10 Questions for Silas Crosby

Steve Millar on Silas Crosby completed a self-interview in the Newly Salted style. You can read the original interview here or the perspective of another crew member, his niece Meredith, in her interview.
------------------------
At age 56, I am in the middle of another long (metaphorical) cruise.

I started sailing at age 9 just south of Vancouver in a 9′ dinghy, then, in high I school built a 17′ catamaran and cruised the Gulf Islands of BC. My parents didn’t sail or know anything about it.

After several years of race boat crewing, I helped sail a 40′ cutter from Auckland to Vancouver over 6 months in 1974. A good taste of the South Pacific. After a hiatus of about 6 or 7 years of not much sailing, my wife and I bought a Spencer 35 named ‘Cor Leonis’ in 1986. We did an initial trip to Haida Gwaii, then took off again for a classic 3 year trip to Mexico and on to New Zealand , where our son was born.

Returning to BC via Samoa and Hawaii, in 1991, we settled in the Comox Valley, sold the Spencer 35 , had another child , and built the Brent Swain 36 steel twin-keeler, ‘Silas Crosby’ . The construction was a joint project with my brother John , and took 2 yrs and 4 months. After launching in about 1994 we cruised far and wide on the BC coast.

In 2001 the 4 of us did a north Pacific triangle cruise over a year, to Mexico, Hawaii, and home to BC again.

About a year ago in Sept 2010, we set off again to try to fulfill a long held dream., to explore the cruising grounds of the channels and islands of southern Chile and Patagonia. This time the crew was Steve (56) , my brother  (69), and niece Meredith (25). John sailed with us as far as La Paz in the Sea of Cortez before returning to Vancouver.

The idea of sailing from cold water in BC to colder water in southern Chile did not appeal to my wife Barb, so she elected to stay home and live the good life, untroubled by boat fanatics.

We are now in Valdivia, Chile, reaching the end of the austral winter. We arrived about 4 months ago via Easter Island, Galapagos, and Mexico.In the next week or two we plan to continue south eventually reaching Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino sometime around March 2012.

Tell me your favorite things about your boat.
Steel hull , twin keels , continuous tube liferails.  We pay a little bit for the twin keels when hard on the wind , but we still had a good passage from Galapagos to Easter Island with the wind forward of the beam the whole way.

The solid liferails are very sensible. I think only Amel installs them as standard on a production boat. Recommended safety item.

Tell me your least favorite thing about your boat.
Concern about rust. Not too big a problem in the first 17 years , but one does have to pay attention, despite flame-spraying during construction.

I would have loved to be able to justify the expense of a folding or feathering prop. Probably good for 1/2 knot on the wind , maybe more in light winds. The right deal has never come up in a 17 x 15″ 3- blade prop.
Of course, we need a 50′ boat to live aboard in rainy weather but only a 36′ boat to sail and pay for.

How often have you faced bad weather in your cruising? How bad?
Our worst weather was the last week coming in to Chile. We were really psyched up to get some bad weather, and would have been surprised had we not. So the two fronts that passed over us were uncomfortable, but OK.

Until that time I had used the storm jib and trysail only once before to slow down in strong winds coming in to New Zealand in 1987.

Can you think of a sailing tip (e.g., sail trim, sail combination) specific to offshore passages (e.g., related to swells)?  
This is interesting. We really use our whisker pole a lot, and try to sail wing and wing as much as possible because it is so comfortable, steady, and just generally easy on our boat.  When we arrived in Valdivia we have found several cruising boats that don’t even own a whisker pole and make their way downwind by jibing. These are all boats that have sailed thousands and thousands of miles to get here.

Another interesting thing we’ve discovered is how many crews do not keep a watch system. Many of the solo sailors just go to bed and get up whenever. Also some of the couples both turn in at bedtime and get up for breakfast. Some have AIS and radar watches but some don’t.

We tend to generally enjoy the night watches, sort of for private time.

Over the time that you have been cruising, has the world of cruising changed? 
Starting in 1974 we navigated the old, scary , approximate way. The last week coming in to Cape Scott with an RDF and DR was sketchy. GPS is excellent .We have occasionally dug out the sextant, mostly to look at it in wonder, but we don’t push the ‘off’ button on the GPS.  But really, the fundamentals have not changed at all. The people are still the same, great and friendly and helpful. The wilderness areas are still wild.
People still run up on reefs

Navigation is a lot easier, and much less stressful. That’s good.

Engines are more reliable. Sails are stronger and more durable.

What piece(s) of gear would you leave on the dock next time? Why?
We have a 10 1/2 foot Portabote, a 7 1/2 foot inflatable , two 13′ solid plastic kayaks with sprayskirts, drysuits etc, and a 2 hp outboard. We haven’t actually used either of the dinghies since sometime in Mexico. It is a lot of gear to be hauling around. I expect we will need the inflatable in Patagonia for shoreline etc.

What do you miss about living on land?
My family.

While cruising, what do you do about health & boat insurance, medical issues, banking and mail delivery?
DAN emergency health insurance and 2 yr coverage from BC government health system. I went to medical school to prepare for cruising , probably overkill (!) but it is helpful. I was offered a pre-emptive appendectomy , but declined , and brought injectable antibiotics instead.

Banking , taken care of by Herself at Home.

Mail : what mail?

Why did you decide to cruise?
Reading Slocum , then Chichester as a 10 or 12 year old.

What did you do to make your dream a reality? 
Became Obsessive.

Finish this sentence. “Generally when I am provisioning…”
I think that food (any food) is important. Also I am associated with experts in the form of Barb and Meredith.

How do you fund your cruise?
Savings.

Are you attracted more to sailing itself or cruising-as-travel and has that changed over time? 
The romance of voyaging under sail in a small capable vessel to interesting and far-off lands has not faded for me in the least. Miles Smeeton was the first writer that conveyed that to me. It is the travel across oceans under sail. Sailing is important.

Where was your favorite place to visit and why?
As a general lesson, for me, when the ‘Cruising Blues’ set in, it is time to leave town. It happens more often, but not exclusively, in the cities.

I have been back to the Baja side 3 times and around Vancouver Island 6 times, so those must be my favorites.

What are some of your favorite pieces of gear on your boat and why?
After several voyages without an HF transmitter on board , I am really enjoying blabbing on the SSB and Ham nets , and on informal scheds. I find that there is still lots of time for watching the birds , the waves, and the insides of my eyelids. The 2 x 85 watt solar panels are plenty to power the radio and the little Engel fridge(also a first for us)

The crude windvane, built to an old design is invaluable.

What is the next piece of gear you would add to your boat if it were free?
Fluency in Spanish. It isn’t free, though. I has cost me many, many hours to get to the early intermediate stage.

What is a tip or a trick you have picked up along the way?
Mast Up and Water Outside. Hot tips.

How much does cruising cost?  
$17,345.43 per year, plus or minus, depending on beer.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Reflections No. 1

Alex Kao sailed out of Vancouver BC in the Fall of 2007 on Reflections No. 1, an Alexander 30. He now owns a Moody Salar 40 with his wife Leah and they plan to fix her up, save money for the next two years and take off again.

