Wow – that’s a toughie! Chris and I thought maybe it’d be good to answer this separately – kind of a boy versus girl thing, but after reading each other's answers we both agree with the other:

KT:  Sometimes I miss the ease of things. That might sound a little off given that most people think we are on a permanent vacation and we aren’t working, but ‘chores’ that were maybe slightly time consuming but more or less mundane back home are all day events cruising, and things that you don’t even think twice about back home consume endless hours of thought & preparation on a boat.

I don’t miss driving, but one has to admit it makes life easier – it is easier to drive to the grocery store than to walk 3 miles or figure out a bus in a foreign language. Having endless amounts of water is easier then trying to stay aware of how much water you have and when you’ll next be able to get or make some. At home who cares if it’s raining outside, but on a boat it really effects you. Going 50 miles to the next town at home is a no-brainer, going in a boat might be two day sails in light winds and you have research anchorages and weather before departing. Who cares about rain and wind driving a car, but going ashore in a dinghy (basically the cruiser’s car) in chop, wind, and/or rain means a wet ride and leaves you feeling like a drowned rat once ashore.

I guess I feel that at home you can just kind of run on autopilot a lot, but cruising almost everything has to be thought through. Sometimes it’s fun, it’s an adventure, it’s different, but other times it’s just a pain-in-the-ass. That said the extra effort it takes to do things is ALWAYS worth it – this is a great life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Chris:  I miss feeling connected (when we were in outer small islands without any internet or phone service). Of course now, in the Med, we are feeling quite connected so it’s no big thing. I also miss “thinking technical”… not so much working, but that type of brainstorming and fixed routine and brainwork. And finally I miss not worrying about weather … our life revolves around weather and we spend hours reading weather forecasts and trying to plan and trying to “do the best thing”.

We do, and that is the main reason we even have a time limit on our cruise. When we initially left we figured on 2-5 years … two being the minimum to fully enjoy and settle into the life of cruising, and five hitting on the edge for our age when we should be returning to jobs and having children (we are, by the way, 34 and 41 [as of 09/2008]). Everyone says they think it’s great we went while younger – but I guess we won’t really know how it will work out until we try to find jobs and have a family. As of right now we have been cruising just over 4 and half years and on our current schedule won’t actual be home for another two years – so we’re a little behind schedule!  Since we are now in the Mediterranean, where there is access to more things (i.e. medical care), and not as many overnight passages, we are considering starting the family now instead of waiting until we return home.

This was one of the most asked questions prior to our departure ... "how will you guys get along & survive on that tiny thing?". First, the most important thing is that you are on somewhat solid ground before leaving.  A rare few leave with rocky marriages thinking "cruising will make it better". Of course it doesn't work that way - cruising is not all sunsets & drinks under the palm tree. And living in tight quarters with someone does require a good relationship foundation.

I think the things that make a relationship work on a boat are the same things that make it work on land; Communication, Patience, & Understanding.

Cruising and boat life will bring about a lot of changes and a lot of different experiences. You will need to find your own way of communicating that works. Don't hold things in and let them boil to a head, but rather talk about the issues, and talk about what changes can be made to help alleviate some of the problems. This, obviously, is not so different then living on land. Both people have to be flexible and both need to understand that there will be times ahead when both of you are out of your element and not knowing how to handle something. Don't be in a hurry. It takes a while to get used to cruising, living on a boat, and being in such close quarters. Don't expect to hop aboard and not have a single hitch, but rather know that there will be some things that you both will have to discover and work through.

Before we departed, I read a cruising book for women, by a woman. Overall the book was a bit "cheesey", but there was one section that I got it kick out it. She suggested that a cruising couple have a special hat. Either person could wear this hat whenever they were needing some space or alone time - it would basically mean, "please don't talk me, we'll discuss things later, after I've had some time". I told Chris about this hat and he said, "yeah, we could call it the f-u hat!". Anyway it became this huge joke between us, and we figured if we had one "f-u hat" then we'd need another hat that meant "no, f-u"! We never did get a special hat, but I guess the point is that you will learn to find "space" on the boat when you need away time. If you are anchored/moored than you can take off on a swim or go ashore for a walk. If you are on a long passage then you'll probably be too tired to fight anyway :) Also you'll find that you make a number of friends along the way, and while you might be thinking these issues only occur on your boat you'll quickly discover many of the issues are common amongst the fleet and people are happy to share how they "solved" them. Also, you'll find there are plenty of people to go "off" with when on land, giving you time away from each other - and we've even had girl & boy nights (where all the girls went to one yacht and all the boys went to another).

What we have seen cruising is that the strength of a relationship tends to grow and develop on a boat and it is more normal than not that "long term" cruising couples have extremely strong relationships.

One big difference in the "real world" versus cruising is that in the "real world" one partner may have a bad day or week, and typically the other partner then becomes the 'rock', helping the other to get through the difficult time. Most the time with cruising your bad days will be shared. If something goes wrong (weather, breakages, etc), then you both will be struggling through it together. At first this seems daunting - you can't BOTH have a bad day at the same time! But once you start to figure out that together you can work through it, then you start to realize just how great your relationship is. Also, on the upside is that you both will be able to share the good days as well. Overall you tend to become more in sync.

When we departed I did wonder how we would manage, I knew we had a good base, but wasn't sure just how well we'd do on the boat.  Ironically, five years later, I am worried about returning to land! Cruising can be hard and space is limited, but the rewards are so great that I think overall we are both less stressed, and since we are in sync it is easier to understand what the other is going through on a "bad day". I worry that when we get back to the "real world" with jobs and finances, and such, that we will be out of sync and not know how to deal with it - and that we will be so busy trying to "live" that we will forget to sit still with each other and enjoy "the moment".

It comes down to two things; where you are cruising, and how you want to live (i.e. how often do you want to eat out, do you drink, marinas versus anchorages, motoring versus sailing in light winds, having laundry done versus doing it yourself, and so on).

We’ve seen both ends of the spectrum out here (we think we are probably mid-line). Some cruisers live dirt-cheap; never eating out and nearly never doing anything that costs extra money – still they have a good time. Other’s eat out every time they are in port, motor if they are doing less than 3kts, and live a much more spoiled life. The one thing we appreciate about the cruising community though is that both groups have a great time, and everyone hangs out and respects the other’s choice – there seems to be no ‘status’ lines, from million dollar Swans to little 20 foot, barely floating boats – nobody cares (it’s really great).

For details on our expenses please check out our Cruising Expenses page.  The costs here include everything; port fees, insurance, maintenance, food, souvenirs, clothing, and so on.

If you are trying to plan a budget it is also a good idea to have an emergency fund set aside, "just in case" - hopefully you'll never have to use it.

The major costs were in upgrading and adding to Billabong.  We bought Billabong from another cruiser, who had already added a number of enhancements in order to cruise up to Alaska (in other words Billabong had already been offshore). Still, we spent another $30,000 dollars adding and upgrading gear. It is good to note that probably 2/3 of that gear has never been used as it is safety & storm gear as well as spare parts – but as Murphy’s law goes – if we don’t have it, you know we’d need it!

The next highest cost was the initial provisioning, but that tends to settle out over the following months when you aren’t spending any money. Other costs included some health expenses, such as all the immunizations and full physicals (just to be sure), plus dental appointments – we did all these things while still working and therefore covered by insurance.

For port costs it doesn’t matter what size or type of boat you own. 44 feet or 100 feet you’ll pay the same cost to enter a country (there is sometimes a fee difference based on tonnage, but all yachts are usually easily under any higher tonnage fees). Of course it does matter when it comes marinas and maintenance. Port fees will vary country to country, but we figure you’re probably looking at less then $50 per country. Visa fees vary quite a bit depending on country and length of stay.

At one point I started keeping track of exact costs, but in the end it was too boring to enter all the receipts and such so I gave up … seeing as costs and cost breakdown is one of the most FAQ we get, I guess I should’ve kept up with it! However, you can view our total monthly/yearly costs on our Cruising Expenses page (the costs listed there include port fees).

Also, checkout Noonsite. This is a great site for up-to-date information on country formalities, including some fee information. Select a country and then on the left and there will be links with all the information you need for what is required for visas and such, including a “Fees” link.

Just about everywhere we’ve been has a bank and/or ATM. So getting money has not been a very big issue (much as it probably was 10 years ago). We also carry a stash of American cash (which is just about good anywhere). For USD, carry some smaller bills (like 5s, 10s, and 20s instead of 100s) because smaller islands might except the USD but aren’t likely to have change. When we haven’t been able to find a working ATM we’ve been able to find a bank that will exchange USD to local currency – although maybe not at the best rates. Generally if there is no bank, then there tends to be nothing to spend money on anyway! One difference in ATM usage is that in the States we might only draw enough for a few days or a week, whereas when cruising we hit the ATM for extra money (pending on our planned length of stay in that country) just incase the next town doesn’t have an ATM. Also we carried a few hundred dollars in travelers checks our first year, it’s a good “just-in-case” thing but probably is not necessary (we no longer carry them).

Stay aware of when your ATM card expires though – it would suck to be without one! Also, let your ATM/Bank/Credit Cards know that you will be traveling so that they do not put a hold on your card when you start making purchases from around the world.

On a related note, you may want to provide Financial Power of Attorney to a family member back home to assist in you managing your affairs. If you are not married (as Chris and I are not), you will want three additional legal documents (you may want these even if married just as backup):
 

1. A document granting account (money) access to your partner should something happen – if both of your names are already on your bank/cc accounts this probably isn’t necessary.
    
2. A power of attorney for the boat. Even if you are married, unless the boat owner papers & boat documentation have BOTH your names on it, then you should probably have one anyway. It is a simple document (one paragraph) where the captain (i.e. in my case Chris) grants the wife/partner (i.e. me) full rights as captain, including operation, sale, storage, and shipment of the boat in the case of “absence, death, or incapacitation due to illness”.
    
3. A Health Care Directive – this gives your partner the legal right to make health care decisions should something happen to you. In this document you will want to list two or three ”agents”, i.e. first listing your partner, but then following with one or two other people should your partner be unable or unavailable.

You can find examples of all these legal documents online … I just did Google searches, then either copied or downloaded want I wanted, and made the appropriate changes so that they fit our needs. You’ll need to have a witness sign the documents and probably best to have them notarized as well. Make copies and be sure to have copies on board and to leave copies back home. Not to get you worried but you both should also have a will … Chris and I don’t own much but you should at least have any big things (i.e. the boat) listed.

Please see the answer under "What are your satellite phone costs?"

For full-blown internet (i.e. websites and such) we aren’t real sure, but believe it’s probably not cheap, and at the speeds you are likely to get, probably not worth it. Email is completely doable and just about everyone has some type of email access. We went our first year without but joined the bandwagon our second year. Three onboard email options (that we know of):
 

1. Winlink via SSB modem. Winlink is free (no annual/monthly fees) but requires a ham license and people complain about connection times and speeds.
    
2. Sailmail via SSB modem. $250/year, also gets some complaints about speed and connection issues.
    
3. Satellite phone. Using prepaid minutes costs about $1.10 a minute if you buy 500 minutes for the year – unused minutes roll over to the next year if you buy addt’l minutes. Sat phone can be used [for email] with a free service called skyfile or with a paid service uuplus (about $30/month). In our opinion, UUPLUS is better then SKYFILE but one if free and one isn’t.

You can use the satellite phone for “full” internet but it is ridiculously slow and at a $1/minute very expensive. There are also utilities available that convert web pages to text and then email them to you. We don’t really miss “full blown” internet access ... there are enough internet cafes between various ports to keep us feeling connected and to keep our websites updated.

The pros and cons (as we see it): A modem (SSB radio modem) costs roughly $800 (and you need to ensure that the SSB radio supports a modem, otherwise you might also have to purchase a new SSB radio). We bought our used satellite phone for $500. The satellite phone has the added benefit of safety –if something goes south you can call for help, and in the very worst case scenario, should you have to abandon ship, you can take the phone with you (keep it charged of course). We don’t often make phone calls on the sat phone (too pricey at a buck a minute), but we do occasionally if we've accumulated a lot of extra minutes. We connect about once a day – sending and receiving at the same time, including weather forecasts – and it takes about 1 minute, so we are paying about $30 bucks a month. Connecting via the sat phone is really easy, and we’ve had more than one cruiser comment that it seems like a good way to go.

We do not use the Satellite phone to update our websites, but do use it to update our Blog  and to update our “Where’s Billabong” page – including sending a small photograph.

For our website I keep it updated “offline” then upload it when we are at a port with decent internet cafes. You can find more information about our recommendations for website maintenance on our Creative Cruising Concepts website.  There is also a little bit more information on email & internet here.

In some parts of the world you can get wi-fi onboard for a small fee and sometimes free. For these connections an external USB wi-fi adapter tends to get a stronger signal than an internal wi-fi card in your laptop. Also for 99 cents you can create a wi-fi antennae out of a pasta strainer – we’ve actually gotten signal 6 miles away with this!
 

Obviously boat insurance will depend on your deductible and type/size of boat. Our boat insurance is through IMIS Jackline and we pay roughly $3600 a year. One thing to look carefully at when selecting boat insurance is their replacement policy.  Many policies will replace at depreciated costs; so say we lost our mast – Billabong is a 1986 boat, so once they take in depreciation costs and our deductible we’d be lucky to get anything. This is the primary reason we changed to IMIS Jackline – they pay out for replacement price rather then depreciated. If you go for a depreciated replacement policy we recommend getting a higher deductible – most cruisers agree that in the end such polices are only good if you lose the entire boat.

