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Join us at the Offshore Cruising Forum, co-sponsored by Blue Water Sailing Magazine, for an engaging panel discussion with active sailors/adventurers. The panel will draw on years and miles of experience to answer host Sarah Curry’s questions.

What should you prioritize when choosing and outfitting an offshore boat? How can you best prepare yourself for the cruising lifestyle and situations you may encounter - from picking crew to heavy weather? Learn from our mistakes too!

Benefit from expert tips for a safe passage down the Washington and Oregon coasts and to tropical destinations beyond - the freedom to explore the world in this amazing way is yours to realize.

Combine John Neal’s 350,000 sea miles with Amanda Swan Neal’s 308,000, and there’s not much they haven’t experienced out there. John & Amanda annually run Mahina Expeditions, sail-training expeditions worldwide aboard their Hallberg-Rassy 46. They live in Roche Harbor during their off seasons.  

Andy Cross is a former Caribbean sail trainer and is now partner in local boating website ThreeSheetsNW.com. Along with his wife Jill and sons Porter and Magnus, he cruises full-time aboard their Grand Soleil 39 Yahtzee in the Pacific Northwest.

Tom and Kim left Victoria on their boat Exit Strategy 5 years ago with plans to circumnavigate. Since then their journey has taken them to Mexico and across the Pacific Ocean to the Islands of the South Pacific, New Zealand, and West to Australia.  They will resume their journey this summer to explore Indonesia and Malaysia before crossing the Indian Ocean to South Africa.

Will & Sarah Curry run a family business, Hydrovane Self Steering. They sold their first boat in Australia, and are now cruising and outfitting their Jeanneau 43, Kaiquest, to head south to warmer climes once again.