Edward was a cruiser!
When Edward retired as a welder, he built a wooden catamaran with no
engine and proceded to sail all around the South Pacific.
He returned to San Diego, sold the cat, and built a 33' steel cutter.
And it was built solid! No lifelines, welded rails of pipe which you
had to straddle to board, instead. And working rails on either side of
the mast, all welded on. A keel stepped mast and heavy rigging. She
wasn't fast but the large dent in the bow from where he thinks he hit a
shipping container down south will attest to the strength.
This cutter was sparse with unfinished plywood cabinetry and a diesel
sitting in the middle of the cabin with plywood on top for a table.
Edward had no gps and relied only on his sextant.
In later years, he did add radar after staying awake 3 days in
shipping traffic off the straits of Juan de Fuca waiting for the fog to
lift.
He liked to sail between NZ and Victoria BC or Pt Angeles Wa with a
stop in Hilo. He once bypassed Hilo on his way north and was at sea for
93 days.
Edward would be considered a loner and yet he had many friends in the
sailing community all over the Pacific
He left NZ this year on his way north and was reported overdue by
his sister in Sequim Wa.
Two months past his due date, his cutter was found washed up on a
beach on a south sea island with no sign of Edward.
Friends say he wasn't feeling well when he left and had made remarks
as to whether he would ever see them again.
Edward was 82 years old!

I salute you Edward!

Gordon