Solway Sailing

General information

From April 2016 I will have set sail on a single handed passage that will take me and my little boat on a adventure of a life time. If all goes well I have three plans:

PLAN A

18 Months. UK to Ireland, across Biscay to Spain, Portugal to Gibraltar,
Madeira, Canaries, Verdi Islands, solo crossing of the Atlantic in November 2016, Caribbean Islands, USA, cross the Atlantic to the Azores, back to the UK by September 2017.

PLAN B

30 Months. UK to Ireland, across Biscay to Spain, Portugal to Gibraltar,
Madeira, Canaries, Verdi Islands, solo crossing of the Atlantic in November 2016, Caribbean Islands, Panama Canal by February 2017, Galapagos, Single handed crossing of the Pacific ocean, French Polynesian Islands, Australia by September 2017, Christmas Island, solo crossing of the Indian Ocean to the cape of Good Hope no later than February 2018, Crossing of the South Atlantic to the Caribbean Islands, USA, cross the North Atlantic to the Azores, back to the UK by September 2018.

PLAN C

42 Months. UK to Ireland, across Biscay to Spain, Portugal to Gibraltar,
Madeira, Canaries, Verdi Islands, solo crossing of the Atlantic in November 2016, Caribbean Islands, Panama Canal by February 2017, Galapagos, Single handed crossing of the Pacific ocean, French Polynesian Islands, Australia by September 2017, then 12 months cruising around Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand, Christmas Island, solo crossing of the Indian Ocean to the cape of Good Hope no later than February 2019, Crossing of the South Atlantic to the Caribbean Islands, USA, cross the North Atlantic to the Azores, back to the UK by September 2019.

MONEY

I'm going to try my best to stick to a budget of £200 which is 260 Euro or $285USD per week. Out of this amount will come:

* Food and water

* Fuel

* Marina, harbour, mooring buoy fees and fees for entering countries

* Transit fees

Note: It's $1000 usd to take my boat through the Panama Canal and I'm sure the world being the way it is there'll be other fees/fines/bribes I'll find I'll need to pay along the way.

* Repairs and renewals

Note: This is the big one, it's an unknown amount and believe me, I know from experience, ''the more you sail = the more bits on your boat you break''.


FUNDRAISE

I'm not rich and I've got no sponsorship, I'm just a working class boy from a working class background and while I'm away attempting to sail my boat around the world for 42 months I'm not working so will have no income.


COSTS

I've already left my house, paid off the loan on the boat and moved onboard in a bid to follow my dream. If that's not commitment I don't know what is! Just to demonstrate that commitment and passion I've put thousands of pounds into the boat so far, it pains me to remember but here's a list of just some:

New Rigging £1200, crane for lifting mast off and on £300, new Sprayhood £500, new main sail £1600, money spend on repairing, renewing or buying new items for the boat from chandlery £2000. Then annually I spend £2400 Whitehaven marina fees, £160 Isle of Man Fees, Annual Lift out £350, antifoul, anodes, brushes etc £150, Parts for engine service £125. Annual RNLI donation £150. Insurance £220. 2015 hull repaint £400.

See sailing isn't free!


HELPING

£200 a week x the 182 weeks I'll be away sailing = £36,400.00

Since I started fundraising to date (6th March 2016) I have raised £22! But every little helps.

If you'd like to help, even by a small amount here's how:

BACS Payment via your internet banking or your high street bank.
The account details to Bacs to is:
Sort Code: 77-56-01
Account Number: 56630268

Paypal payment.
www.paypal.com
The email address to pay to is: info@solwaysailing.co.uk