As of recently we are very happy with IMIS Jackline. En route to Oman we hit some bad weather and our forward hatch cracked and go figure the bilge pump also broke, so we ended up with a bit of “flooding”. We filed a claim not really expecting much (you know how insurance companies can be), and couldn’t believe when just a few weeks later they were sending us a check – and a decent sized check that actually, really, covered our damage!
 

Honestly, no we haven't seen many (any?) boats in the 20 foot range in the South Pacific. I would say the average size is somewhere in the low 40s. The smaller boats we have seen have been around the mid 30's. It is a tough call and we don't want to discourage you, as it is so worth getting out here. I think the biggest problem would be your passage speed at that size (20 feet) would lead to longer passages and therefore more chances at encountering weather as predictable goes out the window the longer you are out. Also there are a lot of miles to cover in the South Pacific, so longer passages will also mean less time in port.

The base of the collapsible storage is the baskets, both wicker and plastic both available at Ikea (at least they used to be). You can get some plastic slides from Ikea as well but they are more fragile and thicker so I used U shaped aluminum available from Home depot for the slides. I'm not sure if you've seen the picture, but it's easier to describe working from that.

The wood is all 1/2 thick marine birch plywood and it was build to fit on a shower seat that folded down over the toilet. Although it was designed to be removable we have yet to remove it, but we can when we go to sell the boat.. there is only one screw that holds it to the back wall!

Each of the three vertical panels (which contain the shelf slides) are held in place by a board with 1" right angle pieces of aluminum (you can see them on the bottom). The aluminum pieces are bolted into place with thru bolts with tee nuts on the under side of the wood (this allows them to be completely removed and are stronger than screws). There is another piece that is almost identical that is on the back wall (you can see it in the upper right near the old hinge). Both of the pieces of wood are cut to fit perfectly between the left and right walls, The single attach point holds the back piece to the wall.  Each of the vertical panels are then fit into the aluminum pieces (both bottom and back wall) and are through bolted in the case of the center panel and to a tee nut on the back side of the outer "walls".

The top is held in place by bolting shelves into place (using smaller angle aluminum). in the photo only one piece is shown. The top shelves go into each section including the last one to the far right.. once again forcing the stability of the top by fitting the shelves tightly all the way to the far right wall.

The project was made a little more complicated by the shape of the roof (requiring the bolted top shelves instead of a simple bracket like the bottom one) and the desire to provide access to the locker at the right (hence the half width slides on the right). Try and use the walls you have to lock pieces into place. Once it is all bolted together it is rather strong in all dimensions because it's like a three sided box. I added the one bolt on the back wall so that it wouldn't fall over forwards from the top. The bottom front is held in place by the partial bulkhead to the right.

Once installed we also added straps from the bottom to the top that can be held in place to keep the shelves from sliding out in rough weather.. we've never had a problem!

Yes we have slab reefing and it has worked great!! My first thought was the same .. run everything aft to the cockpit. The problem is getting everything to work smoothly without chafe and without letting the main beat itself to death. In most cases slab reefing has reefing rings that need to be secured at the tack of the main. The problem is getting those to work smoothly with a set of reefing lines that run aft (without replacing the boom). Our reefing winch sits below the boom on the mast and we can get serious chafe if we don't use the reef line jammers (in the boom). The constant movement of the boom works any lines between it and a fixed point with incredible force. You would also need some really good batten cars that make sure the main will fall without hanging up.. in all winds.

Our system works fantastic.. yes I have to go to the mast but I have control of EVERYTHING there (especially with our permanent preventers). Our reefing strategy:

1. make sure the preventer is tight and the lines are free to run (we don't do anything with our topping lift as I have it set for all positions with a bungee that keeps it from flogging against the sail). Our lazy jacks stay collapsed and along the boom.
    
2. release main sheet prior to leaving the cockpit (free to run)
    
3. as passing midship release or tighten preventer (depending on beating or running downwind ) basically you want to take a little pressure off the sail and (if running down) prevent it from binding against the shrouds. Don't let it flog.
    
4. get the (next) reefing line set on the winch (if not ready)
    
5. release main halyard (on deck at base of mast) and let a little out while tightening the reefing line.. you could rig a jammer if your halyard runs aft. Yes we actually do both at the same time.. this keeps the main from flogging or pressing too heavily against the shrouds.
    
6. keep alternating between letting out the halyard and tightening the reefing line.. keep an eye on any sail hang-ups and every once in a while hand pull the deeper reefing lines to keep them from gumming up the works at the clew end of the boom. I also keep a bungee cord (with clip) around the mast near the base of the boom to keep those lines out of the way of the reefing winch. Manage the folds of the sail as it falls to make sure you have clear access and a chafe free path for the reefing rings
    
7. as you get close to your marked point on the halyard, drop the main enough to allow you to attach the reefing ring. If you wait to long the tension of the reefing line will draw the reefing tack away from the goose neck so you can't install the ring.. practice makes perfect.
    
8. finish tightening the reefing line, lock the jammers and raise the halyard.
    
9. Then I walk back and tie a strop around the reef clew and the boom (in case something happens to the line or jammer)
    
10. on the way back to the mast, I tie the reef nettles (to keep the sail tight to the boom) and re-trim the main with the preventers. Keep an eye of the topping lift and make sure it is loose enough to get the flatness you need/want.
     
11. cleanup/store ALL the reefing lines (especially if your mainsheet runs from the base of the mast .. we've jammed the mainsheet with lazy reefing lines that get stuck in the block).
     
12. head back to the cockpit and tighten the main sheet.

I know this sounds a like a lot of work but it works and I'm in the spot I need to be if anything get messed up with the main. Nothing would be worse than trying to fix a problem with all the lines back in the cockpit and trying to shout back and forth in the howling winds. We have used this technique in every wind and sea state we have experienced without any problems.

I have seen modern systems with roller batten cars and special booms that handle clew and tack reef points but the sail can still get jammed. I usually see those boats head up into the wind (and seas) to make sure it all drops fine letting the sail flog until everything gets down and set... ok if the seas aren't bad but heading up into 4 m seas is not my idea of fun. I just keep on sailing usually without a single course change (other than auto pilot corrections due to the change in helm balance as I'm reefing).

We haven't had a problem with moisture under our cushions however KT wouldn't stand for just the normal 4" of good foam, so we added 2" of the Swedish memory foam to the top. We just cut down a bigger pad to make it work. One of the problems you might have with the small airflow is the framing and sheets around the bed blocking the airflow. We have a lot of storage under our main berth (a pullman) so we are constantly getting under it.. It has three crosswise boards that lift up and we add a support stick under it sometimes to let it really air it out under the fresh airflow from the over the bed hatch.

