Tuesday 14 April 2004

Mr Ken'ichi Horie is now ready for his non-stop, round-the-world solo cruise, since his "SUNTORY Mermaid" completed the radio survey of the GMDSS radio equipment.

FURUNO's Instruments, a GPS Navigator, an Echo Sounder, a Two-way marine VHF handheld radiotelephone and a satellite-based EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) have been installed.

The radio survey of FURUNO GMDSS radio communications equipment installed in “SUNTORY Mermaid” has now been completed. The licensing of the radio station will be granted by the mid-April. “SUNTORY Mermaid” is scheduled to set off on a round-the-world solo cruise without stopping at any port on the 1st of this coming October.

The onboard FURUNO equipment: the GP-32 GPS navigator and the LS-4100 Echo Sounder. Also, the electronic navigational instruments, the FI-30 series (those on the left) are installed to back up Mr. Horie’s challenging journey.

The two-way marine VHF handheld radiotelephone, the FM-8, being inspected with the presence of Mr. Ken’ichi Horie

EPIRB has been installed in the astern storage where water would not go in. The yacht is made solely out of recycled aluminum.

Mr. Kin’ichi Horie (aged 65), since his first solo cruise across the Pacific back in 1962, has gone through a number of cruises:

The inspiration for challenges of Mr. Ken’ichi Horie, who turned 65 years of age this year, is still ongoing, and in this year, he will restage his first round-the-world solo cruise without stopping at any port after 30 years, with “SUNTORY Mermaid”.