Dear Joan,

I am new to the DCA, but I have a small 12’ x 3½’ Phil Bolger designed double-ender which I built last summer and enjoy sailing very much. I don’t think I would dare to venture out upon waters such as you have in England, but in the Gulf of Mexico, near here (300 miles) there are sheltered waters, blue skies and warm weather.

I am also now building a James Wharram designed Tiki 21, which is a small catamaran with minimal sleeping and storage accommodation, able to carry about 800 lbs. She will be named Naos, and hopefully she and I will be leaving this summer or fall for an extended 2 year cruise through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

She’s 21’ x 12’, with about 1½’ of draft. Each hull weighs 200 lbs empty, and the boat overall is about 600 lbs. She has 173 ft² of sail, and another 175 in a cruising spinnaker.

I intend to do coastal hopping around the gulf over to Mexico and then continue south along the coast of Mexico, Central America, etc. That’s about as far as my plans have developed as yet. I shall strive for self-sufficiency, except for carrying as much nuts, rice and whole grains, edible seeds, etc. as I can. This is a long hoped-for dream about 10 years in the making and will be an experiment for me in lifestyle, mode of transportation, and all.

I would like to fly the DCA burgee along with the Wharram insignia, therefore I am enclosing $10 US which I hope will cover cost and postage. I rather doubt I’ll encounter anyone who will recognize the DCA burgee, but you never know.

I hope all is going well for you this year. I gather from your DCA Bulletins/Newsletters that England has been cold and wet through the summer. I’m enclosing a picture of my little boat on the coast of Florida in hopes that it will bring you good luck and fair weather. There is a stern-hung rudder and a leeboard which are not affixed. Fair winds, Robert Childers, USA