Alex says: I moved onto a Cheetah 26 when I was 20 and lived and sailed around Vancouver. 5 years later I sold her and I spent 2 months backpacking Venezuela and Tobago then lived in an apartment for 4 months. I missed the boating life so I bought and moved on to "Reflections No. 1". I spent the next  5 years sailing the BC coast and testing and fixing her up. She is a Alexander 30 sail boat. It is like an Alberg 30. The builder took a Gulf Island 29 mold and raised the freeboard about a foot. It has a 3/4 full keel. It is 29'6" long.  My first leg was Victoria to San Diego. I took 2 crew: Greg and Jen. We did the trip in September. I left the boat in San Diego and returned to Vancouver to finish the work year. I returned on Dec 20 and  solo sailed from San Diego to Puerto Escondido, Mexico stopping along the way.  Then met a surfer named Jeremy and sailed to El Salvador. I wanted crew to cross the Gulf of Twanapec. I put the boat in a boat yard in May 2008 and returned to Vancouver to work. I returned to the boat at Christmas 2009.  I did a lot of inland travel, ran a small boat yard and did a lot of fishing trips off the coast of El Salvador. Greg came down again in 2009 and sailed from El Salvador to Costa Rica with me. Leah, my now wife sailed from Costa Rica back to El Salvador in 2009. I also solo sailed from El Salvador to Nicaragua in 2009.  I put the boat is storage again in May 2009 and returned to Vancouver to work. Leah and I came down together on Jan, 1 2010 and sailed from El Salvador to Costa Rica, Panama, Galapagos, Marqueses and Hawaii. I sailed solo from Hawaii to Port Renfrew BC and back to Vancouver in a August 2010. 

What is something that you read or heard about cruising, that you didn't find to be true?
That you need all of this equipment and toys. We got by with out a water maker, radar, sat phone, our SSB only received and had a safe and great time but some other cruisers thought we were nuts. At every port I saw someone fixing or cleaning a water maker. If I remember right I could get 5 gallons of bottled water for $2.50 a most places.

How do you fund your cruise?
I worked along the way by fixing other cruisers boats and returned to Canada to work full time. I am a Marine diesel mechanic and worked along the way and when I ran out of money or hurricane season  I returned to Vancouver to work.

What is your biggest lesson learned?
I learnt a lot about weather and how slow a hurricane travels. When we were sailing from Marquises to Hawaii. There were 2 hurricanes off Mexico, 1000 miles away from us. We saw them on weather fax and were nervous until we found how slow they move.

Finish this sentence. "Generally when I am provisioning..."
I buy too much canned food and not enough fresh. I forget how long fresh food will last.

Describe a perfect cruising moment that will make cruisers-to-be drool with anticipation
We stopped at a island in Northwest Panama and had it to our selves for 5 days and never saw anyone else. It was so desolate I could get coconuts with out climbing trees.

What do you think is a common cruising myth
We had some smooth passages on a 29 footer (Galapagos to Marqueses - 24 days). Sure it would be more comfortable on a bigger boat but you sure don't need a 45-50 footer like most of the boats we saw out there.

When have you felt most in danger and what was the source?
We had a freighter sneak up on us. We were doing 18 min watches. It was Leah's watch and I was awake reading. I heard the VHF buzz and since we we 1000 miles from anywhere I knew there must be another boat around. I went up and scanned the horizon. The sun was setting and we had the main out all the way on a broad broad reach. The freighter must had been in the sun and I didn't see it. I went back down below, 5 min later we were hit by a bigger than normal wave. I commented to Leah about it but didn't get up. 1 min later we were hailed by the freighter, I popped up to the deck and it was a quarter mile away after passing in front us.

Is there something you wish you had bought or installed before starting cruising?
After that freighter scare I bought a AIS receiver in Hawaii. I love it and wouldn't go off shore again with out one.

What was the most affordable area to cruise and the most expensive? What was affordable or cheap about each area?
In Panama beer in the grocery store was 35 cents but every cab driver charged different prices for the same ride. In Marquesas restaurant food when available cost a lot but you could trade for fruit and veggies. Galapagos burgers were $3.50.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Cloverleaf

David Feiges, chief mechanic, Beverly Feiges, chief helms-person and Navi-guesser began cruising in 1977 aboard Cloverleaf, a Krogen design built by Treworgy Yachts hailing from Sioux City, Iowa, USA. They traveled the East coast of the USA from Maine to western Florida, most all of the Bahamas, all the eastern Caribbean, Venezuela, Jamaica Caymans and western Caribbean from Honduras through Mexico, the Mediterranean from the Balearics to Turkey, south to Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt.  You keep track of them on their blog or via email (cloverleaf@cloverleaf.com).

What (if anything) do you wish someone had told you before you started cruising?
Not to worry about not having our lives wrapped up with the three couples we were so close to in Iowa, and that we could become addicted, and I really mean addicted, to constantly meeting new people with new stories to tell.

What is your most common sail combination on passage?
When we sailed, (for the first 21 years of our cruising life) we used jib, main, and mizzen. Downwind we used spinnaker and mizzen staysail, We consider a pole to wing out either the jib or spinnaker to be an essential. Check my article "If You Really Want To Sail" in an SCA bulletin a few years back.

When have you felt most in danger and what was the source?
I hate to even admit this, but one night anchored in the offshore island of Aves, with no other vessel even in radio hailing distance except what I thought was a suspicious Venezuelan boat. Dave refused to worry and he was right; we later learned from the area ranger, this was a Venezuelan buy boat, which explained all the small boats coming and going.

What is your biggest lesson learned?
Don't be afraid to alter course when conditions warrant. We learned this, and it took twice, on rough passages from Caicos to Dominican Republic, and the Virgins to St. Martin. In both cases there were alternate harbors, and falling off to reach them would have turned an exciting and rough upwind slog, to a pleasant, exciting reach.

Describe a "typical day" at anchor on your boat
I love the long slow breakfast times when we are not rushed, can take our food and a full pot of coffee to the cockpit or what I now call "the back porch," enjoy the scenery, have plenty of time to talk and even read a chapter out loud from our current book. Then we will each go to work, doing chores, housekeeping, whatever, and if the water is warm, a swim, in fact on really hot days, multiple swims. If we are lucky, we will meet some neighbors and share the sundowner hours with them. We end the evening, now since we got the dish, with some evening TV. It doesn't get much better than that.

With the benefit of hindsight, what are the boat selection criteria you would use to purchase a boat for long term cruising?
Get it as big as you can afford to maintain. Bigger is easier, it is more stable, there is room for more goodies and more room to do the maintenance. Life is more pleasant, but only if you can afford the bill. Bigger is for sure more expensive, it is not harder to handle,but don't buy more than what you can comfortably afford. Whatever you buy, if you don't keep it up,it will be dangerous.

What piece of gear seems to break the most often?
We had to think long and hard about that one, since with good maintenance, there is usually nothing repetitive, except when we foolishly try to keep old equipment running long after its used by date, as happened with our old generator and windlass. Otherwise, I would have to say toilets, both electric and hand pump variety, often related to having guests.

How do you fund your cruise?
Dave's quick answer is he calls our boys, who took over the business, and tells them, "Trip costing more than expected, WORK HARDER." In truth, we are retired now, but Dave did not really leave the working world when we first bought the cruising boat. We did it in short chunks, built around school vacations, and did not consider himself fully retired until 65.

What is something about the cruising culture you like and what is something you dislike?
I love the people we meet, the joy in sharing their adventures and ours, the openheartedness of almost all the cruising community. On the negative there are a few, you hear them on the radio, usually someone who has not been humbled by mother nature yet, who can say the most awful things. Fortunately very seldom, but the Jersey Shore seems an area you are most likely to hear this sort of thing.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?
Maybe a question about favorite books, especially cruising books, like the Saga of Cimba or Fair Winds and Far Places, or favorite entertainment equipment, like satellite radio, and TV.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Moorea

Kelly & Kelly cruised from 2005 to 2009 aboard Moorea, a Dufour, 35’ hailing from Everett, WA, USA. They completed a circumnavigation including 31 countries and 35,000 nautical miles (West Coast USA, Mexico, South Pacific, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, Red Sea, Turkey, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, then back to Washington). You can read more about them on their website, via email (kk_moorea@hotmail.com), or their site Yachtie Track.

How would you recommend that someone prepares to cruise?

• Know your boat
• Equip with essentials (extra sails, spare parts) and safety gear
• Tie up all loose ends that would keep you ashore

There was always a list of equipment we wanted, like a water maker and a long list of maintenance “to do’s”. We realized we could take care of those things along the way and decided to that these lists should not keep us at the dock

Share a piece of cruising etiquette

This occurs in over crowded anchorages….
When hailing another vessel, if they do not respond, stop calling every ten minutes (even every fifteen or twenty minutes). The friends that are not answering are doing what cruisers are supposed to be doing, getting away from it all and they may not be back on to the boat for hours. Or they may have turned off their radio since they were tired of hearing to many boats needlessly hailing each other.

In your own experience and your experience meeting other cruisers, what are the common reasons people stop cruising?
1. Money runs out
2. A spouse or the kid(s) want to stop
3. Only wanted to cruise for a short time (1 - 1 ½ years)
4. Responsibilities back home call them back

In your first year of cruising, what transitions did you find the most difficult?

Fortunately living on the hook wasn’t a big issue since we lived on our boat at the dock for a few years and were accustomed to living in a small space. But learning to live without a vehicle and getting around without one can be a challenge at times.

What is something about the cruising culture you like and what is something you dislike?

Cruisers have a great way of spreading information. But like the old child’s game of “telephone” the stories become exaggerated or distorted. Keep in mind that the experience of one cruiser will not always be yours and sometimes you need to discover the truth yourself.

How do you fund your cruise?

Sold the house to buy our older and affordable boat then lived frugally on her for over two years to save for the cruising kitty.

Do you have any specific advice for couples cruising?

Even with the freedoms found with cruising. It is easy to get caught up in the group mentality or stay in a pack. Break away from time to time and explore areas on your own.

What did you do to make your dream a reality?

Researched the life then decided to live it.

Describe a perfect cruising moment that will make cruisers-to-be drool with anticipation.

We were anchored at the atoll Makemo in the Tuamotus. The bay was so clear we could see our anchor 40 feet below. The coral popped with color as vibrant fish darted in and out of the reef. This island had some of the best snorkeling.

The small village contained a couple of one room stores selling canned goods and simple trinkets. Kids were fishing on the pier and some were hunting hermit crabs. I spoke with a few, but my French was as bad as their English.

Later that day, a man I had briefly said hello to on shore motored up to our boat. He was holding a Mahi Mahi, about 4 feet long, which he gave to us. Didn’t ask for money or a trade…just simply gave us a gift. This is one example of the many positive experiences we had with locals.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

What is life like after cruising?

We have been back for a year and a half. We don’t mention our experience much to other people. When we have they are interested in it for five minutes, then tire of the conversation. It’s a life we love and plan to get back into when we “really” retire. Next time I can see spending six to eight months on the sea and three months on land.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Lindisfarne

Annika & Björn began cruising part time in 2002 and full time in 2005 on Lindisfarne a Forgus 37 sloop hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden (Göteborg, Sverige). They have cruised the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, South Atlantic, Antarctica and the South Pacific. You can read more about their travels on their website.

What mistakes did you make in your first year of cruising?

We have now learned to change plans. We used to include to much in too short time. It took us long time to relax and stay at an anchorage more than two nights.

We also learned to change plans and to always have a second plan somewhere behind. On our trip to Island we had some severe weather and change course just 100 miles from Island. Instead of sailing to New Foundland (to follow the American east coast south) via Greenland, we changed to plan B which took us to Antarctica via Portugal and South America.

What is the next piece of gear you would add to your boat if it were free?

This question must be very difficult to value for the reader because it's completely depending on the existing gear on our boat, but an active radar reflector and a sat phone would fit in.

How often have you faced bad weather in your cruising? How bad?

Bad weather is "bad planning" and we have most of the time patience enough to wait for the right weather.

But sailing in high latitudes gives of course a lot of greater risk to experience tough weather. We have quite often been sailing downwind in 40-60 kn without any difficulties, but headwind is something quite different! We keep away from headwinds above 40 kn.

How did you (or did you) gain offshore experience prior to leaving?

Several trips from Sweden to Scotland, Shetland and Faroe Island.

Do you have any specific advice for couples cruising?

Get heavy ground tackle and practice anchoring in exposed places to gain confidence in your procedures and gear. To be able to rest safe at night means a lot, much more than you can imagine when living ashore

Over the years, how much time do you think you spend at anchor, at marinas, sailing and motoring?

About one third each. Wintering in marinas are included.

Where was your favorite place to visit and why?

So far Antarctica. The wildlife and the ice makes it a very special place.

How do you fund your cruise?

We sold our house, and now after six years one of us has reach the age to qualify for "normal" retirement compensation.

What do you find most exciting about your cruising life?

To be able to plan the day, only having to consider the weather, experience interesting places and cultures.

But most of all, we do something together, completely diverted from our previous "9-5" life situation.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

Do you miss something from "your previous life"?

Yes, we miss the possibility to meet our friends from back home now and then. Of course we have got a lot of new friends but still we try to keep in touch by means of e-mail and fly back home at least every two years.

Also, what is your most surprising cruising experience?

When we understood how to avoid the boats rolly behavior sailing downwind, using our selftacker/cutter sheeted close to the mast behind the main. An absolutely fantastic experience. One knot faster and 2-6 degrees heeling and stable run.

