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 1976 - PLAN My plans are to sail around the world with persons interested in sharing the expenses. I know that few people are able to take three years off for a circumnavigation of the world therefore I am making it possible for people to join the Merry Maiden for as short a time as three months.
The Merry Maiden is a fine vessel, designed by Rhodes, built of Mahogany planking on oak frames with teak decks. She is a center-cockpit ketch with 8 berths, 13'3" beam, 7' draft, and is 60' l.o.a. She has proven herself, in 22 years of racing, and in over 40,000 miles of family cruising, to be a most comfortable and seaworthy craft. Your host and skipper, Seaton, 22, returned in July 1975 from a six year round the world voyage with his family on the Merry Maiden. During that time he came to know many places and people, became thoroughly familiar with the boat, and learned many arts of seamanship through practice - for example, an estimated 2,400 hours behind the wheel! Life on board will be comfortable but not luxurious. Simplicity makes for greater independence and a more reasonable cost. I am assuming that $500 per person/month will cover operation and maintenance of the boat, all meals on board, insurance, harbor fees and incidentals. Additional allowance should be made for personal expenses such as car rentals, meals ashore if desired, camera film, tobacco (consumed on deck only, please), alcohol (in port only), etc. The course we take and the time we spend at the different anchorages will be flexible and may be altered if enough people are interested. The most important factor is arriving at the major ports by the end of a three-month period. Here is a tentative itinerary, with each line representing three months:
U.S. East Coast, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Selection of shipmates will be at the discretion of the skipper, who will make every effort to bring together people who will be congenial. |