I have had problems with airflow on previous boats.. not sure why we haven't here because we've been through it all; high heat with humidity and cold. I would go with Froli for the comfort but not the mildew. The best solution might be to have a mattress that you can flip over every once in a while. If you end up having a problem with sheets and bed frames on the Froli you might even be able to rig up a little fan to draw the air out and keep it circulating under the bed.
 

Our EPRIB is an ACR Rapidfix 406MHz Epirb

Originally we were going to put in a gas powered water heater. But when Chris looked for a spot to mount it we weren't happy with any locations, so we sold the heater and opted to go without the gas powered. We do have engine heated water, so if we are desperate we can run the engine for a bit to get warm water. Also Chris diverts our 12V solar energy (once the house banks are fully charged) to the water heater, so if the sun is out we end up with really hot water (see this website for reference on diverting).

We also have two 5 Gallon solar camping showers that we can throw in the sun -- these are also good for hanging in the cockpit for a quick rinse after swimming. And finally, we have a Zodi instant water heater. The Zodi makes really really hot water, so we sometimes heat water to a bucket and then add some cool water to get a warm mix. If you want to have a look, the zodi website is here

Here's the thing about how water though ... we almost never want any! I would say 80% of the time we would PREFER a cold shower. If we need hot water for the dishes we just boil it in the kettle. The ironic thing about diverting from solar to the water heater is that when the sun is out in full force, we get heaps of power and therefore hot water, but we usually don't want it because it's just too hot outside! So depending on where you are going to cruise and for how long, you may find that you won't need the hot water, or for the few times you do you can get by with alternate (like boiling it) methods.

We have two boat stamps (one round and one rectangular); we've put our boat name, the captains name, our doc number, home port, and a place for the captain to sign (just to make it appear all the more official). The two designs on the bottom of this page are very close to what we ended up with. It seems we used it more in the South Pacific then Indonesia, but either way they are fun to have (we also stamp the books we've read, so that we can easily determine which ones go in the give-away pile).  Update:  The Red Sea officials LOVE a boat stamp!

Various attachments to the rail (with anti chafe hose) and to our mid cleats (with extra heavy duty backing plates) for our dual preventer.

A Sureflow Blaster at 3.5 GPM

It's made from some light weight plastic honeycomb which is slightly see through, I would make one out of that heavy duty aluminum window protector grill trimmed with wood or starboard. It will provide both ventilation and security. Mind you we almost never lock our boat but if you do you want some kind of airflow (as long as you're not tied to a dock where you might get rain from the aft).

I don't think so, depends on your solar panels. You need a regulator for most solar panels and mine has the divert capability so I get it for free. I put the divert on a switch so I can use it or not.

We started with a piece of starboard with small sides attached to the rail but it can be a hassle when the boat is rolling.  Most people just throw the fish in the cockpit floor and clean it on a big cutting board and then rinse the cockpit out. Since our life raft is underneath our cockpit we'd prefer to keep it clean of any shark-drawing blood!  Therefore Chris made a big bag out of heavy duty tarp material which we put the fish in and then clean it in the bag (with a large cutting board). To clean the bag we drag it behind the boat for a few miles (and later wash it down with anti-bacterial soap).

Hmmm. I do know of someone who had a problem with the linear drive seals so you'd be hurting there, but I like the idea of a total mechanical backup in case I lose power etc. The auto pilot steers a much tighter course than the wind vane will so I tend to use it more. The wind pilot can also be modified to use a small tiller pilot if needed if you lose wind. It's a tough call!! I do know a lot of boats that have dual autopilots and no wind vane and have been fine!! Good boat trim sure saves the autopilot.

Yes!! I also got an extra external USB power source because I only have one USB port and some drives need two ports to get enough power.

For navigation / software, check out our Boat Software Category on Creative Cruising Concepts.

I don't, I make my own clearance zones and add waypoints at least 5 miles off most suspect areas.

Yes, or A4 which is standard paper out here. Then I put them in a sleeve binder. I use a small HP printer (portable size) but they don't make it anymore. I just print black and white for the charts. .

Yes, but we haven't used them at all

Yes, a plastic Davis one.

We have an antennae tuner and we attach the tuner to the insulated backstay with GTO 15 (High Voltage antenna lead-in wire).

No not really, but only because the wind angles we've been sailing the past couple of seasons have been forward of the beam and we have too much crap hanging of the back.

We have a Windpilot windvane not the Monitor. The mount is as shown here (click photo to enlarge). We actually remove the piece sticking out and that leaves just the half circle bits on the hull (easy to use the swim step and ladder. In fact I add a bar to use as a hand rail for getting up the swim step. The windpilot is rather small and folds up into a nice size package we keep in the aft cabin at port.

Is it a must have? No I know lots of people who travel under autopilot alone.. but they also have their charging systems and habits totally dialed in. I know people who arrive at port with almost no power after a long rough passage. The nice thing about a windvane is that it doesn't require any power. I would have NEVER put a windvane on the boat until I saw the mounting options on the windpilot. It works great, stores great.. best of both worlds. Most people pick one option or the other (mechanical steering or ease of use in port). I don't like to hand steer and I spend most of my time in port. So the final suggestion ... You will use you swim step more than your windvane. Is it worth an extra $1800?. I would look at the pricing on the windpilot. Maybe you can sell the monitor and upgrade for roughly the same price. Also remember if you don't have a windvane you'll spend at least $1800 in autopilot spares.

We actually don’t receive our “snail-mail”. All our mail is sent to either KT's sister or Chris’ dad; who open everything and pay all of our bills (although there isn’t usually much to pay because we use cash via ATM cards and both of our credit cards actually draw from our bank accounts). Before leaving we provided them with all of our account information (logins, account numbers, passwords, and so on). We also created simple “Durable Power of Attorney’s for Financial Management” (you can download a basic one online), so that should a problem ever arise they have the legal proof to act on our behalf. Note – this legal document is NOT in case of illness/death/etc, it is a power of attorney that is active while we are still alive and able – it gives them permission to our accounts; using our credit cards, paying bills (writing checks), receiving & depositing money, and so on.

If they come across something important they email us. Also we’ve found enough internet cafes along the way to keep on eye on our accounts. Probably the biggest pain in the ass is boat documentation. The United States documentation is only good for one year at a time – and of course you need non-expired boat documentation to check into a country. So at least once a year we have to find a way to receive mail to get this documentation. Chris’ dad scans it for us and emails it to us and we print it, so we at least have something, but you really do need the original. Other cruisers use mail forwarding services – try a Google search to see what’s out there if you don’t want to burden a family member.

For full-blown internet (i.e. websites and such) we aren’t real sure, but believe it’s probably not cheap, and at the speeds you are likely to get, probably not worth it. Email is completely doable and just about everyone has some type of email access. We went our first year without but joined the bandwagon our second year. Three onboard email options (that we know of):
 

1. Winlink via SSB modem. Winlink is free (no annual/monthly fees) but requires a ham license and people complain about connection times and speeds.
    
2. Sailmail via SSB modem. $250/year, also gets some complaints about speed and connection issues.
    
3. Satellite phone. Using prepaid minutes costs about $1.10 a minute if you buy 500 minutes for the year – unused minutes roll over to the next year if you buy addt’l minutes. Sat phone can be used [for email] with a free service called skyfile or with a paid service uuplus (about $30/month). In our opinion, UUPLUS is better then SKYFILE but one if free and one isn’t.

You can use the satellite phone for “full” internet but it is ridiculously slow and at a $1/minute very expensive. There are also utilities available that convert web pages to text and then email them to you. We don’t really miss “full blown” internet access ... there are enough internet cafes between various ports to keep us feeling connected and to keep our websites updated.

The pros and cons (as we see it): A modem (SSB radio modem) costs roughly $800 (and you need to ensure that the SSB radio supports a modem, otherwise you might also have to purchase a new SSB radio). We bought our used satellite phone for $500. The satellite phone has the added benefit of safety –if something goes south you can call for help, and in the very worst case scenario, should you have to abandon ship, you can take the phone with you (keep it charged of course). We don’t often make phone calls on the sat phone (too pricey at a buck a minute), but we do occasionally if we've accumulated a lot of extra minutes. We connect about once a day – sending and receiving at the same time, including weather forecasts – and it takes about 1 minute, so we are paying about $30 bucks a month. Connecting via the sat phone is really easy, and we’ve had more than one cruiser comment that it seems like a good way to go.

We do not use the Satellite phone to update our websites, but do use it to update our Blog  and to update our “Where’s Billabong” page – including sending a small photograph.

For our website I keep it updated “offline” then upload it when we are at a port with decent internet cafes. You can find more information about our recommendations for website maintenance on our Creative Cruising Concepts website.  There is also a little bit more information on email & internet here.

In some parts of the world you can get wi-fi onboard for a small fee and sometimes free. For these connections an external USB wi-fi adapter tends to get a stronger signal than an internal wi-fi card in your laptop. Also for 99 cents you can create a wi-fi antennae out of a pasta strainer – we’ve actually gotten signal 6 miles away with this!

Both Skyfile and UUPlus allow you to type emails prior to sending.  They are added to the queue and sent at your next connection.  For internet cafes, we save and pre-write emails using Microsoft notepad - simple copy-paste.

Now you can only get them with a minimum of 500 minute blocks which is more than enough per year.

Our first few years we used Skyfile.  Around Singapore we switched to UUPlus.  UUPlus seems to work better, but it is a paid service versus Skyfile which is free.

We don't have an external antenna for the sat phone ... sometimes we have to hold the phone up through the companion way as it gets a better signal there, but most the time it does work down below. We believe the antennas are really expensive.

Yes, our Creative Cruising Concepts website is indeed free! We started this website for a few friends of ours that were getting ready to cruise.  It started as just a long list of stuff that we liked and didn't like.  Before we knew it other people were contacting us about the site with additional questions and asking for more details.  So, during our extended stay in Singapore we gave the CCC website a complete make-over; adding some organization, updating the information, adding additional details, and including links to the products we were writing about.  Although you can purchase the products via these links - the cost is the same as if a user went to that website directly - we do get a small commission (usually 3-7%), which we put towards the cost of website hosting. [More information regarding these affiliates can be found in the next answer, under "Why do you have ads on your website?"]

When we setup affiliates and ads on our website some people thought we were getting a bit too "commercial".  That was not our intention.  OK, sure the ads are just that - ads, and yes we make money if you click them.  But we have tried to place them "out of the way", and we do NOT use or believe in pop-up ads.  Google Ads are simple text ads that really should not inhibit the reading and using of our website.  Any money we make goes toward the website hosting fees (and we still haven't broken even yet on the hosting - and that doesn't even figure in the hundred of hours of our time!).

As for the affiliates that started because we were getting so many questions about the products we were using.  First we thought "we should link to examples".  Then we figured if we were already linking to an example or photo, why not link to a good website where someone could purchase the product; saving them from searching around.  Next it seemed natural that if we were going to link to a product on a website where you could purchase a product, why not join up with that website (as an affiliate) and make a little something?  There is no additional costs to the buyer - so what's the harm? 

Initially we wanted one spot where you could view & buy all the things we talk about, but, of course, no such store exists.  So we ended up joining a number of affiliate programs - you can view all the affiliates here.  Amazon has an amazing range of products, so we also took the extra time to setup a special store, Gadgets that make a Difference - here we've created a "store" full of gear that we love and use all the time, from iPods to hiking shoes to Black & Decker 12-volt tools.  We've also taken the extra step and written in a few short comments about each product and why we think it works for travel & cruising.

Finally, mostly for fun, we created a bunch of apparel designs.  They include sailing/cruising slogans, travel inspiration, and go-green slogans.

The important thing to remember about all this stuff and our websites is that the websites are still FREE - all the information is there for your perusal without obligation to buy a thing; use the links as references and do NOT feel pressured.  Secondly IF you do purchase something realize that you are paying the same price as you would if you went to that site on your own - there is no markup just because you came from our site.  Finally, if you like our sites and find them useful or entertaining and need to buy something anyway, know that if you do choose to use our link then you are helping us to pay the website hosting fees - and we THANK YOU!

We currently have two websites [Sail Billabong & Creative Cruising Concepts] and three BLOGS [Billabong Blog, Snaps360, and From the Galley].  Following is a description of each site and how they came to be...

Sail Billabong was our first website.  We started it before departing, and our goal was to use it to stay in touch with our friends and families.  It also helps to keep us organized and caught up on our own journal writing and photograph sorting.  With the years we have received quite a bit of feedback and have tried to change the site accordingly.  The Sail Billabong site is our main travel website; providing journals, maps, photographs, and videos.

Creative Cruising Concepts came along next.  CCC started as two pages; What Works and What didn't work.  It used to be just a long 'ol list of things we liked and didn't like.  We posted this web mainly for a few friends who were leaving to cruise a few years after us and had a bunch of questions.  A few years later we were receiving questions and comments from strangers and realized that this site could be useful for ANYONE looking to travel and/or cruise.  So, we gave the site a huge make-over; re-organizing, updating information, adding photographs and details, and even linking to the products themselves - both for example purposes and to make it easier if someone wanted to purchase a product. 

Next came the Billabong Blog.  The Sail Billabong website is great, but it requires a decent internet connection to update, so we were only adding new content every couple of months.  With a BLOG we can email journals and small photographs from the boat.  The BLOG allows us to write some short entries and keep people updated in between the larger, less frequent web updates.

