Cyclone season has begun in French Polynesia and we need to sail 1,000 nm east upwind against the trade winds to get to the safety of the Marquesas.

If we knew these ten things BEFORE living on a boat we would have been better prepared, saved money, had fewer headaches, and more fun!

We’ve been sailing + living on our Seawind 1600 catamaran for 3 years and wanted to share an honest review of our experience after purchasing a new boat, working through the warranty issues, what we’ve learned, loved, and what we would have done differently.

Hand steering for 3,000 nm across the Pacific is something no sailor wants to face but here we are.

The reality of sailing across the Pacific is that some days are amazing with fish jumping all around and beautiful sailing. Other days there are squalls on the horizon, lines chafing and parts breaking.

Today we are transiting the Panama Canal and motoring our own vessel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in less than 12 hours!!

Today we’re starting the first page of a new chapter, of a grand adventure we’ve dreamed of for years, sailing across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia.