This is the question bank for the original project. The bolded word is the identifier for that question. Below each interview is a list of the identifiers for the 10 questions asked in that interview. Readers can click on the identifier for a question of interest and find all other interviews where the question was asked.. You can click on the tag here to view all interviews with that question, or you can click on any tag underneath an individual interview.
What (if anything) do you wish someone had told you before you started cruising?
Is there something you wish you had bought or installed before starting cruising?
Is there a place you visited wish you could have stayed longer?
Tell me your favorite thing about your boat
Tell me your least favorite thing about your boat
How often have you faced bad weather in your cruising? How bad?
What is your most common sail combination on passage?
What piece of gear seems to break the most often?
What do you enjoy about cruising that you didn't expect to enjoy?
What do you dislike about cruising that surprised you?
What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it? --other
Which spares do you wish you had more of? Less of?
What piece(s) of gear would you leave on the dock next time? Why?
When you are offshore, what keeps you awake at night (that is, what worries you most)?
Can you think of a sailing tip (e.g., sail trim, sail combination) specific to offshore passages (e.g., related to swells)?
Over the time that you have been cruising, has the world of cruising changed?
What is something that you looked forward to about cruising when you were dreaming, that is as good or even better than imagined?
What is something that you were dreading about cruising when you were dreaming, that is as bad or worse than imagined?
Is there something from your land life that you brought cruising and feel silly about bringing now?
Is there something from your land life that you weren't sure about bringing and are very happy about having brought now?
Do friends visit and how often?
Do you have advice for having visitors?
What is your favorite piece of boating related new technology?
How much does cruising cost?
Is there anywhere you sailed to that was a disappointment?
When have you felt most in danger and what was the source?
Share a piece of cruising etiquette
What do you miss about living on land?
While cruising, what do you do about health & boat insurance, medical issues, banking and mail delivery?
How did you (or did you) gain offshore experience prior to leaving?
What type of watch schedule do you normally use while offshore?
Describe your first sailing experience
Why did you decide to cruise?
Describe a "typical day" at anchor on your boat
Describe a "typical day" on passage on your boat
What are your impressions of the cruising community?
How would you recommend that someone prepares to cruise?
Describe a positive experience you have had with local people somewhere you have visited?
Describe a negative experience you have had with local people somewhere you have visited?
Have you found "trade goods" to be useful on your cruise? If so, what kinds?
With the benefit of hindsight, what are the boat selection criteria you would use to purchase a boat for long term cruising ?
Was there anywhere you visited that you thought was overrated (not as good as you had heard)?
Was there anywhere you visited that you thought was underrated (better than you had heard)?
What did you do to make your dream a reality?
Describe a perfect cruising moment that will make cruisers-to-be drool with anticipation
What do you think is a common cruising myth?
New, reader and interviewee generated questions:
How do you recommend securing your vessel while going ashore? And your dinghy??
Of the changes, choices and compromises you had to make along the way, which were you happiest and most satisfied about, which do you wish you had chosen otherwise and why?
How has cruising affected your personal relationships?
Do you have any specific advice for couples cruising?
What is the most important attribute for successful cruising?
What advice would you give to parents thinking about taking their children cruising?
What is difficult for the parents of cruising children and what is difficult for the children themselves?
Over the years, how much time do you think you spend at anchor, at marinas, sailing and motoring?
Finish this sentence. "Generally when I am provisioning..."
Across a year, what do you spend the most money on while cruising?
How do you fund your cruise?
What is your biggest lesson learned?
Where was your favorite place to visit and why?
Are you attracted more to sailing itself or cruising-as-travel and has that changed over time?
What is something about the cruising culture you like and what is something you dislike?
What is the hardest thing about cruising?
What is the key to making the cruising life enjoyable?
What else did you do besides sail?
What is something that you read or heard about cruising, that you didn't find to be true?
What is something that you read or heard about cruising, that you found particularly accurate?
What was the most affordable area to cruise and the most expensive? What was affordable or cheap about each area?
In your own experience and your experience meeting cruising couples, can you convince a reluctant partner to go cruising and if so, how?
What is the most difficult aspect of the cruising lifestyle?
What are some of your favorite pieces of gear on your boat and why?
In your own experience and your experience meeting other cruisers, what are the common reasons people stop cruising?
In your first year of cruising, what transitions did you find the most difficult?
What mistakes did you make in your first year of cruising?
What is the next piece of gear you would add to your boat if it were free?
Describe the compromises (if any) that you have made in your cruising in order to stay on budget.
What do you find most exciting about your cruising life?
What is something you think potential cruisers are afraid about that they shouldn't fear? And what is something potential cruisers don't worry about that perhaps they should?
What is a tip or a trick you have picked up along the way?
