S/V Passage - Refitting a Classic (& Building Our Skills) Before Cutting the Docklines

We weren't kidding when we said in the last blog post that March would be full of big news...as you may have guessed from the photo, our crew is officially expanding to three! Baby Cole should be joining us around September 2, 2012...just in time to help us winterize Passage! In case you're wondering, this does not change our ultimate plan to cut the docklines and take a break from the US rat race culture. We've gotten some questions about this and will take a few moments to address them en masse:

Q: Where will s/he sleep?
A: In the pilot berth in the main salon. We are planning curtains/lee cloths/etc to make it a more private space to relax and nap, so it'll be the perfect spot for our little pumpkin!

Q: You promised I could sleep in the pilot berth when I visit you in exotic places. Where will I sleep?
A: On the settee! It pulls out to a double bed, so you'll be rooming with Baby Cole but it'll work out.

Q: Won't your kid be weird because there aren't other kids to socialize with?
A: If weird means that our kid will see and experience things most adults can only dream of, then yup a total weirdo! There are actually an increasing number of families taking this same type of plunge, and we will make the most of enjoying time with other "kid boats". There might be stretches of time where it's all family lovin' but that doesn't mean our kid will be a-social...it just means s/he'll have an active family AND social life to balance.

Q: What about school?
A: We'll homeschool...well, boatschool anyway. There'll be so much to learn about science, language, and history just through the places we visit that boatschooling will actually be fun...we hope! With chart plotting and wind direction, there'll even be opportunities for real-world math application down the road. Our biggest worry will be writing and penmanship...it can be difficult to write neatly when the boat is surfing the waves! If we stop somewhere for an extended period to work and rebuild the cruising kitty, then s/he will go to the local school for a while...a good cultural immersion experience, too.

Q: Aren't you leaving soon? How are you going to change diapers on a boat?
A: The plan is still to head out in June-ish 2015...with an almost 3-year-old, hopefully potty training will be off the checklist by then!

Q: What about storms? Isn't this is too dangerous to do to a kid?
A: Statistically, sailing a boat is much safer than flying in an airplane or even driving down the highway. By boating smartly and not taking unnecessary risks we can avoid the worst of stormy weather. A little rain won't hurt.

Q: But what about drowning? S/he could fall off the boat!
A: Yes...or off the playground monkey bars or out of the crib. Kids have accidents. It happens. We already have a variety of life jacket sizes, and safety netting on the lifelines...as long as we teach Baby Cole to swim early on and enforce safety protocols, being on a sailboat is really no more dangerous than going to daycare...it's actually MUCH safer.

Q: Has anyone told you that you're totally nuts?
A: Yup. And maybe we are...but both of us lost the urge to achieve stereotypical American goals a long time ago. We want to live our lives our way...it's too short for regrets.