Magic Dragon -making memories
Passing the Daintree National Park in Australia
Who is on the boat?
Jane, Rod and 3 children 11, 6 & 6 ( 9, 4 & 4 when we left)
How long have you been living on a sailboat while travelling?
2.5 yrs so far with another 1.5 yrs to go…
What were you doing before you moved aboard?
Rod owned and ran his own business which we sold and I worked as a self employed lawyer.
Motivation: What inspired you to embark on a sailing adventure?
Rod was inspired by reading the books of Eric and Susan Hiscock, Francis Chichester, Robin Knox Johnston, Moitessier. Jane by Icebird
Any unforgettable destinations / moments you have been to or experienced?
Scilly Isles, Marquesas, Tuamotus, Fiji - but more important than the destination is the people and the memorable times you have together whether that be locals or fellow cruisers.
Is there a typical day for your family on a sailboat?
9am (ish) start school, twins finish about 1.5hrs later, coffee break, older daughter continues to study most of the morning whilst twins play and we do boat jobs (or may go snorkeling or on shore side expedition). Lunch then mid afternoon usually head to beach for a swim/play/snorkel. Back aboard for evening routine around 5/6pm. Children to bed around 8 and then we will relax in cockpit .
Playing with friends in Vanuatu
How do you handle education for your child?
With difficulty! Definitely the hardest part of cruising as a family but find you have good periods where school is fairly successful and others where it’s more akin to bashing your head against a brick wall, repeatedly, every day. We use UK CGP workbooks and have found them pretty decent. They follow the UK curriculum which we need given the children will return to school at the end of the four years. Loads of educational opportunities everywhere we go so try and take advantage of them wherever possible but find it important to keep up with the basics (English, maths etc) through the workbooks.
What were the biggest challenges you find about this lifestyle?
Homeschooling and always saying goodbye to people and friends that we have left. We haven’t cruised with one set group of boats which means we meet a lot more people but the disadvantage is that we have to say goodbye a lot which the children especially can find hard.
‘Sailing ‘ our paddle board in Lombok, Indonesia
Has this lifestyle helped you grow and learn?
Yes beyond belief.
How do you connect with others while sailing?
FaceTime has been incredible for helping my parents feel involved and for staying in touch. Also WhatsApp has been brilliant both for staying in touch with cruisers and also those at home. Starlink really has made a positive difference in enabling this.
Do you have any memorable cultural experiences?
Sending the children to a predominantly Māori school in New Zealand, octopus hunting with the locals in Fulaga, Fiji, children playing for hours with local children in Makemo, French Polynesia and Kai Cecil, Indonesia.
The annual community food pop up restaurants in the Marquesas serving the most incredible home cooked food and the beautiful Fijian singing.
The Spice Islands in Indonesia
What items would you not go without ?
A large drum washing machine (you don't need to have a generator to power it - we don't and run a 10.5kg machine regularly off batteries), a decent watermaker and a decent sized tender which will plane with full crew and provisions.
We got rid of our generator which broke and now have an extensive green energy kit (solar, wind and hydro) but not convinced that it's been worth the money.
What Lies Ahead: Do you have future plans or new destinations in mind?
We are currently in Indonesia and want to close the loop... so we are looking forward to Chagos, Madagascar, South Africa, St Helena and Ascension Islands, Caribbean again followed by US east coast, Canada, Greenland, Iceland and the Uk if all goes to plan.
Do you have a heartfelt message or piece of wisdom/advice for people looking to embark on similar adventures?
Don't be scared of a bigger boat - a good one will shrink around you. When considering your type of boat plan for the worst conditions and hope for the best... whilst you spend the majority of your time at anchor and so it is tempting to go for a boat which works best for socialising, the riskiest times are when you're on passage. If you're planning on blue water sailing you need to have confidence that your boat is well found and will carry you all around safely.
If sailing with children or nervous crew, take it very easy to start with and adapt over the months as everyone gains confidence. We left our spinnaker at home and took an extra pair of experienced hands for the first few offshore passages. We have met a number of boats which have had to drastically alter their cruising plans due to children or crew members being too scared to go. Those first few passages are utterly crucial to the overall confidence levels on board.
Before we left we were very suspicious of our In Mast furling. However, it is one of the best things we could have had. It means we always have the right amount of sail out at the right time with just the push of a button. It is probably the biggest reason that we can successfully sail long distances as a family with only two adults. We are able to reef safely downwind singlehanded and thus able to avoid turning the boat into big seas or waking the off watch crew. It's also meant our passages have been as fast (or faster) as those carrying and using a greater array of sails.
You may not usually be a sailing rally type of person but if you have children it is an invaluable way for them to make friends at the beginning of your trip.
Stop saying you would like to do it and book in a date to leave. Whilst you may not make the precise date due to weather, without it you may never leave.