We just recently started Snaps360 (June 2008).  Photography has always been a delight for us, and with each year we purchased new photography 'toys', and hopefully improved our techniques.  In the last few months we have been participating in photo forums and contests - further trying to improve.  Also we figured that some people aren't into reading - they just want to look at pretty pictures.  So this site is for them.  It's 95% photographs and 5% text.  We are posting one photograph or slide show per week and are trying to pick those photos that mean the most to us.

Finally we have the From the Galley BLOG.  This blog will "open" by the end of August 2008 (so be sure to check back if nothing is there yet).  Besides photography, KTs other obsession is food; anything at all related.  From farmer's markets to kitchen stores to cookbooks she can't get enough.  From the Galley will be all about cuisine, recipes, kitchen ('er galley) utensils & methods, and more. 

They only take things that can go to seed. So if they are ground you might be ok, if they are whole we know that Australia will take them (and likely NZ).

For the Marquesas, Tuamotus and the Society Islands you use the French flag. All the other islands have their own flag - so it just depends on where you are going.  We recommend going to Noonsite then scroll down to South Pacific Islands - you'll get a list of the islands and using that you can figure out where you might be going and which flags to get.  While you can purchase courtesy flags in many of the countries you will visit, it is cheaper to buy courtesy flags online before you depart.

The 2007 rally actually has 110 boats.. a little more than we would like but it'll be nice to travel with others. It'll be a combo of experienced ocean crossers and newbie Aussies.

We've been having mostly SE winds but the other day we had some SW and S winds (a low formed off the east coast.. kind of rare). We've had some GREAT spinnaker runs.. it's nice to have a sail that works well when the wind is aft of 130 degrees. The trip North has been good although we either get 25+ Knots or nothing.. Now that we are using the chute again we can sail 4+ knots in 8 knots of breeze!! We haven't seen any crocs yet but we should a little further north.

Funny, when we first started reading about cruising there was a lot of text dedicated to trash, and it wasn’t until then that it dawned on us what a huge deal it is! As it turns out it is very manageable. Some of this might seem obvious, but we’ll state it anyway …

First, whenever we bring new provisions onboard we try to eliminate most trash then and there. Almost all outer packaging goes – if the inner bags are not clearly labeled or see-through we just mark the contents with a magic marker. Rice, pasta, and other grains all go into Rubbermaid or click-clack containers. Besides reducing trash this also helps with bug control. Ugh bugs! Sorry if you weren’t ready for it, but bugs are about to become a big part of your life. Now I might be a little anal, because I HATE bugs, so you’ll have to figure out your own tolerance level and go from there. Bugs and their eggs (especially roaches) love cardboard – this is one of the reasons we remove all the packaging and get it off the boat asap. Rice, pasta, and grains are breeding grounds for weevils. By keeping these products in airtight sealed containers we do not have to worry about bugs escaping and contaminating all our stores should one batch sprout weevils. Also if bugs get aboard via another route then our food stores are protected from entry. More information on our preferred containers can be found here.

Back to the trash – when on passage we keep two bags of trash going, one “overboard” and one “on board”. In the beginning we were very against throwing any trash into the ocean that was not a food product. That ends when you arrive at your first small island and bring in your trash only to see it floating through the harbor a few hours later because their method of trash disposal is to dump it into the ocean!!! So, on passage we throw just about everything that is NOT PLASTIC overboard. We break all bottles and make sure cans have holes so that they’ll sink. Paper and cardboard (should there still be any) are torn into smaller pieces, making it easier for them to sink or disintegrate in the sun. Any trash that stays on board (everything plastic) we rinse out so that the trash doesn’t stink. Upon arriving at land we try to find the best dumping location – by best we mean the place we believe has the least chance of it ending up back in the ocean. On really small islands, where it is apparent they are not equipped to handle trash, we try to hold on to our trash until we get to a larger port. Also you should be aware that in the smaller islands, any trash you bring ashore will be picked through. If you have the room you can actually save glass jars and other types of containers, rinse them out, and take them in separately – you’ll be a big hit!

I use the hand-cranked washer all the time.  I’m a procrastinator when it comes to laundry. Ideally I’d do it weekly or maybe even twice a week, this would mean that I’d only have to do a little bit at a time. But in reality I wait until I’m out of underwear and the dirty clothes basket is bursting at the seams! Then I spend a few hours, or sometimes an entire morning, doing load after load.

As for the wash-whiz hand cranked “machine” – I love it.  The one we have is called "Mini Pressure Wash" by Innovations. Unfortunately I just did a web search and couldn't find them. They are also commonly known as "Wash Whiz".  I found the equivalent by "Wonderwash Mini Washing Machine".  I don't think the exact brand matters -- they are all pretty much identical. The key words when looking for one are "hand cranked pressure washer".  I really like ours, but I will tell you that they get mixed reviews out in the fleet ... mostly because they are made of plastic and there are a few weak points you have to be careful of to ensure it doesn't crack/break (such as the handle connection and part of the base).  Mine is holding together nicely, but sometimes I get the clothes "off balance" and I have to either rearrange things or take out a few items to get the machine turning right. I found one online chat where someone used to own a sturdy aluminum one ... not sure where you could get that, but it would be stronger than the plastic. The only other 'complaint' in the fleet about the machines is storing them ... we keep our empty beer bottles (we make our own beer) in ours, so storing isn't really an issue.  Try looking for one in second hand stores, especially if you are located near a marina.

Our first year cruising I did NOT have the crank machine so I have used both methods. One boat I know would do a bucket twice a week, and her method was to just throw some stuff in a bucket and let it soak for a few hours – every time she walked by she would agitate the clothes a bit. I think this too would work well (soaking does wonders), but I always have too much to do for that type of soaking time. A lot of places – even the smaller islands – have some type of laundry services. Many places it is very affordable, however there are a few locations where there is no way I’d pay that much to have my laundry done (like here in Turkey)! Before turning in laundry, try to get a review from a cruiser that may have already had theirs done. Sometimes they don’t do such a great job, ruining or losing clothes. Also be aware that sometimes they will scrub your clothes pretty violently, even using wire brushes, so this can do some damage or create nice little holes!

Usually I try to do most of our clothes, especially any ‘good’ clothes we might have, and save the services for bulky items like sweatshirts, sheets, towels and so on. Also some locations have fresh water springs, or water taps that you can use to do your laundry – it means lugging in the clothes, but it also means you can use more water without worrying about how full your tanks are. And one more thing, if you do go for a hand-cranked machine, it works by building up a pressure that pushes water & soap through the clothes. The pressure builds up better with warm or hot water (although they say cold is good to) – so I actually heat water in a kettle.

A couple of other laundry hints: when hanging your clothes, hang them inside out as the sun is brutal and fading occurs quickly; buy cold water laundry detergent and/or low-suds detergent; use a touch of fabric software for less wrinkles and a better smell. Finally we have Downey Wrinkle Release onboard – and love it … I’ve never seen it outside the States though.

