49 Days Across the North Pacific

Garth Wilcox and Wendy Hinman of the Port Ludlow, WA-based Wylie 31 Velella completed a cold 49-day passage from Yokohama to Vancouver Island in early September. It marked the end of their seven years of cruising that began with the ’00 Baja Ha-Ha, included two seasons in New Zealand, and cruising to the less visited parts of Asia. In something of a surprise, Wilcox said that Japan was by far his favorite country, while the Philippines was at the bottom of the list. The Japanese were just so friendly, while the Filipinos all seemed to be trying to scam them.

Garth and Wendy managed to cruise all these years on the $1,200/month rental income from their house. Toward the end they began to run a little short. "If we just had $300 more a month, we would have had all the money we needed," says Garth. What do you do after seven years of cruising? Garth, a naval architect, wants to spend the next three years building a light and fast 40-ft sloop with a free-standing mast, large main and small jib, and get back out there. As for Wendy, she never wanted to come back. Their next cruising destination? It’s likely to be Europe, as they’ve seen enough palm trees, beaches and Third World countries. In addition, Garth says he’d "like to use his mind more and have more mental stimulation during his next cruise."

By the way, if anybody needs any super-experienced crew and wouldn’t mind springing for a couple of plane tickets, Garth and Wendy, who are freezing back in the Pacific Northwest, might be tempted to crew on the Ha-Ha. More in the November 1 Latitude 38.