My next chapter:
A sailing adventure…
Fix a broken catamaran
Mentor and motivate in the process
Go sailing together
I turned 60 the other day. It was a bit of a shock to estimate how many good summers I might have left in me! A few of my generation have already headed off to take a dirt nap, which got me thinking about my own mortality. After all, my dear Mum met her maker at a youthful 51, (melanoma), and Dad, rest his soul, bought the farm at 72, (cancer). I’m aiming to live longer on this earthly orb than my parents, but none of us know what will ultimately send us off pining for the Fjords. Best I spend my precious remaining moments wisely to avoid any deathbed regrets.
Conclusion.. Steve, go find something really worthwhile to do. Use these guidelines:
“Life truly begins at the edge of my comfort zone”
What would motivate me in the same way that other great role models are motivated? (Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Steve [Crickey!] Irwin, etc)
Tick these boxes:
Contribution to my “world”
Genuinely fun and satisfying
Uses as many of my unique set skills and abilities
What would you regret later if you didn’t do it while you’re able to?
Supports my values and purpose
Experiencing different cultures
Minimising fossil fuel usage
Connects with nature
Connects with humans
I reckon it’s time to go sailing!
For a few years now I’ve been dabbling in sailing. My fascination with wind-power started as a kid, making my own kites, then windsurfing as a teen, then kitesurfing, then our PeterLynn Kite-buggy World-record crossing of the Sahara desert, and in the last decade I’ve raced my Noelex25 at club level. I’ve also crewed in a race around Tasmania, and a pacific passage to Fiji.
It excites me that wind power relies less on fossil fuel and any innovations we can make in that direction are good for our planet. With the exponential technology “explosion” and our attendant disconnection from nature, sailing can be very satisfying at a gut level to reconnect with what’s happening with the weather and the natural world. A sailor needs to “feel” instinctively the changes in the weather. Also minimise fresh water and power consumption, to maximise solar, to be more and more “at one” with nature. Moffatt and I learned this lesson well when we climbed Aoraki /Mt Cook recreating the first attempt from 1889. Moffatt’s close call with frostbite made us very aware of the naivety we modern-day explorers risk with our new technology. https://www.stevegurney.co.nz/post/moffatt-gurney-s-mountain-adventure-now-on-youtube The adventurers of old absolutely needed to be “at one” with their surroundings, as so too do we modern day explorers! I absolutely do not want to rely the false security of electronics, PLBs and rescue for my safety!
My sailing vision
So I’m sharing my vision, my ideas for a new adventure. I can’t do this on my own and nor do I want to… I want to share and contribute. I’m open to other ideas, variations, let’s see what comes back as feedback. Here’s what I’m thinking:
I’ve been inspired for 4 years now by Colin MacRae with Parlay Revival as he and some friends revive a wrecked catamaran https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFRdpIr5aJU
I would like to do something similar. As a trained mechanical engineer and handyman, I have the skills to be able to thoroughly repair a broken boat, (and to know when I need help).
I’ve not got enough money to buy a “good”, sea-worthy catamaran, but have saved hard to have enought tin to fix up a broken one like Colin did. The trick has been to find a broken one at an affordable price. I’ve been to 3 insurance auctions but wasn’t successful … yet!
Opportunity to give back
I have a vision to make this a mentoring opportunity somehow.
There will be a lot of hard work with an end reward of a sailing adventure. This is also an opportunity to mentor some less privileged folks, teens and adults who would benefit from being given some direction, guidance and a hand up to achieve some goals in life. If I can navigate a way through the red-tape of regulations I’d like to invite a few people to be a part of this. I’m still figuring out how to do this, so any solid advice welcome.
Summary:
· I’m selling off some of my sporting stuff to add to the funds to buy a boat
· Anyone know of a suitable broken Catamaran that needs some love and attention?
· I’m interested in hearing any feedback
· I’ll need partners/sponsors.
· Planning to create some sort of channel to share the journey and motivate others