Our website includes much more detailed "answers" about our trip and our minds around cruising, but the answers above are what it all boils down to when you really try to make it concentrated.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Shadowtime

Gary Pierce and Julie, his wife of 36 years, cruised aboard Shadowtime, an Island Packet 35 footer that was cutter rigged and hailed from The Woodlands, Texas, USA. Gary jokes: I often said I single-handed in the Caribbean with my wife aboard…just kidding. They bought Shadowtime in May of 1994,  left from Kemah, Texas in November 1994 taking 22 days with to stops to reach Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands.  Shadowtime never left the Caribbean. Gary & Julie went from Venezuela and Trinidad in the South to the Virgin Islands in the North, up and down the Windward's and Leeward's for eight years until selling the boat in October 2002. They have a website that covers sailboat cruising and a number of other frugal lifestyles. 

What did you do to make your dream a reality?
I first got the inspiration for the sailboat cruising lifestyle when we are in St. Thomas on a cruise ship in 1989.  We took a shore excursion on a 36 foot sailboat that took us and two other couples out for four hours on a sailboat…I had never been on a sailboat before… It was love at first sight…when the cruise ship left St. Thomas that evening I looked down at the boats that were swinging at anchor and resolved that one day I would be down there looking back the cruise ships leaving to go back to the US.

Five years later we did just that.  We watched cruise ships leave Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands from the cockpit of Shadowtime.

Since I didn't know how to sail.  I subscribed to Sail magazine, Cruising World, read every book I could get my hands on about sailing. I took crewed charters from the Moorings.  Sailing classes on Clear Lake near home in Houston.  It was a crash course.  I was still green when we left for the Caribbean.

What is something you think potential cruisers are afraid about that they shouldn't fear? What is something potential cruisers don't worry about that perhaps they should worry about?
The number one thing that cruise you should not be afraid of is that they don't know enough about sailing...  You pick it up as you go. The docks are full of people that say I'm going sailing once I get a bigger boat, Capt.'s license, ham license, etc.  They are still there on the dock.

Another fear that is overrated is the fear of piracy.  I never heard of anyone encountering pirates in our eight years in the Caribbean.

You should worry about having too much fun.

What mistakes did you make in your first year of cruising?
Too many to list here… One example we’ve written about was our dinghy and outboard motor selection and anchoring, we made some real bonehead mistakes. You make a lot of mistakes but shall also learn a lot your first year. Do not worry about making mistakes everyone makes them.  Remember, those that state that they never drug their anchor at night have only been cruising for a week or they are lying.

How did you fund your cruise?
From meager savings that we had accumulated in our working careers. Once you are in the Caribbean sailboat cruising is a very frugal way to live. We figured we spent about $1000 a month when we were in the islands.

What is the most important attribute for successful cruising?
Getting along with your first mate or partner.  There is no personal space on a 35 foot sailboat.  Trust me on this one. Do couples argue and still cruise? Sure...  But you learn to avoid them.

What do you think is a common cruising myth?
Piracy and crime in the Caribbean. These myths are right up there with you got to know everything about your boat before you go cruising… you don't… you pick it up as you go.

Were you more attracted to sailing itself or cruising as travel or lifestyle and has that changed over time?
In my humble opinion there is a big difference between cruising and sailing.  99% of the time we were swinging on the hook or rarely at the dock, (Trinidad). You go for the stressless lifestyle that sailboat cruising affords.  Cruisers don't hang much with the yellow slicker crowd in the Caribbean. You can always tell a cruiser from a sailor. The cruising boats all have wind generators and solar panels.

It's the lifestyle that makes cruising so wonderful especially in the Caribbean.  I really don't want to be on a boat if I can't wear swim trunks and a T-shirt and be warm.

What compromises did you make in your budget to enjoy the sailing cruising lifestyle?
Not much of anything.  You need to know the basics.  Know where your thru hulls are.  Know how to bleed a diesel engine. Learn to clean the carburetor in your outboard motor. Enjoying cruising on a sailboat is not rocket science.

You will find that there is very much a sense of community among sailboat cruisers.  You swap parts.  You swap expertise, someone may need some electrical work, and be willing to swap that for some
sewing for instance.

What piece of gear would you leave on the dock?
You make a mistake by buying what you think you'll need when you go cruising.  It is much better, to wait until you reach your cruising grounds.  Then simply observe what everybody else is doing using.  The mistakes we made with our dinghy and outboard motor bear testimony to this.  Talk about dumb and dumber.

We also kept an accurate inventory of what was on board Shadowtime. If we didn't use it in a year  off it went...  All space on a sailboat is precious.

What question do you wish I had asked you?

The eight years we spent on Shadowtime in the Caribbean, were probably the highlight of our 36 years together.  We didn't worry about hurricanes, because we hauled the boat out of the water during the
summer time.  It is no fun to be dodging tropical storms and hurricanes, in looking for safe harbor under the again.

There is there is no downside to the sailing cruising lifestyle if you get along with your spouse or partner. When we bought our sailboat in May of 1994, and announced that we were going cruising in the Caribbean later that year, lots of folks laughed at us.  They said we would never do it.  Some of the same people are
still on the same dock.  Don't let this happen to you.  Nike has it right:  Just do it...  And enjoy yourselves.
If there is a more fun, more relaxing, lifestyle than sailboat cruising in warm water. I don't know what it is. I hope this encourages you to take the plunge ,so to speak, throw off the lines and live the life Jimmy Buffett sings about.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Shiva

Jeffrey Orling cruised from 1990 to 1994, single-handing 90% of the time through Maine, Southern New England, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Canary Islands aboard Shiva, a Contest 36 hailing from New York City. He can be reached by email (jsandero@gmail.com).

How would you recommend that someone prepares to cruise?
Begin by doing a lot of reading about cruising. You can learn a lot from the many books written by cruisers about their boats and what is involved. Nowadays you can find this info by "cruising the WWW including blogs of sailors who have done it and are in the process. There are sailing forums to learn all sorts of things. You take it in and then go for what suits you - your budget and so forth. Things WILL change so be prepared.

Is there a place you visited where you wish you could have stayed longer?
Most places offer more if you invest the time and penetrate into the culture and ... land. Hanging on the hook gives one a limited perspective on the place you are at. My favorite place was Antiqua and Guadeloupe. The Canaries were interesting (culture) by not the greatest for snug harbors.

Share a piece of cruising etiquette
Show respect and consideration. Anchor with lots of room and try to be invisible (audibly) to your neighbors. As you are part of the scenery, try to keep your boat in a good appearance.

How has cruising affected your personal relationships?
If you have a sailing mate, it's the cat's meow. Very close (working) relationship - mutual dependence. Landlubber mates simply don't get it nor care to. They prefer to let others do it for them.

Describe your first sailing experience
It came when I was in my mid to late 30s and I was fascinated by the clever little boats and how they were a world unto themselves. A world that intersected the world I lived in and most people do. These compact efficient, modern yet ancient vessels have the potential to take a single person anywhere on the planet that touches the sea - and that's a lot of the world. I sailed with a friend on my inauguration down Long Island Sound.