We haven’t had any major issues to date (knock on wood). We are a bit anal when it comes to maintenance always keeping a sharp eye on things, which we believe helps keep problems down. Also we carry just about every known spare part- so many that some people called us “Billabong’s hardware” for a while.

Some things we have had to do: recharge our refrigerator (multiple times), replace a cracked back lower shroud (we carry one of each old stays so we had a replacement handy), take apart the dingy outboard carbonator multiple times (seems to be a common problem amongst all cruisers), clean out the scale from the head hose (about once a year).

I think you’ll find that eating habits vary with location & activity. The biggest difference is between passage eating and in-port (or anchorage) eating. Sometimes I try to pre-cook a few meals for passages, this makes life at sea that much easier. At sea I do want to make sure we are getting a some what full-balanced meal because that last thing I want is for us to get sick or be lethargic due to lack of nutrition. We also carry a large supply of quick-eat foods, like granola bars and dried fruits, as well as 2-minute noodles dishes and canned soup. This way if the weather gets bad we still have something we can eat.

When anchored we eat much like we did in the States (i.e. three meals a day). What we eat depends on our location. We love trying the local cuisines and will get adventurous in the markets (Chris will try just about anything once). Breakfast tends to be light & casual (cereal, fruits, yogurt, bread & cheese, granola bars, etc). Every once in awhile I’ll get motivated and make pancakes or muffins. For both passage & anchorage we LOVE the Bisquick Quick Packs, unfortunately we haven’t seen them outside the States. Easy muffin-mixes also work great. A lot of times I’ll try to make a big enough dinner to have leftovers for lunch the following day. Keep in mind that many of the locations you will be cruising are HOT – so you won’t want to run your stove/oven much. There are a few more "easy food" tips here.

Our first year we didn’t fish much, but once Chris got into our second year (and since) we fish ALL the time and LOVE it. There is nothing better than fresh fish – and even better yet it’s FREE!  Check out our fishing tips here.  Because I don’t like to cook much at sea, but do love fresh fish, one thing I do is try to carry tortillas or rotis (if I can’t find them in a store I make a batch before we set sail), then when Chris catches a fish all I have to do is chop up a fillet and cook it in a little butter (& garlic optional) and serve with the tortillas/roti and some sweet chili sauce (or lemon/lime, whatever). It’s easy, fast, and fantastic. If you buy ready-made curry paste and canned coconut milk, fish curry is also a fast and easy meal. For our first three years of cruising we didn’t have a freezer so we could only keep/catch what we could eat or share. Now that we have a freezer we fish even more and I like that I’ve got fish available while at anchor. Chris also fishes from the dinghy sometimes and a lot of cruisers spear fish.

I’ll be honest – it’s humid – real humid. Where do you currently live? I’m a dry-desert Arizona girl myself, but we had both lived in CA for about 14+ years before departing (not too humid in CA). Eventually you get a bit used to it, I think the two most humid places were the Marquesas Islands and some parts of Indonesia. Air-con would be nice but most (98%) boats don’t have one. Not sure about the maintenance or costs of having one (most likely it is not practical). Fans however are a MUST. You cannot have too many fans. Put them everywhere – especially in the galley and in your sleeping cabin. Also you’ll want a protected cockpit and probably even a boat awning. Finally you’ll want a way of getting air in when it’s raining, so some type of hatch covers block rain but allow air. See some additional tips here.

As for pirates and kidnappings, no we have never been seriously worried. While it is true that there has been cases of kidnappings and piracy the reality is that it is very uncommon. I don't know actual percentages or anything, but my GUESS would be you have a higher chance of being mugged, hurt, or murdered living in the States. That said, we do try to keep up with different "political situations" for various areas. Obviously on a boat, and disconnected, that can be hard to do, but rumors tend to get around and usually we feel aware of the situation. The only time we have seriously taken action "just in case" of piracy was when making the journey from Oman to Yemen and into the Red Sea. For this section of our trip we decided to travel in a group and hid a lot of our valuables. We never, never had a single problem or worry when in the South Pacific (we did try to stay aware of potential coups in Fiji however).

When you ask about personal safety - I'm assuming you are asking in the context of your question about piracy versus something like the boat sinking (gulp!)! With that in mind, first, as mentioned above we try to have some idea of political situations in places we are thinking about going. We try to distinguish between hyped news reports versus effects on cruisers/tourists. And we talk to other cruisers who have been before and/or who are going that year. In some locations I (KT here) do not walk alone, as a female I believe it's smart just to be safer (just as in some areas of the States). I base this on gut-feel when we arrive in an area. Onshore we follow the same principles as back home - based on location and environment we just try to be smart (i.e. in crowded "downtown" Tahiti we wouldn't walk down any dark alleys alone). What we have found is that the smaller islands are great - we are never worried and never even lock the boat. Bigger cities & countries are still fantastic, but we are more aware and do lock the boat when leaving it. Honestly we are usually more worried about stray dogs then people :) At sea, with exception of the Oman/Yemen area, we don't really "do" anything. Many fishing boats approach, but they are mostly just bored and checking us out - they might ask for cigarettes or something, but they are always nice. Our policy is that if someone wants to board or rob us, we will attempt to out run/maneuver them and call for help, but we do NOT carry weapons and we'll gladly be robbed over getting in a shoot out. We do carry pepper spray aboard, and our plan would be to use it if we thought we were in personal danger. It should be noted that guns are viewed poorly in most countries around the world - and it can be quite a hassle with customs/immigrations. But again, I want to reiterate that this has never been a concern for us. Most of the incidents we do know about are people's boats being robbed when they are away - and that is usually only of items lying out "in the open" (i.e. cockpit) that are easy to grab and run.

We have been continuously amazed by the friendliness and hospitality by the locals in EVERY country we have been too (ok, the Egyptians are a bit annoying, but that's a different story!). Noonsite has good up-to-date information on piracy.

We've tried regular table sugar, raw sugar, liquid corn sugar, powdered corn sugar, and malt extract. They all work, however we feel that a combination of malt extract with corn sugar gives the best flavor.

Good for quick wipe downs, like a shower in a box. We also use them for what they were designed for, adds a little bit of extra freshness. FYI Most cruisers have a little waste can for toilet paper so they don't have to flush it or clog their holding tank.

Yes

Both

Yes.  We took the basic First Aid course.  This was informative, but much of the course is focused on stabilization in order to dial 911.  Obviously, dialing 911 while cruising isn't usually an option.  So, in addition we had a good friend [ER doctor] of ours also give us some basic suturing lessons, and provided us with additional medical information based specifically on things that could happen on a boat/yacht.

