Fate. Romance. Timing. The meaning in my life. I bought Pax because all these factors came together. I had the money, a supportive partner, a land life that fit well with owning a wooden boat and the hull was the most beautiful I'd ever seen. Of course, the suck of money out of my bank account happened quickly and ruthlessly and of course, the work involved to fix her took twice as long and twice as much money as I expected. Lessons many have forewarned and experiences I still wouldn't trade. For years I've looked at boats like this. A man on Kauai tried to give me a spidsgatter in 1992, but thankfully, I recognized my inability to afford or safely own it at that time. In 2001, I almost bought a sunken Folkboat in Honolulu harbor at the end of the circumnavigation. Thankfully, an honest shipwright told me how much it would cost to fix and I gulped, and left her at her mooring. Other spidsgatters came my way over the years in PT, but none was quiet big enough, strong enough, quite right for me... until an email appeared and within two weeks, I owned a boat. We could have gone and chartered in some amazing places in the world with the money I've spent so far, but the satisfaction of owning your own boat, when it's right, is worth all the money in the world.

Last updated on November 24, 2008 by International Women Sailing Network