| Phil MacFarlane Sail a Vie Ericson 35 |
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 After sailing home in 2000 Phil said he wouldn't do it again. After a few weeks being back he said "well that wasn't so bad" after a few months he said "man that was pretty cool". In 02 as the fleet took off Phil was wishing Sail A Vie was going with them. "My motivations remain the same as
last time. I don't expect to win, I just hope I'm not last. I don't look at this as a race to win, but just to do. I just love to sail, it makes me feel good. Doing this race is far more than just the race, it's the prep. I'm not rich and I don't think most of us are. We
do most of the work on the boats our selves and usually on a tight budget. It is quite a feeling of achievement to complete the trip in one piece and with the systems that you designed and installed your self".In 2000 he only had a VHF radio, no weather info and not much talk with other boats. "This time I'll have a SSB plus a stand alone e-mail system. Im glad I got to do it when long distance communication was not required, but I'm more glad the this time I will be able to stay in touch". Also last time Sail a Vie only had a Monitor windvane "the tiller pilot crapped out the first time I tried to use it". The monitor did a great job, but he wasnąt able to fly the chute as much as he would have liked. "This time I have an Alpha auto pilot so hopefully the chute will be a little less scary". Last time Phil had a friend sail back with him, which was good, but this time "I'll do the round trip alone. You are supposed to feel different after doing the round trip alone, I'll bet, like totally wacked. Last time I only fished on the way back. This time I'm fishing both ways. Last time the only glass float I saw was on the way over. I didn't want to dowse the chute and go back for it but this time I might". Other changes to the boat include: radar, new rudder, six new bulkheads, completely new electrical system, new fuel tank, new water tanks, new sails and a new pluming system.
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