Saturday, October 25, 2008

Minimalist cruising part one; Roger Taylor and Mingming





Blondie Hasler's story is at the center of a web which branches out in several directions. One of the lines connects to Roger Taylor (aka the Simple Sailor). Roger bought a Corribee , small at 20 odd feet and a shallow draft bilge keeler. He set about modifying his unassuming little (engineless) craft for singlehanded ocean cruising along lines established by Hasler with his Jester. He implemented a junk rig, altered the cockpit for increased storage and brought all sheets inside for control from the cabin. Set up Hasler style self steering and generally buttoned her up for extended ocean crossings, which he's been doing. Roger delights in challenging conventional wisdom and proving it wrong, at least for himself. He prepares meticulously for all eventualities and takes many precautions. He's sailed his little yacht, thought by most to be adequate only for coastal cruising, over 10,000 miles and ranged from his native Uk to the Azores and Iceland and back. And thats just within the last year or so. His essays are must read, will undoubtedly challenge your assumptions, and his photos of these journeys, must see. Do yourself a favor, read and look. In addition, don't miss Roger's book 'Voyages of a Simple Sailor'. I haven't ordered my copy yet but am planning to today. It looks great and you can read reviews and previews on the website. And bear in mind, the key word here is simplicity. Minimalist cruising.

No comments: