j.frede : Drawn At Sea - The Test Sail

(Originally Published August 2014)

33.76116° N , 118.19073° W – 74° F – 16:30

On August 20th we set out to test the drawing machine aboard the 34’ sailboat Sea Dragon captained by Taylor Zepeda. Leaving port in Long Beach Harbor we made our way out past the breakwater into the open ocean.

During the trip I created 3 test drawings of the drawing machine Drawn At Sea.

The first test – Blue (16:30-17:30) began on the table in the cabin, level with the waters surface and the calmness the harbor provided resulted in very little movement of the drawing tray. After relocating the machine to the stern of the ship sitting just behind the till more motion was recorded.

The second test – Red (17:30-18:30) drawing was done out on the open sea floating and bobbing under no power with the drawing machine placed just fore of the mast. This resulted in the most dramatic drawing as the ocean tossed us between its waves. The waters fairly calm but rolling enough to keep the machine in motion.

The third test – Black (18:30-20:00) drawing was done returning from the open sea under sail power. Sailing with only the Jib we cruised at about 5 knots tacking through the bay making our way back to port. Under sail the boat glided across the surface stable and strong, this created the quietest drawing of the set sending the tray in motion as we tacked. The sun was setting and small racing sailboats competed to the south of us as we slowed with the calming breeze and floated into the harbor and finally to dock.

j.frede – 2014

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