Meeting Robert Perry

On Friday night I attended a talk organized by the Puget Sound Cruising Cub, given by the legendary yacht architect, Robert Perry - at the North Seattle Community College.

It was on an Islander 32 (one of his designs) that I took my first long distance voyage in 2004.

After the talk, I had a chance to have a quick chat and mentioned that I had previously owned one of his designs, and was able to express my deep appreciation for his work with: "I just wanted to thank you" - and shook his hand.

After the talk, a group gathered at Razzis Pizzeria - and I had the pleasure of meeting Wendy Hinman, the author of Tightwads on the Loose...

From the Amazon description of her book: Everyone dreams of tropical escape. But what happens when you escape for too long? Imagine spending 24 hours a day with your spouse in 31 not-so-square feet . . . for years; crossing the Pacific Ocean on two gallons of fuel; and tossing spaghetti marinara around your living room, then cleaning it up while bouncing like ice in a martini shaker. Tightwads on the Loose tells the story of Wendy and Garth, lured to sea by the promise of adventure. They buy a 31-foot boat that fits their budget better than it fits Garth's large frame and set sail for an open-ended voyage, never imagining they'd be gone seven years, or cover 34,000 miles at the pace of a fast walk. They live without most “necessities” and learn that teamwork and a sense of humor matter most as they face endless "character-building opportunities." They make a long-anticipated visit to the island where Garth had been shipwrecked as a teenager, only to find it had become a penal colony. An electronic catastrophe in the Solomon Islands leaves them without navigation equipment, which forces them to trade their free-wheeling lifestyle for one that seems straight out of a '60s sitcom: jobs at a U.S. Army base in the Marshall Islands. In Asia, they dodge typhoons and ships that threaten to turn their home into kindling. Finally they endure a grueling 49-day nonstop ocean crossing. None of this prepares them for their arrival "home" to a post-9/11 America which leaves them wondering what had changed more, them or the world. Tightwads on the Loose offers a fun read to the armchair adventurer -- or anyone afflicted with wanderlust."

Wendy mentioned that she and her husband are building a boat for their next sailing adventure - using cold-molded techniques.

What a great way to end the week, in fellowship with fellow sailors.