The beginning - 6/10/10

Well I suppose this is where it all starts.

Hi, one of my ambitions is to sail around the coast of Great Britain. I have been fortunate enough to own a yacht for the last five years, its a sport / hobby that in my wildest dreams I never thought I would participate in.

My first sail boat was called YoYo, a Hunter 701, a great first boat for learning the basics. She was moored in Conway and after a year of learning the ropes, I decided to go for something a wee bit bigger and on an 'out of the blue' walk around Liverpool Marina I came across Zuma, a Jeanneau Fantasia 27, made an offer then fell for her in a big way.

Every opportunity I was out on the River Mersey learning how to sail, scaring the life out of myself, but eventually I became more trusting of Zuma and she of me.

My first ever Cruise / sail was over to Conway, I can remember thinking i had conquered the world when I arrived and that was the start of the bug. Since then I have done Conway 9 times, Isle of Man 3 times and spent many an hour out on the Mersey.

With the construction industry being hit by the current economic climate, my business unfortunately went into administration leaving me no option but to live the dream.

Zuma will be ready in the next month to take on the first tester sail from Liverpool to Conway to Holyhead to Caernarfon to Pwllheli and back, just to ensure that when i go for the big one in April / May, I don't do my own head in and Finley (parrot) doesn't get too sea sick.

So for the next few weeks its a matter of getting the most information about the task in hand and fixing that bloody tri light at the top of the mast, oh and the toilet. (the last crew to Conway blocked it, and it never been the same since).