Happy new Year to all of you out there from your Amigos Debbie and Jeff S/V Sailors run!!
First let me say the weather here in Mexico is typically “spectacular? as always. Every where I have been has seemed relatively safe. The one exception being the coved that seems to be about as common as the common cold and appears to be just slightly more dangerous. My perspective is that everyone is going to get it and some more than once but it appears to have weakened in severity and life marches on at least here in Mexico.
I find my self pretty much marching in place surveying the battle field for the next big “2027” adventure, once again around the world solo aboard the old war-horse Sailors Run. Can we do it as we will both be 10-years older me at 81 and Sailors Run a mere 47-years of age.
I had recently sailed south to Santiago bay several weeks ago and upon my return to Barra while lifting the dowsed main off the deck to tie it on the boom I was alarmed to hear the sound of tearing sail cloth. A closer look at the sail revealed two 10-inch rips in the sail. I had anticipated in sailing in this years “Flamingo Regatta” during sail fest here in Barra, but the hour spent patching the main convinced me otherwise. yes its time to replace the sails on Sailors Run. I have been reluctant to do it because I don’t want to get them to far in advance of the “Global Challenge 2027”. Oh yes and then there is this new enemy called inflation that is trying to steal my dream of being the oldest person in the world to have sailed solo non-stop unassisted around the world. Well fear not because behind the mighty Sailors Run stands thousands of my fellow sailors that I’m sure will want to help make this happen and as usual the Jefe’ has an idea.
I was going to wait until summer to put this out there but I just can’t keep my thoughts to myself, “dam it”. There are details to be worked out and if you were and early contributor to help make this one last great dream come true “fear not” as you will be credited and counted in.
OK here is the “Deal” Debbie and I are going to raffle off the Sailors Run. The way it works is each 100 dollars that you contribute to the Sailors Run 2027 Global Challenge you will receive a raffle ticket. There will be 2000 tickets max available. You might ask are there risks and I can assure you there are and I take the biggest ones. Your risk is the boat never returns and is lost at sea along the way, pretty much ending the raffle. I plan to return as I have made a similar voyage before and know what needs to be done to the Sailors Run to be ready. This will take about 50,000 dollars just to hit the starting line on the Straits of Juan De Fuca. Of course for me I could loose my life and there is the possibility that I don’t sell but half the tickets meaning that I virtually give away the Sailors Run. The raffle will happen within 3-days of my return and there will be a new owner of Sailors Run. Yes this will be a very emotional time for me as it should be, but know body sails forever and I have lived my dreams and it will be best I quit a winner at 82- years of age.
Now as you can well imagine I need to consult a lawyer to make sure all things are in order and this can actually happen as I have dreamed it can.
Love you all the Jefe’