I sat in the desert, and considered what to do with my life. Most things I man can do, I did, except mauntineering, and for that I am too lazy. Why should I go to the railwaystation if I dont go by train? Why go to the top of a mountain if I have no business there?

I like freedom, nature, good books, tasty food and need to discover new things.

Somehow, I should get a boat. I tried to buy one, but as I travelled along the South African coast line, not a single boat came near my expectations.

I contacted a few designers that did not take me serious, some did, but I did not like their standard designs, one sent me study plans.

However, when I asked about stabilty and other numbers, he wrote:

"I do not charge enough for these plans to do all these calculations, unlike you, I do not have a background in engineering, but trust your eyes, if it looks right, then it is right". Now that worried me extremely.

I got myself some books on ship designs, and started with H.B.White NAVAL ARCHITECTURE 2nd edition 1876. An interesting, if out dated book, and amongst other things, it put me off catamarans for ever. Reading about some experiments about wave motion in a 'bucket machine', I realised the dynamic stability problems of all catamarans.

The designer who did not do "all these calculations" had a very traditional and simplistic, basic approach to boats and boat building which I liked, and in designing my boat, I followed his principles and designed my hard chine steel hull. I would have been happy to have a heavy cruiser, as it turned out, I problably designed a frighter/racer. I know, there was never such a thing, but the numbers put it in the category of racer/cruiser (which I still dont want to believe). Unlike a racer/cruiser, it has two cargo holds, in addition, all back rests can fold up and can be converted into shelves.

Where I live, nothing yachty can be obtained, much less where I intended to go. All fittings, the rig and steering had to be strong and simple and maintenence friendly. The choice was between gaff and junk rig. I have both in a way. At present it is gaff rigged, but when there is time to make and experiment with battens, I can have a rig the shape of a junk, with battens and controlled by sheetlets like used on a junk. The sails (already made) however, do not extend past the mast and would be laced on.