Are you attracted more to sailing itself or cruising-as-travel and has that changed over time?
Sailing can be many things. When you have time and money you are free to go explore and move about. When you are stuck on land it is a delicious escape you never tire of, despite the work required to maintain a sailing boat. Don't like planes anymore, and much prefer to sail if I could... Like a turtle who takes him shelter (home) with him wherever he goes.

Over the years, how much time do you think you spend at anchor, at marinas, sailing and motoring?
Over 25 years I have spent only a few weeks in total tied to a dock (except winter wet storage). A few days in Bermuda following the Marion Bermuda Race in 91 and one night in Portland ME when my wife took the bus up to join me for a ME cruise. I use a seasonal mooring when I am land based and when I leave it I am on the hook. Anchoring is where I spend most of my time when I am not making way.

How do you fund your cruise?
My 4 year cruising was funded by a combination of savings, selling my home and a small inheritance. When it was all spent I came back broke and began to work again. Kept the boat.

How did you secure your valuables (in and on your vessel) while going ashore?
I don't have anything valuable except money itself and the boat and gear. I don't lock usually (only the dink) and only sometimes. Only been robbed when I wintered in water in a marina and someone stole my running rigging. And your dinghy? We lost a new RIB and OB several yrs ago in RI. It was either tied to the boat, or not well tied as my wife probably assumed I would tend to this and I may have simply assumed she secured it. We don't recall. But it was gone in the AM and nowhere to be found in the area. If it was found the finder decided to keep it. And if it was stolen, that was the intent. We use a stainless steel chain and padlock, but anyone with a smallish bolt cutter could easily defeat this.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

How do you get hands on experience?

I was sort of dumped in the water and forced to sail. I got the sailing bug from a friend who induced me into a partnership and then backed out. So I went to the broker and asked for a smaller boat.. after having taken a 3 day sailing course. So, in short order I purchased the boat I would cruise on, live and and still own 25 years later. I pressured my friend to help me sail the boat out to a summer mooring and then to come with me for the first few sails. Then I was on my own and worse I had a wife at the time who was not a sailor. So the first 5 years of ownership I sailed the boat as much as I could, even in the snow one Fall. During my learn to sail period I fitted the boat out with the gear and upgrades to go offshore and live aboard. My final tests were to sail to Maine (1000 mile trip) and to do the Marion Bermuda race with a crew of experienced sailors including, you guessed it, the friend who got me into it all.l Once I got to Bermuda I was ready to go. So the total learn to sail from absolute novice to sailing solo about the Caribbean was just under 6 years. Key to my experience was the notion that I had to do everything myself and alone if need be and that turns out to be the case 98% of the time. I've set the boat up for single handing and it's the only way I can imagine being comfortable on a sailboat - knowing everything about the vessel. Because... you never know when you need to know.

How do you know when you have enough?

When your confidence exceeds your fear you have reached the level where you can go for it, whatever that "it" is. You always need to be prudent and have a healthy bit of fear about what could happen and so running all the what ifs... book learning, some trials and so forth and preparation will give you the necessary confidence that dominate the fear. Fear is basically the absence of experience and so the more experience you have both practical and books the better off you are. But you can waste your life in preparation and there comes a time when you just have to go or it and accept the risks and that you have taken reasonable measures to mitigate risk.

How do you prepare for the bad stuff?

There's two kinds of bad stuff. Stuff you could have prevented by preparation and maintenance and the stuff that mother nature hurls at you. It's hard to practice hurricanes or lee shores. But you can read and apply lesser experiences to when the shit hits the fan. Each one of those build confidence and it's mostly in the boat which will take it a lot better than you will. When I think about the conditions I sailed in in my early years either weather has moderated or I am just not sailing in what I cut my teeth on back then. But every once in a while you find yourself in nasty weather and the only thing about it is, you've been there before and you know you and the boat can make it. So you need to go out in heavy weather close to shore if you plan to deal with it offshore... where at least there are no lee shores!

How do you cope with fear?

Experience is the only way. You need to fall back on your training and experience and the knowledge that others have faced far worse with far less. You don't dwell on it and instead take care of business and the mission to get thru to the other side. This keeps you pretty busy. Shiva's a great boat and a lot tougher than I am. I take care of her and she takes care of me. That's the deal.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Final Straw

Clark & Suzy Straw with Kevin Straw in 2002 & 2004 cruised aboard Final Straw, a Mason 54 hailing from San Diego, CA, USA from 2001 until 2008 through Mexico and the South Pacific Islands including New Zealand & Australia. More information including contact info can be found on their website.

What, if anything, do you wish someone had told you before you started cruising?
I don't think you realize just how tough long range cruising can be on boat equipment.  As they say, the definition of cruising is "fixing your boat in Paradise."  And, it isn't a joke.  It's true.  Even after a thorough refit before our departure, we still saw the watermaker blow a circuit board 800 nm from land and 2000 nm to go.  Fortunately, we could still use it, thanks to a manual override toggle switch on the circuit board.  Our most serious issue was sucking water into the engine in Manihi in French Polynesia.  Turns out it was a plugged anti-siphon valve coupled with a design error that caused the drain for the anti-siphon valve from the engine and generator to be tied together.  The blocked valve allowed the generator to pump exhaust water into the engine's wet muffler.  After it filled the wet muffler, sea water made its way to the engine's valves.  Wow, what a troubleshooting job that was!  The good news is there's lots of talent among your fellow cruisers.  When a cruiser has a problem, almost everyone pitches in to help!  One Brit showed me how to remove the diesel's injectors and blow the water out by turning the ignition switch momentarily.  In kind, I fixed a  lot of radio and computer problems for others.

Is there a place you visited where you wished you could stay longer?
We tried to carefully calculate our time at each stop.  But, sometimes you like a place so much you stay longer.  That happened to us in Fiji and Vanuatu leaving a very short time in New Caledonia.  We have friends who have spent an entire season there and loved it.  After arriving in Noumea and  thoroughly reading the cruising guide, I know we missed a lot of nice spots.  The next time I would sail north and see more of the main island and then go to the Loyalty Islands on the east side.  I'd also suggest leaving the boat in French Polynesia and take a break back home for the holidays and then return for another 90 day visa and twice as much time in those lovely islands.


How often have you faced bad weather in your cruising?  How bad?
We watched weather very closely and avoided leaving when we saw a forecast of strong weather during the timeframe of the passage.  Of course, you can't do this if a passage exceeds a week or so because weather models are much less reliable after that.  For example, Tonga to New Zealand is very hard to time due to the frequent low pressure systems that cross the Tasman.  It's possible to let them pass by slowing down at latitudes above 25S.  We did sail through some of the unpredictable activity found in the SPCZ and ITCZ.  Normally, it was short lived and looked worse in the distance than it was when it actually hit us.  All told, I'd say we saw winds above 30 knots less than 10% of the time while on a passage.  Some of our worst weather was at anchor or in the harbor.  We saw 50+ knots while at our berth at Bayswater Marina across from Auckland.  The boat was healing in place!  We also saw 35-40 knots while at anchor at Whitsunday Island in Queensland, Australia.  It's very likely you will see bad weather some time on a crossing.  But, preparation will mitigate most real danger.  We carried a drogue and it was always ready to deploy.  But, we never had to use it.


