Almost ready to cast off...

Peggy's Post:  I think our friends are a bit confused about what we are planning to do (going sailing to Mexico for 8 months) and why (for the adventure).  Our youngest daughter Kelly is going to college next week and Jay and I are leaving to begin another round of education as well.  I'm sure we will both have stories to share when we get together at Christmas. Our children are very supportive and remember the fun we had 13 years ago when we took our 4 youngest kids sailing for 6 months from Texas to the Bahamas.

Sunday was a very emotional day.  At church we said goodbye to our friends who have become like family over the past 11 years.  But as I told everyone... I have a hard time saying 'goodbye' so instead I just say 'see you next year'.

We have been seriously sorting through everything we think we might need for the next 8 months on the boat but it is a fine balancing act because our sailboat "Little Lara" is so small, only 24 feet, and she doesn't have much storage space. About her name... we aren't sure why the original owners chose her name, but we figure she wouldn't want us to change it, so we won't.  Many people have told us that they worry about us being out in the ocean on a little boat, but we have sailed her offshore in some pretty nasty weather, and seas and trust her to keep us safe.  But we appreciate all of your prayers!

Jay's Post: Many of you have asked about "Little Lara" so I thought I would begin my post by describing her.  Statistically Little Lara is 27' 3" long over all, but, as Peggy pointed out, she is 24' 2" long on deck. She is 8' 7" at the widest point and has a draft of 3' 10".  She weights 8,000 lbs empty, but with equipment, gear and provisions probably weights closer to 9,000 lbs.  She is 37' 4" tall, has an 18 hp diesel engine, carries 40 gallons of water and 18 gallons of fuel.  She was designed by W.I.B. (Bill) Crealock and build by Pacific Seacraft Yachts in Dana Point, California.  With a full load of water and fuel we estimate we can travel for 30 days or 300 miles motoring before we need to go into a marina.  However, as a sailboat, our only true  limitations is food, water and wind.  Thus, to be safe, we will carry an additional five gallons of water and fuel in jerry cans stored in a cockpit locker.

Little Lara was built as a sloop rigged sailboat -- that means she has two sails: a JIB or head sail and a Main Sail.  Her sails are simple, easily maintained, and designed for short-handed sailing. Yet, her sailing rig was designed and built for strength, durability and reliability. Her hull sports a long keel with a cutaway forefoot, which gives her directional stability (i.e. she travels straight through the water).  Her displacement-to-ballast ratio provides speed, stability and sea kindliness (i.e. she is fast and comfortable). Her theoretical hull speed is six knots (about seven mph), however, she sails on average about four knots per hour -- about as fast as you can walk comfortably around Redding's Clover Creek Preserve!  To put this into perspective, if we were to sail non-stop for a 24 hour period, we would expect to travel about 100 miles.

Little Lara is described by the builders as spacious, comfortable and well designed.  She was built to endure! Recently we had a San Francisco boatyard look her over to identify any weaknesses in the hull, rigging, engine, or sails.

After spending most of the day going through her from stem to stern, they were unable to find one major flaw.  Overall, everyone who came on board was very impressed with our little boat.  Little Lara is ready to go and so are we.

Hopefully you will come along with us for the ride... even if it is vicariously.  Here's wishing you fair winds and a following sea,
Jay & Peggy