So there I was, having just purchased my first boat, a Columbia 26 mk II, knowing very little about boats beyond the fact that they offered a certain freedom I had never experienced on land. Although I was thrilled to be on the water, I quickly learned that this boat was not going to suit my needs for offshore cruising or living aboard comfortably (the mk I may have been better suited). We love the Pardey school of thought (go small go now) but believe it should be a stout small boat with enough water, food and fuel storage to sustain its crew for extended periods of time offshore. I soon came to learn the importance of these features and that my Columbia 26 mk II did not possess them. After some medical issues that left me believing I may not have long to live (a long story for another time), my plans for circumnavigation and a life of simplicity were kicked into high gear. I sold my car and everything I could. At the time, I was unable to find a suitable pocket cruiser in my price range, so I bought a Newport 28, a very capable coastal cruiser, with the hopes of modifying her for long distance cruising.

Newport 28’s small but functional galley.

I encourage anyone interested in getting on the water/cruising to take their time researching boats before making a purchase. Boats aren’t easy to sell and you can avoid a lot of headache by purchasing the right one the first time. That being said, ALL boats have trade offs and there is no such thing as a perfect boat. You have to really examine the give and take of each design and choose what works best for you personally. We will get into choosing boats in a later post with some better explanations of what we did and didn’t like about a few of the designs we’ve owned and thought seriously about buying. For now, let’s stay on topic. The Newport 28 sailed beautifully, turned on a dime with its fin keel/spade rudder and made me fall in love with sailing more than ever. It was during this time that I met Indigo.

Indigo enjoying the downtown Portland waterfront from the cockpit of the Newport.

She had been living in Portland for about a year and had reached a point of restlessness I was all too familiar with. Having sailed only twice in her life, the idea of living on a boat was not something that she had ever viewed as a possibility before meeting me. She grew up between Northern California and Hawaii and had spent a few scattered months backpacking around Costa Rica, Indonesia and New Zealand. Spending much of her childhood swimming in the ocean and recently getting into scuba diving, a life on the water was easy to embrace. She moved out of her apartment, sold most of her belongings and was soon living aboard with me. I equipped the Newport with solar panels, a few away-from-dock comforts and we left my slip on Hayden island to spend time in public moorings and anchored on the Willamette. The following months were filled with mishaps as we got the hang of anchoring, dealt with various engine failures and much more. These adventures would soon lead to yet ANOTHER new boat and the addition of our smallest, furriest crew member, Marina. To read more about our progress, stay on the lookout for Fair Winds Ahead!