What do you dislike about cruising that surprised you?
The bugs at some anchorages.  It was no-see-ums in the Sea of Cortez of Mexico and mosquitos potentially carrying malaria in Vanuatu that I remember particularly menacing.   We anchored at an island off of the Baja mainland and were literally infested by thousands of no-see-ums.  They were everywhere and came in a huge swarm.  They didn't really bite us as we went for bug spray almost immediately.  Then, we went for the anchor and raised it getting away as fast as humanly possible.  It was after that experience when we saw a note in our cruising guide to stay away from that particular spot.  The lesson was read the book before arriving.  In Vanuatu, we had to put mosquito screens up to keep those critters out of the living areas.  It was worse at sunrise and sunset.  The screens cut down on the breeze below and with the high humidity it was tempting to remove the screen.  Fortunately, we didn't get bitten.  But, at one anchorage north of Efate, we knew of three boats where crew contracted malaria.


Is there something you wish you had bought or installed before starting cruising?
One thing I found very helpful after we crossed to New Zealand was the installation of weather sat.  Capturing data from the NOAA LEO satellites when they passed over our area was very helpful when comparing GRIB charts to real weather pictures.  Fronts show up very well and you can compare movement in subsequent orbits.  The other item that wasn't available when we left in 2001 is AIS.  I have used it on other boats since and I would definitely add it in a future cruise.  There were many times when we were unable to contact a ship and understand their intentions or know if they were even aware of our presence.  AIS could have mitigated that problem.


Do friends visit and how often?
Occasionally we had family & friends visit us.  It was generally places where they could fly into easily.  It also appeared to happen earlier in our seven years of cruising than later.  Of course, we were getting farther away from the States as time went on, so, it was a more expensive trip for them and it took longer to get to us.  But, it was fun to share the experience with them when they did come and we enjoyed the little gifts they brought from the States that we couldn't get where we were.

Share a piece of cruising etiquette.
One thing I remember in Tonga was it was bad form to work on the boat on a Sunday.  You also should not wear hats and you should not show frustration.  That was very hard to do with customs!

Another pet peeve was to not anchor on top of another boat.  I can remember letting out more rode just so we wouldn't hear every word they exchanged and wouldn't have to inhale the exhaust from their generator or listen to the tedious sound of splashing water while it ran hour after hour.  This was a problem primarily in the more popular cruising grounds where weekenders or bareboat charters were prevalent.

How do you fund your cruise?
We had planned to do this over a long period of time and saved our nest egg.  We then invested it for a cash flow that covered our expenses to the level we could comfortably live without decreasing the principle amount we had invested.

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?

I was probably happiest about deciding to take extra crew on the very long passages (ten days or more).  From Puerto Vallarta to the Marquesas, we had four crew.  That meant one crew stood watch only one three hour watch every twelve hours.  That left a lot of time to read, fix things, improve the sail plan, fish, etc.  We made the 2800 miles in 16 days, 23 hours averaging 7 knots and we were all very fresh and, I believe, we enjoyed the trip more.  I also took extra crew on the Tonga to NZ and NZ to Fiji passages due to distance and possible harsh weather.  One warning, choose crew carefully.  It's best if you already know them and have been to sea with them in the past and you really like them!   


The one thing I would do differently is plan a slower cruise across the South Pacific.  The majority of circumnavigators I know say the best part of their entire trip was the South Pacific.  We made the crossing from Mexico to New Zealand in one season primarily to get there for the Americas Cup.  But, if I were to do it again, I would stop in French Polynesia and leave the boat there hauled out and protected for cyclone season.  Then, I would come back and do another season there.  I would spend almost all of the 90 day visa in the Marquesas and Tuamotus, arriving in Papeete just before the visa expires.  Then I'd haul out and return the next year to cruise for 90 more days in the Society Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora, etc.) before going on to Tonga and the islands in between.  This maximizes your time in a true paradise instead of rushing through to get to NZ in nine months.

Question I wished you ask...  

What single piece of electronics did you find most useful besides the basic sailing instruments and GPS?
After the basics of wind/speed instruments, GPS and VHF, I'd probably pick the HF radio.  I actually had three separate SSB units on board.  It was our lifeline back to civilization.  We did our email over HF radio and could download valuable weather information for our area.  We could also exchange route data through areas where one boat forwarded to another the safe route into an anchorage by sending their track on C-map over pactor on HF radio.  We also talked nightly to the HF radio nets and made numerous phone patches back to family while thousands of miles from land.  This was incredibly comforting for our family and friends.  All of this was done for free as it was via ham radio frequencies.  I had a bit of an advantage since I first obtained a ham radio license at age 12 and have been active ever since.  But, after helping many others get their license, which is orders of magnitude easier to get now than when I got mine, I have been told many times how useful having a ham license was to their peaceful enjoyment of cruising.   I couldn't agree more.  In fact, it was a radio contact I made with a cruiser in the 60's that got me interested in doing this myself one day.  Forty years after I made contact with Danny Weil on the s/v Yasme arriving in Nuku Hiva, I realized my dream of sailing my own boat into that same harbor.  What a thrill to have my wife and son on board with me.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Malua

Harry and Denny Watson Smith cruise aboard Malua, an Adams Bluewater 42 hailing from Sydney, Australia. On their current boat they've been cruising since 2003 including Australia, the Pacific, and Mediterranean. More information can be found on their website and blog and they can be contacted via email (harryws@malua.com.au). Harry says: I have been sailing most of my life in the area of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. This has influenced by outlook to sailing and the type of vessels I will sail on. Since 1986 I have sailed along the east coast of Australia which has similar weather and sea conditions. Malua, my dream boat, was built to suit these conditions however after cruising the Pacific I decided I need more culture than nature so I shipped her to the Mediterranean where we have sailed for four summers. We return after six months crruising to Australia during the northern winter. I volunteer at our local Marine Rescue where I am a coxswain of the rescue lifeboat so I spend quite some time afloat each year. We still maintain our home while cruising.

With the benefit of hindsight, what are the boat selection criteria you would use to purchase a boat for long term cruising?

I set about selecting a boat for cruising off the Australian east coast. My previous sailing experience was off the Cape of Good Hope so naturally I chose a very seaworth design. Because I wanted to fit out and rig the vessel myself there were only a few builders in Australia who would only build the hull and deck within my budget. That limited the selection however I chose an Australian designer Joe Adams and had the 42 foot vessel built then transported to my home for completion. I then set about completing my dream boat within three years. Some of the attributes of the boat are;

* Able to sail it single handed with all lines, halyards and controls including reefing all sails to be run to a deep aft cockpit.
* Adequate tankage for water and diesel so that it does not become an issue and water desalination is not a requirement.
* Hard dodger for protection from waves, rain and the wind. This I added after the initial build and cruise.
* Large navigation station with comfortable chair in which one can doze.
* Independent power generating capacity either through a generator, in my case DC or solar panels.

