23 COMMENTS

A Life at Sea

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St. Francis 50 – Guinevere

I just spent a week aboard the sister ship to my future catamaran. This was hull #18 of the St. Francis 50 line. I helped sail the boat to the Miami Boat Show a few weeks ago, where I put a deposit down on hull #19. The next day, a lovely couple purchased Guinevere, the boat I helped deliver. The owner then invited me back to the Bahamas to spend a week on the boat, discussing its systems and plans.

I will take delivery of hull #19, Wayfinder, in July. We will sail it from South Africa to the U.S., and I’ll live permanently aboard. I’ll have a separate blog to detail the build process and travels. There will be some changes to this website to aid in navigation and to reflect a near future of far more writing, less blogging about books, and more blogging about life. It’s amazing that I have found something even less exciting to write about than the book trade, but I have.

www.the-wayfinder.com

 

23 responses to “A Life at Sea”

  1. Niels Avatar
    Niels

    Excited for you.

    Reply
  2. David Allen Kimmel Avatar
    David Allen Kimmel

    Congrats – and well deserved!

    Reply
  3. Michael Blackbourn Avatar
    Michael Blackbourn

    Amazing! Congrats on living the dream.

    Be careful to not run over any Seelies on your travels. I finally finished my kids book about tiny people living in the shoreline. :) I should include a tribe o them living aboard a catamaran.

    Reply
  4. gregm Avatar
    gregm

    Bit of a beat going north from SA but you probably already knew that. Other than that pretty boring trip across the sea. Spent days in the doldrums on my trip in a 41′ back in 82.

    Reply
    1. Hugh C. Howey Avatar
      Hugh C. Howey

      Should be downwind the whole way. Bit on the beam after the doldrums.

      Reply
  5. conradg Avatar
    conradg

    Living the dream

    Reply
  6. Robert L. Slater Avatar
    Robert L. Slater

    Hugh,
    “some changes to this website to aid in navigation” Pun intended? Congrats. Always wanted a cat myself. She’s lovely. And Wayfinder was the chosen name of a fantasy character I wrote! Cheers.
    Rob

    Reply
  7. Sandi Caldwell Avatar
    Sandi Caldwell

    A well deserved ‘Congratulations !’ and many, many thanks for all the encouraging help you’ve given to the rest of us ! When we follow our dreams we can achieve our goals . . . into the ‘ever after’. Thanks & all the best !

    Reply
  8. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    Brilliant. Everyone’s “made it” is different, glad to hear you’ve achieved yours.

    Reply
  9. Jordan Rivet Avatar
    Jordan Rivet

    She’s beautiful! Can’t wait to hear about your adventures on Wayfinder.

    Reply
  10. T. M. Bilderback Avatar
    T. M. Bilderback

    Hugh,

    I’m so happy for you, and I’m excited that you’re living your dream! Congratulations!

    Michael

    Reply
  11. Scott Means Avatar
    Scott Means

    I’m intersted that you’re going with a cat. I’m planning to head out in three years or so to liveaboard/circumnavigate. I’ve always heard people say they prefer monohulls for crossings, but I know the cats are great for room, etc. Are you worried about heavy weather with your cat?

    Reply
    1. Hugh C. Howey Avatar
      Hugh C. Howey

      I’m worried about heavy weather in any boat.

      Reply
      1. Besco Avatar
        Besco

        Amen.

        Reply
  12. Vincent Avatar
    Vincent

    Sounds wonderful. Congrats! :)

    Reply
  13. John Kim Avatar
    John Kim

    Hi Mr. Howey
    My name is John Kim, and I’m a aspiring writer.
    I’m very sorry but can you do me a favor?
    I really need a mentor…. so would you please read my short novel and be my mentor?

    ps. I’m very sorry about to ask you like this. I hope you don’t feel this is so rude.

    Reply
  14. D.L. Shutter Avatar
    D.L. Shutter

    Beautiful pic. I love that rainbows seem to follow Hugh everywhere he goes. ;)

    Reply
  15. Ronald Avatar
    Ronald

    Far out, Hugh! Far out. I’m like so looking forward to reading about your experiences…

    Reply
  16. Clara Bush Avatar
    Clara Bush

    How fun! And what an adventure. Like your other followers, I can’t wait to read all about it. Thank you for the inspiration in writing, as well as in life.

    Reply
  17. Michael C. Grumley Avatar
    Michael C. Grumley

    Hi, Hugh. I was very interested to read this post. Right on. It seems you and I have very similar dreams on this front, particularly with the catamarans. Once you go cat, you never go back. ;) I love the idea of being able to write from a sailboat, but the big question you haven’t answered yet…is where you think you’ll be cruising or hanging out?

    Michael

    Reply
  18. Struggling Author Avatar
    Struggling Author

    Nice of you to show off your material wealth to the less fortunate hugh. While most writers cannot earn enough to buy a cup of coffee. Materialism is alive and well in the US of A.

    Reply
    1. Hugh C. Howey Avatar
      Hugh C. Howey

      I lived in a 750 square foot house for 5 years, and then a 900 square foot house for 3 years to be able to afford to do this. Once I’m on the boat, I’ll generate my own power, make my own water, live at anchor for free, and have yearly living expenses below $30,000. I won’t own a car. My carbon footprint will be close to zero.

      My previous boat, which I lived on for 5 years off the grid, cost me $10,000.

      Frugality is alive and well. So is misplaced bitterness, it seems.

      Reply
  19. Carolyn Avatar
    Carolyn

    Struggling, this is simple – it’s not about you. And that’s some heck of a broad definition of ‘less fortunate’…anyone that can’t buy a catamaran and cast off. Perhaps check your own materialism.

    Reply

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