is underestimated from the outside on an adventure like mine is the organization from the shore, especially in the Covid era. The planning work is crucial, and the pandemic has made everything more difficult, complicating and slowing down communications. The stress you always carry with you comes from the fact that you can plan everything you can, but then you never know if you will be able to keep the schedule perfectly. The unexpected is always just around the corner, all the more so at this time-and in fact in Gran Canaria I got the Covid.

Canary Islands, Panama Canal, Mexico. You have seen some incredible places, what is the one that has stayed in your heart?
Let’s say that each place in its own way left something with me. The Panama Canal was a great thrill, especially because I was very curious to see what it’s really like. I was lucky enough to see beautiful places and meet great people. In Mexico, where I experienced the most difficult moments of the crossing, I spent about a month and a half. It was beautiful even though I was experiencing the frustration of not being able to leave again on a daily basis, and even when I was able to do so, I found bow waves and a big sea, with winds of more than 30 knots. I was pleasantly surprised by the reception I received in French Guiana, it was truly amazing. Finally, the arrival in the United States was fantastic because I felt the warmth and embrace of the Italian community, which is really very strong there.

In French Guiana you got there after 1800 miles of non-stop sailing, the longest leg of your venture. What was it like?
On board I had 500 liters in the tank and 7000 liters of fuel embarked, thanks to special vulcanized canisters that were very strong. The amount of fuel to have on board was determined by a mathematical calculation, based on the average consumption I expected to have during the entire crossing. Refueling, on the other hand, was done by transferring thanks to a special pump attached to the tank, which I connected to the jerry cans from time to time.

What has been the role of technology? How have the tools responded to such intensive use?
Technology in general, but especially electronics, is essential to stay safe on such a crossing. Simrad’s instruments proved to be absolutely reliable, starting with the HALO 24 radar that allowed me to set up two different views for simultaneous short- and medium-range coverage. And then there was the multifunction display (I’NSSevo3S with C-MAP cartography, ed.) whose software evolution and processor tightness I certainly put to the test in challenging conditions. During my long stopover in Mexico I was fortunate enough to visit the Navico Mexico headquarters in Ensenada and it was a special thrill. I saw the workers at the plant overjoyed to see me and get to know me. At that moment their work came to life with me, I was living proof that the tools they produce work, and work great. In the factory I witnessed the stress tests they subject the instruments to, and they are crazy, although they told me that in fact I was the real stress test in the field.

You also had the autopilot, right? Was it indispensable and did it allow you to get some rest?
Resting on board was definitely impossible…talking about sleep cycles is difficult, because let’s say I could close my eyes at most for 20 consecutive minutes. Without basically resting, because I was always staying active and alert. But yes, the autopilot is an essential instrument, and the one Simrad fitted me with (the AP48, ed.) I think is among the best in the world.

And how did the engines perform instead? You did in a few months the hours that a lot of engines do over much longer periods. How did it go? Did you have to do any maintenance?
The Suzuki engines also responded great to this very large stress test. For this adventure I chose to mount two 300-horsepower engines with a shorter propeller, the DF300Bs, while for the Palermo-New York I had the 350s. I must say that in terms of performance, reliability and consistency they are faultless. They performed exceptionally well even when, because of the waves, they were almost completely covered by water. I only had to do routine maintenance and never had any problems.

What are your plans now? Is there already thinking about the next venture or are you going to rest for a while?
At the moment let’s say I can’t say I’m exactly resting. Definitely for the near future I am planning to prepare and carry out some smaller projects, I am thinking of following some ideas and there is already something in the pipeline. As for any new crossings to be undertaken in the future we shall see!

by Federico Rossi

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