Malua has turned out to be everything I wished for and I would change very little to meet my cruising needs however most of the features are for safety while accommodation, convenience and comfort may rank higher for other cruisers and different cruising areas. One can sail in almost anything with good judgment and planning.

Is there something you wish you had bought or installed before starting cruising?

I included, at the navigation station, a reclining, swivelling chair. It is ideal while sailing and at anchor. I should have included another executive style chair or easy chair for my wife to use while at anchor. The settee is comfortable but does not have arm rests and is not designed for a relaxing seat.

What type of watch schedule do you normally use while offshore?

We generally sail shorthanded so the watch system varies depending on the duration of the passage. On anything longer than two nights, a three-hour on and a three-hour off schedule during darkness is followed. Anyone can sleep during the day as long as it works out about equal. I sail single handed on many passages and have a watch commander electronic alarm. In most offshore situations I set it for 27 minutes between alarms. If I wake before it goes off, I reset it for the next cycle and return to sleep. After a few days I get more than enough sleep each day.

Over the years, how much time do you think you spend at anchor, at marinas, sailing and motoring?

We spend by far the greatest time at anchor and consequently the interior design of Malua reflects this. The galley is longitudinal but has a safe corner and a safety strap to hold the cook in place. Meals during rough weather are put together not created so there is no need for confined spaces. Many handholds are a requirement.

On passage is the next longest time. In the Mediterranean it is defiantly motoring while in the Pacific it was sailing.

Marinas and harbours play a very small part in our lives as they are expensive, the chance of damage high and they offer little advantage. If we wish to undertake extensive land travel in the area we use a marina for safety reasons.

Is there a place you visited where you wish you could have stayed longer?

On most occasions we spend as long as we need in a location to enjoy the surroundings. Port Davie in Tasmania, Australia is certainly the most beautiful cruising ground while Venice (at anchor at Burano) is the stand out cultural experience of our cruise.

Share a piece of cruising etiquette.

One should contribute to the cruising community in all possible ways. Physical resources are precious to any cruising boat so when you visit make sure you offer something in return for the hospitality. If a part is required offer your spare, it will be replaced many times over. Advice should also be shared when ever possible.

How do you fund your cruise?

Once the boat has been purchased and setup we find we go cruising to save money from the everyday expense of living. We are in the retirement age so we have put some funds away for the next few years. The rate of drawdown varies depending on where we cruise. We may die poor but rich in experience and cruising memories.

How has cruising affected your personal relationships?

The sea uncovers all the weakness in one’s boat, one’s self and one’s relationship. The most difficult is to confront your weakness not necessary when alone but in company with your crew or your partner. We have always used each other strengths to build the relationship which means on the boat I do most of the sailing while Denny’s calm demeanour and sound planning judgement is never at a loss. Having personal space is a very important aspect of a cruising relationship.

What is the most important attribute for successful cruising?

Tolerance is the most important personal attribute but a good practical mechanical understanding has to come second. Not only are you able to diagnose problems before they become issues but when something breaks having the ability to fix it on the fly saves money, time and heartbreak. I believe it can be learnt. I have taken things apart or fixed things all my life and this has given me a wealth of experience on which to call when confronted by a part not working or a design issue to be solved.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

How do you manage your sleep?

I believe this is an import aspect of successful long term cruising. The number of times that we have been at anchor and had to get up in the night to attend to the boat or stand anchor watch because the wind has come up is uncountable. Having the ability to go back to sleep immediately or fall asleep as soon as one gets into the bunk is very important. We have a rule on Malua that we can sleep whenever we are tired, day or night. If after a few days passage and you can’t keep your eyes open we change watches and the person goes to sleep. Having a comfortable bunk is a prerequisite but also getting out of your wet weather gear into suitable sleep gear is essential.

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Long Tall Sally

Greg Lynd and Penny Burgess cruise aboard Long Tall Sally, a Tayana 55 cutter hailing from Carson city, Nevada. They cruised in Mexico from 1999 to 2003, and then the South Pacific, North Pacific, Philippines, and SE Asia from 2006 to the present. They can be reached by email (svlongtallsally@gmail.com). Greg owned a yacht maintenance business and Penny was a physician (anesthesiologist) in their previous lives and they are both members in good standing of Pacific Mariners Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, California.

What is your favorite piece of boating related new technology?
We have recently been introduced to a new software called Bungee invented by Greg Heppenstall. One can overlay previously acquired images from Google Earth with the information from your GPS- enabling the cruiser to see and track the land masses and shoals in real time along his/her route.We found it a great help in our trip from Palawan in the Philippines to Malaysia.

What do you think is a common cruising myth?
I think lots of folks have the mistaken impression that all we cruisers do is swim and frolic in the sun all day- when actually a good definition of " cruising " means "fixing your boat in exotic places"

Do you have any specific advice for couples cruising?
We both agree that it is good policy to have lived together on the boat for a significant amount of time before embarking on an long voyage together. Don't expect to pack your things, jump aboard and take off before you get the feel of your partners' idiosynchrasies and expectations. Also, it's a good idea to have done some dry runs encompassing such things as anchoring drills (i.e does the captain yell?-or better yet-who is the captain??)

Where was your favorite place to visit and why?
I think we are both agreed that Vanuatu is one of the nicest places we've seen-it has lovely people, good anchorages and great French food!

Have you found "trade goods" to be useful on your cruise? If so, what kinds?
Yes, especially in the Soloman Islands. We traded loads of things-clothing,shoes, staples such as sugar, rice, and coffee, and those electronics that we could spare (the young people loved Walkmans and DVDs). The Soloman Islanders are the best carvers in the Pacific-they gain access to goods that are difficult to otherwise obtain and you will come away with some lovely souvenirs of your cruise.

How do you fund your cruise?
We are both retired-we had been living aboard Long Tall Sally since 1994 and making regular forays out to Catalina Island and other places along the west coast of California. We sold some real estate assets and put the money in a stock portfolio. Luckily, we bought Apple shares! So far we've managed to live on the proceeds and my social security (Greg is still too young!)

What is something that you read or heard about cruising, that you didn't find to be true?
Somewhere I had read that sailing caused one to use a great deal of isometric energy and that one always lost weight when on a long cruise-i.e. constantly using muscles to maintain balance on a moving platform-Don't believe it!!

What is something about the cruising culture you like and what is something you dislike?
I love the fact that one is constantly meeting new and interesting people-often of very disparate ages and interests. The cruising family is replete with individualists. Many of these people become lifelong friends and one keeps in touch no matter in what direction you each head off. But sometimes, you say "so long"or "Fair winds" to someone that you never lay eyes on again for whatever reason and that is sad!

