About 25 years ago I expressed to Pearl a desire to someday sail to the South Pacific.
When she asked why I wasn’t doing it then, I replied that it was something we could save for older age, embarking on more physically strenuous adventures while we were still young and able. About two years ago, as my 60th birthday approached, she commented “You know, if we’re ever going to take that trip, we’d better get started.”
Since we’ve always put a high value on freedom and on doing things rather than having things, the challenge of acquiring and outfitting a suitable boat was the first chapter in our adventure. Philosophically, we had little interest in the usual six-figure investment that a boat for such a voyage involves. In fact, our intention was to spend roughly an order of magnitude less. The costs of purchasing and outfitting a boat, in both money and time, increase rapidly as the size of the boat increases. We wanted a boat that could be purchased and outfitted over the course of months, rather than the years that are more typically required, which for us meant that we’d begin with a small boat.
Over the course of this past summer, we fully outfitted our venerable little craft and it now lies rigged and ready for the voyage. Our plan is to set sail in early February 2017. The first leg of our voyage, from Southern California to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, will be the longest at around 3000 miles.
Much of our search for a small, blue-water capable boat was met with headwinds, largely because relatively few small boats are suitable for offshore sailing. On the way to finding our little vessel, we looked at more boats than we can remember.
What were we looking for? Basically, a boat that was affordable, seaworthy and had the carrying capacity for us and our stores for the longest leg of our planned voyage.
この記事は Small Craft Advisor の May/Jun Issue #105 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Small Craft Advisor の May/Jun Issue #105 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
A HEAD FOR RUBATO
I dislike port-a-potties. I'm not too fond of poop in any form, really, being non-scatological by nature.
THE ARTFUL SAILOR
Ain' nothin' new about using sails as nautical billboards. The ancients painted all sorts of signs and symbols on their sails.
Twin Keels
OUT WIHUEIRIJE with Howard Rice
Cedar Key 2022 Windy Boat Meet
Cartop Cruising
A New Trailer
THE BIGHTS
PLAN STUDY: Fancy Free
If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive cruising sailboat with traditional character, our FANCY FREE should fill the bill. The sharpie-dory hull with flat-bottom, hard-chine form is ideal for the amateur.
BOAT REVIEW: Rhodes 22 Revisited)
Overlooked by the masses, admired by owners—there are good reasons the Rhodes 22 has been in production for over a quarter century.
Another Favorite Mod
The always creative Tom Luque sent us details on one of his favorite modifications
BLOODY TUESDAY
“Although the author if indeed he even used his real name) calls this story fiction, we arent so sure. You be the judge. Eds
CRUISING ISLE ROYALE
I sle“ Royale on Lake Superior is one of my favorite places to cruise. Established as a National Park in 1931, Isle Royale is located about 20 miles off the North Shore of Lake Superior near the Minnesota/Canadian border.