10 Questions for Infidien

Patti, Rick and Jessica Miller circumnavigated from August 2001 until May 2006 on Infidien, a Lavranos South African custom built aluminium cutter hailing from Golden, Colorado. More information can be found on their website and they can be contacted via email (pattimiller747@yahoo.com).

Describe a perfect cruising moment that will make cruisers-to-be drool with anticipation
Making landfall at a tropical island in the Pacific. We had a seventeen day passage from the Galapagos to the Marquesas, our longest passage. We arrived at Nuku Hiva under a full moon. It was truly lovely, and it was wonderful to in arrive in tropical paradise.

What is difficult for the parents of cruising children and what is difficult for the children themselves?
Many children had trouble with not having enough friends. But our daughter made friends easily and we as parents had to make the effort to be around other boats with kids.

What do you dislike about cruising that surprised you?
Not enough independence. I didn't like having to coordinate schedules to use the dinghy or basically to go anywhere.

Over the years, how much time do you think you spend at anchor, at marinas, sailing and motoring?
- Sailing and motoring 10% overall time - (motoring maybe 20% of that)
- At anchor 55%
- At marinas - 35%

How do you fund your cruise?
From the Dot Com

Describe a positive experience you have had with local people somewhere you have visited?
Kapingamarangi - We hauled over 2500 lbs of supplies out to this atoll. The islanders were most appreciative. They gave us many fine crafts.

What do you miss about living on land?
We missed doing all the kid activities like choir or gymnastics classes.

What is your biggest lesson learned?
Self reliance. We helped rescue a boat that hit Minerva Reef (on passage between Tonga and New Zealand). The yachting community did a great job without the help of the Coast Guard or any other official group.

What piece of gear seems to break the most often?
GPS - We went through three GPS units, about one computer laptop a year, and anything else electronic seemed to fail. I think the marine environment is just hard on electronics. Well - OK I had a hatch open on passage and a wave came over the deck and that did in one computer. That was probably my fault...

What question do you wish I would have asked you besides the ones I've asked you and how would you answer it?

What else did you do besides sail?

We are also rock climbers. We climbed in New Zealand, Thailand, and South Africa. It was awesome!