How did you secure your valuables (in and on your vessel) while going ashore? And your dinghy?
Boats have many "hidey holes" and most sailors we know secure their valuables that way. It seems that the poorer the country, the fewer the break-ins. Sometime other cruisers will warn people that such and such an anchorage is not safe and we lock our boats-but for the most part we leave the boat unlocked- as a really determined thief can get into most any boat. The dinghy is a little different -we look at it as our"car" and as such a very valuable asset. We lock our motor to the dinghy and try to secure the dinghy when it is ashore. At night we hoist it out of the water to deter thieves.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

Perhaps you might have asked "How long do you plan on being "out there"?

To that rhetorical question I would have to say-"Till it's no longer fun!"

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Zia

Christy, Joe, Cassie and Juliana cruised aboard Zia, a Sud Composites Switch 51 hailing from Annapolis, MD. Their cruise lasted from July of 2005 until March of 2010 and during that time they cruised through the US East Coast, Caribbean, Bahamas, Atlantic, and all through the Mediterranean. At the time of this interview's publication, their boat is for sale. More information about their cruise and their boat can be found on their website.

What advice would you give to parents thinking about taking their children cruising?

Kids are amazingly adaptable. They can do most anything you ask them to do and love to make you proud by doing it. The cruising life is great for developing a kid's sense of independence and their confidence. Make them part of the team. Give them as much independence as you can. Teach them to drive the dinghy and help sail the boat.

What is something that you looked forward to about cruising when you were dreaming, that is as good or even better than imagined?

The opportunities you have when you are cruising - to meet people, to explore places, to discover new things - are so much richer than I could have ever imagined. In fact, you find you don't always have the energy to take full advantage of all the opportunities that are presented to you. You learn to pursue the things that you enjoy the most, but we also loved to delve into new and unexplored territory. Learn something new every day - it keeps you young!

What are your impressions of the cruising community?

The cruising community is a mixed bag, just like every other group of people. It is always easier to meet other Americans, or Canadians or British, because of the language barrier. I would have liked to have meet more Europeans and embraced every opportunity to socialize with a more diverse crowd. Beware of taking advice from other cruisers. Other people's perceptions are always different from what you will experience. I can't tell you how many times we went someplace someone had loved and hated it or vice versa. They are usually right when they talk about the anchoring conditions but take everything else with a grain of salt.

Was there anywhere you visited that you thought was overrated (not as good as you had heard)?

Georgetown, Bahamas. You hear so much about this cruisers' paradise but we found it to be an overcrowded anchorage full of busy bodies! Of course, our kids loved it, and it really is fantastic for socializing, and it is GORGEOUS, but too many people get stuck there and never venture beyond to the hundreds of spectacular anchorages within easy day-sailing distance.

What type of watch schedule do you normally use while offshore?

Joe and I did plenty of five or six night passages ourselves. We stood long watches - Joe taking it from about 8 or 9pm until midnight or 1am and then I would be on until 7am or so. I went to sleep after dinner and then again in the morning and easily got my eight hours of sleep in two chunks. Of course, we had mostly mild conditions and if it had been worse, we probably would have shortened up the watch schedule. For our two Atlantic crossings, we brought along an extra watch-stander and divied it up into three hour shifts.

How often have you faced bad weather in your cruising? How bad?

Our worst passage by far was our first ocean passage with the Caribbean 1500 from Norfolk, VA to Tortola, BVI. We had three or four days of 40 to 45 knot winds ahead of the beam. This perfectly illustrates the dangers of participating in cruising rallies. Although they say that they will postpone departure for adverse weather, there is a huge amount of pressure on the organizers to stick to the original plan. We left in no wind and by day three or four were pounding into it. When you plan your departures yourself, you can pick your weather window more wisely.

Which spares do you wish you had more of? Less of?

This is really a question for Joe as he always keeps the boat running in top form. I was responsible for keeping the galley well stocked and I took my job very seriously! We have a big freezer and refrigerator on Zia so are able to carry plenty to keep five well fed for a month at least. Of course, we had loads of cans too, just in case!

What is your biggest lesson learned?

Slow down, take your time, ENJOY. That boat project will be waiting for you when you come back. I also found that we didn't have to do everything the way everyone else does it. We actually sail upwind when that is the direction our desired destination lies. We are spending this hurricane season along the Caribbean coast of Mexico so our kids can go to a bi-lingual school here.

How do you fund your cruise?

Joe and I owned our own computer business for 15 years. Never knowing how good the next year would be, we were always very conservative with our money. We sold the business nine months before we left cruising. We had a payment from that sale for the first five years of our cruising. We also own two rental properties that generate a monthly income. We are very fortunate not to have to worry too much about a budget. That said, you spend a lot less money cruising than you do living in the States. No car or car insurance, telephone or cable bill, electricity, gas, dry cleaning, etc. You need a plentiful wardrobe of bathing suits, shorts and t-shirts. It's wonderful.

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

Do you ever regret your decision to leave everything and go cruising? NEVER!

Read the full interview

10 Questions for Infidien

Patti, Rick and Jessica Miller circumnavigated from August 2001 until May 2006 on Infidien, a Lavranos South African custom built aluminium cutter hailing from Golden, Colorado. More information can be found on their website and they can be contacted via email (pattimiller747@yahoo.com).

Describe a perfect cruising moment that will make cruisers-to-be drool with anticipation
Making landfall at a tropical island in the Pacific. We had a seventeen day passage from the Galapagos to the Marquesas, our longest passage. We arrived at Nuku Hiva under a full moon. It was truly lovely, and it was wonderful to in arrive in tropical paradise.

What is difficult for the parents of cruising children and what is difficult for the children themselves?
Many children had trouble with not having enough friends. But our daughter made friends easily and we as parents had to make the effort to be around other boats with kids.

What do you dislike about cruising that surprised you?
Not enough independence. I didn't like having to coordinate schedules to use the dinghy or basically to go anywhere.

Over the years, how much time do you think you spend at anchor, at marinas, sailing and motoring?
- Sailing and motoring 10% overall time - (motoring maybe 20% of that)
- At anchor 55%
- At marinas - 35%

How do you fund your cruise?
From the Dot Com

Describe a positive experience you have had with local people somewhere you have visited?
Kapingamarangi - We hauled over 2500 lbs of supplies out to this atoll. The islanders were most appreciative. They gave us many fine crafts.

What do you miss about living on land?
We missed doing all the kid activities like choir or gymnastics classes.

What is your biggest lesson learned?
Self reliance. We helped rescue a boat that hit Minerva Reef (on passage between Tonga and New Zealand). The yachting community did a great job without the help of the Coast Guard or any other official group.

What piece of gear seems to break the most often?
GPS - We went through three GPS units, about one computer laptop a year, and anything else electronic seemed to fail. I think the marine environment is just hard on electronics. Well - OK I had a hatch open on passage and a wave came over the deck and that did in one computer. That was probably my fault...

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

What else did you do besides sail?

We are also rock climbers. We climbed in New Zealand, Thailand, and South Africa. It was awesome!

Read the full interview