Donna Lange re-launches Inspired Insanity
by Jane Pares on 3 Oct 2006
Donna with her new Sky Eye and jacket courtesy of Xaxero. Jane Pares - IMB
After five months in the yard courtesy of Milford Cruising Club, on Auckland’s North Shore, Inspired Insanity was floated at the high tide on Sunday afternoon.
She was gently lowered into the water on a steel cradle by a crew of five club members – Les, John, Wayne, Sandy and Tim – and Donna and I motored her round to a berth right outside the club house.
Donna Lange challenges all your preconceptions about the definition of 'Grandmother.'
Her diminutive 5ft 2' build and friendly, smiling face, framed by unruly waves of black hair, hide a determination and resilience that have brought her 17,000 miles through the sort of oceans and weather conditions that most of us will only ever read about.
The challenges of her voyage, non-stop from the East Coast of America, are nothing short of heroic and New Zealand is privileged to host the only stopover of her circumnavigation. When Donna completes her journey Inspired Insanity will be one of the smallest boats to sail solo round the world under both Capes and along the Roaring 40s.
Inspired Insanity, was bought for US$18,000 six years ago in the American Virgin Islands. Although the boat had been surveyed – there was nothing seaworthy about it and Donna spent eighteen months of hard work to get her into a condition fit for going off shore.
The 28ft Southern Cross double-ender has had some major re-fit work done on her by Donna and also by many locals in the marine business. She awaits her rig, which has been expertly repaired by Steve McCabe, before Donna can take her up the coast to her next port of call, Whangarei, which offers a full range of marine services and supplies. Here she will be able to complete her re-fit before heading further up north to Opua in the Bay of Islands
While Donna has been working on the boat she has received many wonderful offers of help and sponsorship. One of the most amazing additions to her electronics has come from Xaxero Marine Software Engineering Ltd www.xaxero.com who has given her a Sky Eye satellite receiver that will provide satellite imagery of weather in her surrounding area. It involves no phone connection and is a fabulous asset for the journey ahead into the remote Southern Ocean. She is also sporting one of their Sky Eye polar fleece jackets. Global Marine Network has sponsored her with a full weather forecasting / email software system. www.globalmarinenet.com
Before leaving towards the end of November, Donna will be playing and singing to many audiences including the Coastal Classic race fleet in Russell, the Bay of Islands, on 21 October.
She will be playing a Thank You concert to all Milford Cruising Club and also giving motivational talks to East Tamaki Rotary Club and The Plumbing Distributors Association of New Zealand.
More details of Donna’s trip can be viewed at www.donnalange.com
She can be contacted by email on donnalange@hotmail.com or on her mobile 00 64 (0)21 160 9013
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