I have been fascinated with wind and sailing for longer than I care
to remember. Starting out in small boats on lakes in the Midwest taught
me some basics, but eventually a job aboard a coastal schooner in
Maine really started expanding my horizons. After a delayed stint
in engineering school I figured out that a job in wind energy was
not just a dream but a realistic career, so wind became a constant
feature in my life.
Bareboat cruising and racing on SF Bay have been pastimes over the
years. Since I started racing with SSS sailors in 2001, I have been
hooked on singlehanded sailing and the special camaraderie that develops
between us. Thoughts of sailing to Hawaii have been percolating for
a while, and I have stood on the shores of Hanalei Bay more than once
wondering what it would feel like to arrive by boat. The deciding
event was being able to trade up from a Moore 24 to a WylieCat 30
last March.
Navigation: GPS Chartplotter, two back-up handhelds,
paper charts and tools, AIS, backup sextant, planning to have a laptop
possibly with MaxSea.
Steering: NKE hydraulic, two back-up RayMarine tiller
pilots
Communication: Irridium SatPhone, SSB, VHF
Food: Packaged soups, fruit shakes, frozen chili,
oatmeal, dried fruit, nuts, smoked fish, eggs
Special Thanks: To my wife Julie for supporting
this indulgence, to my friend Erik who has often provided good sailing
advice, and to many other fiends and colleagues who have lent their
encouragement even when the attraction is not obvious.