March 2024 update

Another update with a bit more clarity. Circumstances didn’t allow me to get to the Somo Somo channel area where the Rainbow Reef is located last season. I have been to the Rainbow Reef system before and I was very excited to return. I still am hopeful to bring the yacht to this area this cruising season.

I still have a strong interest in scuba diving and I hope diving will a big feature of this upcoming cruising season. The S Pacific cruising season runs from about May until November.

I am on the west side of Fiji sitting out the cyclone season on the hard and working on a fairly major project that actually was the reason we didn’t get to the Rainbow Reef at the end of last season. The project is now likely to finish in April and the yacht will be back in the water for engine testing and breakin.

Then off to Canada ( by plane) mid May to deal with some commitments there. I expect to prep the boat in early July and my season will get underway mid July 2024. Currently, the boat is really stripped down for cyclone preparedness and it will very likely remain that way until I return from Canada

At the end of the 2024 cruising season I currently plan to sit out the cyclone season in Fiji in a cyclone pit which will not require me to remain at the boat for the entire period from November until April 2025. That time would be a good time to start the next journey. I will be back at the boat long before April making the boat ready for the next journey to Canada via Western Samoa and Hawaii. Arrival in Canada would hopefully be in about August 2025

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For all travel, either in the local islands or a long passage, waiting for the right weather window(s) is important in my style of sailing. I am a believer that patience and safety run together.

To facilitate the diving, I have a dive compressor and some gear onboard. Diving from a boat is different in some regards but also has its own magic. I also have an interest in underwater, above water photography, and now have a little drone I am trying to learn how to fly. I have more details on diving from a sailboat if you are interested. In short some of the great dive spots are great because of great variable currents and diving without top support is not possible so I plan to do some diving with paid guiding services. More about that in the dive document if you are interested.

Just a little bit about the boat. She is one of the 30 Kelly Peterson 46 cutters built after the more well known KP 44's were built back in the early 80's. She is a strong seaworthy boat that is quite sea kindly. She is well equipped and well maintained. She is fairly heavy, making for a sweet ride, and yet always surprises me with how well she can sail in light air, especially on the beam. She goes to weather quite well when she must. I would say she is a bit complicated with lots of systems. Many systems make for more maintenance but by this point, having owned my boat since 2005, I have had some interaction with almost every system on the boat.

She is well rigged and has a few not so commonly seen setups which reflect my own preferences and my sailing philosophy. I would be happy to expound on these details and why I have come to the conclusions I have.

If you are interested and wish to read in a bit more detail, hopefully as a conversation starter here is a list of available WORD documents I can send to you.

1. My experiences which have prepared me to skipper the boat
2. My style of sailing
3. My thoughts on potential crew
4. Thoughts about the scuba diving part of the proposed adventure

A few documents I planned to write but have yet to complete are below. I think it could be important information and I would be happy to do them if there is interest.

5. Safety features on the boat
6. A brief summary of the boat systems

So if you have questions, want to chat, or want more information please feel free to contact me.

Fairwinds, and all the best as you explore your future plans.

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