We haven't yet sailed the Atlantic, but from other experiences, yes, you should be able to catch fish even in the deep water of the Atlantic. Middle of the ocean is where the fun Pelagic fish are (like tuna, wahoo, mahi mahi, marlin). You do NOT need fancy gear ... just some handlines & good snubbers. Run multiple lines. Check out our fishing tips section on Creative Cruising  Scroll through those categories - all the gear we talk about here are for the type of fishing you are asking about.

The easy answer is; we have a sailboat. If you want to get more complicated then there are four main characteristics that can describe what kind of sailboat a person has; Hull Type, Keel Type, Rig Type, and Maker.

The Hull is the main part of the boat, like the body of car, the hull is the boat’s body.  The hull can made of different material, such as Aluminum, Steel, or Fiberglass.  A boat can have one hull (know as monohull), two hulls (known as a catamaran), or three hulls (known as a trimaran)!    Billabong has a fiberglass monohull.  The two left photos below show examples of a catamaran & monohull, click to enlarge.

                                                 

The Keel is underwater (right photo above), at the bottom of the boat.  The keel provides resistance against the water; allowing the boat to move forward while keep it stable (basically it helps keep the boat from flipping over in strong winds!).  There are different shapes and sizes of keels (their official names are: Long/Fall Keel, Fin Keel and Bilge Keel).  Billabong is known as a Fin Keel.  (Click on picture above to enlarge)

The Rig is characterized by the number of masts (those poles that stick up from the boat), and the sails the boat carries.  There are actually quite a few different names and combinations, which can make remembering all the different types quite difficult.  I’ll just give you the basics on three of the more common types:  A sloop rig is the simplest and most common rig.  It has one mast and two sails.  A cutter rig has one mast and potential for three sails.  The cutter rig is very common among the cruising community.  A ketch has two masts (although there are other types of two-masted boats the ketch is the most common).  Billabong is a cutter rig. Examples shown below (click to enlarge):

                               

The maker is pretty easy, it’s like a brand name (just like Gap and Guess are brand names for clothing).  Billabong is a French built Gybsea (Gybsea is the ‘brand’).

Yes, we do have a motor, but we are not considered a motorboat. Billabong is a sailing vessel (or sailboat). We typically use our motor in anchorages and when there is too little wind to sail. There are sailboats without motors, but it is not very common. In the old days motors were considered a luxury, now-a-days they are standard equipment!

Our boat does not have bunk beds. On boats we call bedrooms cabins (or if it is a really fancy boat they might be called staterooms). We have three cabins, each with a single mattress that can sleep two people. Cabins are not nearly as big as bedrooms back home, basically there is only room for the bed and nothing else!

We actually have THREE computers on board! We probably don’t need this many, but it is just the way it worked out. We use one computer for navigation software. The second computer is for storing pictures, videos, and other fun stuff like the website. The third computer is really just a backup, but we use it to write journals, emails, and answer things like these questions. The third computer is not as nice as our second, but it does not take as much power and therefore tends to get more use.

We do have a TV, but it is most likely not like what you have in your home. We have a very small, flat screen that connects to our DVD player so we can watch movies. We do not have Cable TV (so we can only watch DVD movies like you would get at Blockbuster, not typical TV shows or cartoons).

We LOVE to play games, so we came prepared. Here is just a sampling of what we have; Uno, Yahtzee, Cranium, Cards, Scrabble, Kuuduk (card game), Connect Four, Battleship, Boggle, Skipbo (card game), Mind Trap, Crossword Puzzles, Dominoes, Chess, Batgamon, Tantrix, Hoopla, Rummy Kin, and Sequence!!! In addition we have a couple of books with mind teasers and other brain challenging games.

K.T. stands for Kelly Tara (my first and middle name). KT became my nickname when I was about two years old, and it seems to have stuck because I have used it ever since!

Chris turned 37 in January, and I just turned 30 in April (2004)!

We started living on Billabong around January 2003. This is the first time I have lived on a boat, but Chris lived on a [different] boat a few years ago so he has quite a bit more experience at it then I do.

When we are anchored sleeping is easy. We usually go to bed pretty early (by 9 or 10pm). When we are underway (sailing), then we must sleep at different times so that one person is always awake and watching out to make sure we stay on course and don’t hit anything! In this case we take sleeping shifts starting at 8pm and going until 8am. We trade every 3 hours. First you have to get used to having a smaller bed, but once you get through that it is very comfortable. At anchor we usually can’t even tell we are on water. At sea the boat can rock quite a bit, so it can be tough to get comfortable (imagine if your bed always moved side to side). We use a lot of pillows to help keep us from falling out of bed!

Since I am very used to having a grocery store "down the street" I did a bit of research before stocking up. I read that one should plan to have enough food for a conservative expected number of days at sea, plus twenty percent, plus a 30-day emergency supply. We were estimating 25 days for our crossing, add on to that an additional 20% (another five days), plus another 30 = a total of 60 days worth of food (per person). To this day I'm not sure how one decides how much food is necessary for a certain amount of days, without making some sort of "meal plan". This sounded like too much work for me, so I resorted to just filling every unoccupied space aboard to the brim with food! From my reading I also found suggestions for how much oil, peanut butter, flour, sugar, canned foods, etc one should carry ... most of these quantities tended to work quite well for us.

I did most of our shopping in the US prior to our departure for Mexico. Just before leaving Mexico we went on another shopping splurge until Billabong was practically bursting at the seams. The hardest thing to store and keep for the passage was fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats. I made wild assumptions on the quantities we could/would eat before things went bad. All in all, I did an okay job, we threw very little out.

What I have learned since our crossing is that it is not actually the food for the crossing that was an issue, but rather getting by afterwards with minimal markets and stores. Throughout the South Pacific Islands it has been difficult (if not impossible) to find many of our favorite foods. Next time I will take more of the foods we love, or are extremely picky about (like KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese, KRAFT Real Mayo, SKIPPY peanut butter, & STARBUCKS coffee), and less of the more basic foods (like sugar, flour, canned tomatoes, etc).

As for what we ate on the crossing ... the first week or two we had enough fresh veggies, and fresh meats to make "normal" meals (like chicken or BBQ pork sandwiches, spaghetti, lasagna, salads, BLTs, etc). After the fresh foods ran out we were left with our canned goods. Prior to leaving the states I had ordered canned meats (online) -- these turned out to be fantastic! We tended to eat a lot of pasta dishes; they were filling, tasted good, and easy to make underway.

We have a water maker that takes salt water from the Ocean and turns it into fresh water that we can drink.

This is probably one of KT's favorite questions, because she feels it so accurately describes what the ocean be like; mad.  When the waves get angry it can get a bit scary aboard Billabong.  We move around a lot, and waves break into the boat - usually getting us quite wet, and it is really loud (both the ocean & the wind).  It is not enjoyable at all.  The good news is that we have a great boat, and we feel confident that she can make it through just about anything.